10/14/2011 - Elk River

10/14/2011 - Elk River (Class I-I+), Missouri. Two day, 14mi floating and camping trip.

Starting Out:

This trip we left on Friday evening for a Friday/Saturday camping and floating excursion. Our destination was the Elk River in Missouri. The weather was gorgeous especially for this time of year. Cool but not cold, brisk air in the morning and nice temperatures throughout the day.

Traveling:

The Elk River is located in the South West corner of Missouri bordering Oklahoma and Arkansas in McDonald County. It is easy access from either state either using I-44 from the Oklahoma side or 540 in Arkansas. Highway 71 in Missouri runs right through Pineville so you'll most likely come in on that from either the North or South. We were headed to the Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area to camp which is about 5 miles from the river just East of Pineville. It was easy to find just keep an eye out for the little brown sign that designates the area. There is a small dirt road immediately after the sign that you'll turn right on to get to a parking area near the camp sites. As far as the float access there are not many public access points on the Elk river, mostly private floats. I'm not sure if the private outfitters would allow you to put-in there or not but we decided to stick to the areas clearly marked as public access. Mt. Shira was very easy to find just to the left past Shady Beach outfitter coming from the North on Highway 59. Cowskin was also easy to find, we simply headed North on 59 to Highway 76 West then turned left (South) onto Highway 43. The access is just down a couple of miles on the right. It has a large parking area and a very nice large concrete boat ramp.

Floating:
The water level measured 3.5ft for the Elk River the few days leading up to our float trip. This is low but not especially so. The overall water level was good for this time of year (October) and we only had to get out and guide the canoe due to low water a couple of times. Compared to some rivers this is not bad at all in my opinion. The water quality was surprisingly good with very clear water. The current was a little disappointing but not unexpected considering the gradient is only 4 feet per mile on this section of the river. There are a handful of rapids, the best of which are just past the dam portage. Most of the river has a nice continuous current but there's not much in the way of rapids and there are a couple of longer sections where the water is not moving much at all. This is mainly due to the dam area which backs the river up for a good distance and forms almost a lake. The other parts are deeper and there's just not enough gradient to cause very good water flow. Over all though there are some beautiful areas and bluffs. This is not the most isolated floating so it has some different features to enjoy beside the wilderness quality you find some places. We ran across some cows who came down to the river to drink for example. This is not your typical "wildlife" but it still adds some interesting twists to a float trip. I would say the majority of this river below the Mt. Shira put-in is Class I with a couple of spots of rapids possibly Class II. There is certainly nothing more than that. The fishing looked like it might be good, we saw several fishermen who had caught some bass. Overall a fun time and we made surprisingly good time without too much serious paddling. I'd call that a win.

Camping:

The campgrounds, Huckleberry Ridge Conservation Area, are deemed "primitive" and that is no exaggeration. They are in the process of making individual camp sites and eventually it will probably be a pretty nice place but for this trip it was just an open spot in some woods with a dirt road. The area had recently been clear cut which made for some nice firewood but not the most scenic camp site. The remote quality of the area is nice and the information and map shows lots of hiking trails throughout. We found a flat spot, built a fire after some difficulty getting the damper wood to light, and enjoyed some good Dutch oven cooking.

Public Access:
The public access spots are as follows:
Elk River - Total 23.0 Miles:

• Highway 71 Bridge Access - Mile 24.5
• Mt. Shira Access - Mile 32.0 - Put-in (10/15/2011)
• Dam Portage - Mile 35.8
• Cowskin Access - Mile 45.3 - Take-out (10/15/2011)

Gear:
Some of the more important gear we used:

• Canoe - Old Town Expedition (Discovery 169 re-badge for Bass Pro)
• Tent - Eureka Tetragon 8
• Airbed/Sleeping Mat - Coleman Queen Airbed (thus the large tent!)
• Sleeping Bag(s) - Eureka Sandstone 30*, Coleman Brazos 30*

Photos:

10/14/2011 - Elk River, a set on Flickr.

9/24/2011 - North Fork River

9/24/2011 - North Fork River (Class I-II), Missouri. Two day, 24mi floating and camping trip.

Starting Out:

We left our house at approximately 5:45a.m. to head to the North Fork of the White River in Missouri. The weather was unusually warm for this time of year and today it was chilly but beautiful. Missouri's rivers are much more regular than the ones we have around here because most of them are spring fed. This means the water level stays pretty much the same year round unless it floods due to excessive rain. The water is also a constant temperature which makes it very appealing in the summer time and warmer months of the year. This results in a lot of other people on the river but this late in the season we figured to have the river to ourselves. We were right. Aside from a few fishermen we saw no other people floating the river. That either means we know something no one else does, or they all know something we don't!

