Mile 870.5 RBD — Stewart Towhead

John Ruskey

26 Apr 2026

Like many of the giant sandbars in this area, Stewart Towhead is very wide, shalllow and exposed. Great picnic site, but not recommended for camping in winds or oncoming storms. There is one small (tiny in relation to the bar) clump of scrubby willows set on a medium high sandy ridge amongst the sea of flat surrounding sand at 871 RBD. The sand all disappears around 20CG. The small willow bump described above goes under around 30CG. The interior of much of this bend is contained within the Girvin Conservation Area. Best low/medium camps on Stewart Towhead would be found on the bottom end right bank descending between mile 868 and 867.

More from this section

Mile 0.8 LBD — Fort Defiance

The Mississippi and Ohio Rivers confluence around Fort Defiance. It is the southernmost piece of the State of Illinois, and simultaneously the northernmost mile of the Lower Mississippi River. This strategic location has been a military stronghold since the Mississippian era, and figured importantly in the Civil War. At 279

Mile 1.3 — Cairo Highway Bridge

Last bridge on the Middle Mississippi River! Looking under this bridge you can see the confluence and the end of the Ohio River beyond. The excitement is building: the last mile of the Middle Mississippi River, and the thrill of the biggest river confluence in North America. Enjoy the feeling

Mile 3.4 LBD — Angelo Chute

WARNNG: 3-foot drop over rock dike at 24CGG. Very fast and very turbulent opening LBD along mainland bank. As you leave the main channel you will be confronted with a wall of rock the size of the Great Wall of China (t seems like) that completely occludes Anglo Chute, except

Mile 3.4 LBD — Angelo Towhead

Angelo Towhead is the last island on the Middle Miss, and makes for excellent picnicking or camping, and at certain water levels its back channel is a whitewater roller coaster. Angelo is a god all-season, all level camp island, but sometimes it’s difficult to access the top end because

Mile 17.5 RBD — Thompson Towhead

There never seem to be good landings along the steep muddy rip-rap banks right bank descending from mile 20 to mile 18, maybe a few sandy bluff purchases in high water, and at low and medium water a lot of slimy muddy flats seem to accumulate around the bend below

Mile 20.5 LBD — Dogtooth Bar

If you are watching your compass as you round Brown’s Bar you will be surprised to see that the next ten miles the river actually folds back on itself and flows back towards St. Louis, as if it’s not sure if it wants to continue down south with