| The Great Outdoors |
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| Written by Aaron Gabbard | |
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Did you know that Missouri is one of the best states in the US for floating? Our rivers are so spectacular that several of them have been designated as Ozark National Scenic Riverways. People come from around the nation to float these rivers and the best part about it is that they are right in our backyard. There are breathtaking bluffs, huge springs, all kinds of fishing, rope swings and cliffs to jump off, caves to explore and the rolling Ozark hills. The rivers of Missouri offer everything for the non-outdoorsman to the whitewater rafter. Missouri S&T organizations love to plan float trips. Each spring and fall you will hear of numerous groups heading out for a nice day on the water. Before I get into the essentials for planning your float, let me quickly describe your river options. Of the 58 streams to float in Missouri, there are eight great ones within the vicinity of Rolla. The local areas are riddled with outfitters that are ready to get you on the river. The eight rivers that are as follows: Jacks Fork River, Eleven Point River, Current River, Gasconade River, Big Piney River, Meramec River, Huzzah Creek and the Courtois Creek. The two most popular rivers are the Current River and Meramec River because they are generally floatable all year. During Memorial Day weekend you can almost walk down those rivers on all the canoes and rafts. However, during the week days and fall weekends, you can have almost any river to yourself. From personal experience and guidebook recommendations, the most scenic riverways, in order of ranking, are as follows: Jacks Fork River, Current River, Eleven Point River, Huzzah Creek and Courtois Creek. The other rivers are still excellent to float, but these are the pristine gems of the region. The Meramec River is the most popular river to float because it is closest to St. Louis and is accessible all year long due to the many springs. The sixty mile stretch from Meramec Spring to Meramec State Park is the best area to float because it is the most rural, and many outfitters can be found along that section of the river. In the lower sections of the river, the river becomes a little muddy. As mentioned in the last article, Meramec Spring releases trout into the river. The Current River and Jacks Fork River are part of the popular Ozark National Scenic Riverway. Obviously, they are the most scenic rivers both in Missouri and nationally. The Current River is well traveled, but its beauty remains unchanged. Of all the Ozark rivers, it has the most springs feeding into it, which makes it floatable all year. The first 60 miles of the river, above Blue Spring, are best for floating because of the limited number of motor boats. Montauk State Park is at the beginning of the river and also releases trout into the Current River. The Jacks Fork River is best described in A Paddler’s Guide To Missouri as, “...one of the wildest and most scenic of the Missouri Ozark streams. Its deep valley is nearly a canyon, with no bottomland fields for the first 25 floatable miles.” As with many of the rivers, the Jacks Fork River needs to be floated in the spring or after some quality summer rain. The Eleven Point River is a long drive, but worth it because it has the second largest spring in Missouri (Greer Spring) which creates a deep, cool, pure river. The Greer Spring section is the prettiest section of river that I have ever floated. Large trout can be seen below your canoe, swimming among the lush vegetation. A perfect area for fishing. Greer Spring pumps out so much water that the 25 miles below the spring can be floated all year. The Huzzah and Courtois Creeks are both tributaries to the Meramec, but are much quieter and clearer than the Meramec. When you are in the valleys, stand up in your canoe or get onto the banks and soak in the Ozark landscape and atmosphere. The farm land is awe-inspiring. These creeks need to be floated during the spring or after rainfall. The Gasconade River is supposedly, “...one of the most crooked rivers in the world...In an area near Waynesville, you can float for 15 miles and be only two miles overland from your put-in,” according to A Paddler’s Guide To Missouri. Like all the Missouri rivers, you can find lots of beautiful scenery, cliffs, boulders, bluffs and swimming holes. However, the Gasconade River can be very muddy in parts, and is the nastiest of any river I have floated in south-central Missouri. The Big Piney River is reported to be one of the best fishing streams in its middle and upper areas. There are huge bluffs and springs along the way. The combination of solitude and subtle beauty make this river ideal for a quiet, lazy fishing float. To avoid crowds, the best times to go floating in any river is in the fall and on the weekdays. To find out river conditions and get answers to any floating questions, consult a local outfitter. They are friendly and know the river conditions best because they float people down the rivers every day. If you are going with an outfitter, all you will need to supply is food, drinks, sunscreen, wadding shoes and a first-aid kit. For overnight trips, regular camping gear is all you need. There are many camping spots along the rivers ranging from sand bars to designated campgrounds. Floating is an excellent way to spend time in the great outdoors, relax and make some great buddies. The memories will last a lifetime. Just get out there and do it. It is easy and cheap. There are many fun ways to go down the rivers. Inner tubes, rafts, canoes and kayaks are all lots of fun. Rafts are the most social, canoes are the most romantic and inner tubes are the slowest. If you go with an outfitter, they can generally rent you a boat, paddle and life jacket for under $25. They will even take you down to the river, drop you off and pick you up at the end. Most of the outfitters have campgrounds, so you can go up the night before, hangout, camp and then hit the rivers in the morning. For access (put-in and take-out) points, boat ramps and camping locations, I highly recommend the book A Paddler’s Guide To Missouri. For outfitters, go to http://www.missouricanoe.org/ or http://www.thetent.com/thetent/aogcr/mo/index.htm. Both sites have comprehensive lists of outfitters for each river in Missouri. Outdoor Activities Rental (OAR), part of SUB, can outfit you too! You can rent everything you need for a float trip, just like you would from an outfitter. Just go to http://campus.mst.edu/sub/oar.html for all your rental needs. For great river maps and mile-by-mile descriptions, directly from A Paddler’s Guide To Missouri, go to http://www.missouricanoe.org/. |
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