Mile 749.0 LBD — 742 Hickman Bar
Several long miles downstream of Shelby Forest, after about an hour of paddling, you will encounter the first of a long group of islands hugging the left bank (the Tennessee side of the river). These are the many islands of the Hickman Bar archipelago. At or above medium water level (15 MG) the water flows behind the islands and you can turn inwards and enjoy the beauty of the back channel. The journey is longer and the river is slower, but your appreciation of the river increase many-fold. You will also enjoy more wildlife and glimpses of big trees and extensive willow forests. At 15MG there will be some exposed rock along the dikes with shallow crossings and some big drops. You might scrape your canoe or kayak on some submerged rocks or boulders. Or even worse, you might run aground and be flipped over. I’ve had this happen to me one time in a kayak, and I lost everything I had in the cockpit save a watercolor notebook. It’s best to wait until the river is 20MG and above. The water speed will be significantly enhance also. At 25MG there will be good flow throughout, and at 30 a fast flow. Above flood stage 34MG all islands will be underwater.