Traveling:

We headed across Highway 412 into Mountain Home, Arkansas which if you are coming from the South or West of the river is probably the best road. We continued up Highway 201 Northbound until we crossed the state line into Missouri. There we met up with State Highway J and continued North until we merged onto 160 East and eventually turned back North on State Highway PP (I know, I know, stop laughing) not too far before you get to Old Dawt Mill. We were heading to the Patrick Bridge Access camp grounds to meet our friends and had no issues finding it. Off State Highway PP you intersect State Highway H mostly Eastward and run right across the bridge. The campgrounds are actually before you get to the bridge but there's a nice gravel put-in just across the bridge. These highways and camp grounds are all well marked on Google maps. We met our friends and packed up and headed to the Twin Bridges put-in. This is several miles North of our camp site up State Highway H. Take that until you hit Highway 14 and you'll cross the first of the twin bridges in between which is a nice put-in. It was marked as paid parking but the store was closed when we went. Your experience may differ if you go during the busy times between Memorial and Labor day.


Floating:
This river is rated a Class II and did not disappoint. The water was excellent! Very clear, clean looking, and moving with enough current that it was obviously possible to float without paddling for hours. The rapids are easy/safe enough for beginner floaters but still provide lots of entertainment value for all parties. There are numerous springs along the way so keep your eyes and ears open for those. The land in general is very beautiful and picturesque. Take a waterproof camera or carefully snap as many pictures along the way as ou can! All of those things are big pluses in my book.

The initial put-in was approximately 17mi from our camping spot, a long day but with a good current easily doable in a single day's float. We got started at 11:45a.m. and headed down the river. After about 5mi we came to the Hammond Camp Access. We stopped for a late lunch here and a brief rest. The weather was beautiful with temperatures in the low to mid 70s. There are bathroom facilities and picnic tables at this access and since it was just around 1:00p.m. we enjoyed a lunch break.

Back on the river we enjoyed a nice current that pulls you along without much paddling help. A big change from the Class I rivers I've seen. Along the way we saw beautiful bluffs, lots of trees, turtles, fish, and a mink! The weather was warm throughout the day and while I like to wear long sleeves and pants for the UV protection it would have been fine in either short or long sleeves.

We were the only ones floating the river. We did come across a few fisherman who were having mixed results from what they said. Some had caught a few some said nothing was biting. I've heard the White and North Fork rivers have good fishing but we were just floating this trip. Maybe next time we'll try some of it out.

As it got darker we were more concerned with reaching our campsite as everything's harder to find in the dark. We actually ended up floating past the Patrick Bridge Camp take-out and after a while of trying to figure out what we'd missed we had to pull the boats back up stream. When we actually got there it was no wonder we missed it, it's very small and not overly noticeable. I've marked it as clearly as I could on the below satellite photo so hopefully in the future it won't be an issue. It's strange since the campsite is so nice that the take-out is not concrete or marked in anyway. All in all a great day of floating on the river.

The next day we put in at our campsite and floated the river the rest of the way to Dawt Mill. This is an exciting sight and the sound of the rushing water is very exhilarating. A good spot for a photo of the "mighty river" you've conquered. The weather was great, the river is very scenic and flows well, couldn't ask for a better spot to float!

Camping:

We camped at the Patrick Bridge Access camp grounds. The two public toilets were very clean and easily accessible. The camp site includes a gravel area with a fire pit and grill and a pole to hang stuff from. The ground is hard and rocky due to the gravel so it's highly advisable to bring a sleeping mat or airbed. Getting down to the water from the camp grounds is not as easy since you have to carry the boat down some "stairs" made of railroad timbers. The water access is just a muddy bank that is easy to miss if you're not looking for it. It's on the right hand bank BEFORE you reach the bridge. If you take out at the gravel bar after the bridge, you'll have to walk across the bridge and up into the camp site which will be on your right.

Public Access:
The public access spots are as follows:
North Fork River - Total 49.5 Miles:

• Highway 76 Bridge Access - Mile 0.0
• Hebron Access - Mile 18.7
• Twin Bridges Access - Mile 24.1 - Day One Put-in (9/24/2011)
• Hammond Camp Access - Mile 29.2
• Blair Bridge Access - Mile 39.2
• Patrick Bridge Access - Mile 40.9 - Day One Take-out (9/24/2011) | Day Two Put-in (9/25/2011)
• Old Dawt Mill Dam - Mile 47.0 - Day Two Take-out (9/25/2011)
• Tecumseh Access - Mile 49.5

Gear:
Some of the more important gear we used:

• Canoe - Old Town Expedition (Discovery 169 re-badge for Bass Pro)
• Tent - Eureka Tetragon 8
• Airbed/Sleeping Mat - Coleman Queen Airbed (thus the large tent!)
• Sleeping Bag(s) - Eureka Sandstone 30*, Coleman Brazos 30*

Photos:

9/24/2011 - Northfork River, MO, a set on Flickr.