stlouis-to-caruthersville
Everything about Island No 8 arouses wonder and appreciation. It is the biggest, wildest, and most inspiring island in this stretch of the Lower Mississippi, habitat to big herds of deer, and thriving with wildlife of every sort. It is important habitat for songbirds and waterfowl in their annual migrations,
stlouis-to-caruthersville
Heading downstream out of Hickman the paddler rounds Dorena Towhead and is presented with a forest lined channel bank left and punctuated by a series of islands bank right. These are an archipelago of islands that have accumulated along the Island No. 7 Dikes, with giant Island No 8 looming
stlouis-to-caruthersville
The Dorena Towhead rises out of the river bank right in a long shelf of sand at low and medium water levels, with generous but narrow sandbars along the forests in high water, all the way to bankfull and even a few slivers of sand here and there at high
stlouis-to-caruthersville
Great campsites can be found all around Beckwith Bend Bar at all water levels up to bank full 35 CG, but the only protection is found in a small piece of woods isolated on a hump of sand at top end, near LBD 925.7, below the 1st dike. Lots
stlouis-to-caruthersville
The top end of the back channel is cut off by a long wall dike angled upstream which reaches halfway across the channel and forcefully shoves the majority of the river away from its old channel into what used to be the back channel of the island. Due to several
stlouis-to-caruthersville
Wolf Island is the first “big island” below the mouth of the Ohio River, with a tall bluff of sand that forms along top end and is dry up to flood stage, and a long, long tail of sand that emerges in low water levels. The tail extends a full
stlouis-to-caruthersville
Below the last of Ingram fleeting along mile 935.3 paddlers following the Kentucky shore left bank descending will find an eddy and some sandbars and a low place in the woods. This is the top of an old island that has joined the bank, except in high water when
stlouis-to-caruthersville
Columbus-Belmont State Park sits on top of the next spectacular display of loess geology at the 2nd Kentucky Loess Bluff. This bluff and the nearby town of Columbus was once called “Iron Bank” for the striking red coloring staining the cliffs. Paddlers can make landing at bluff base and secure
stlouis-to-caruthersville
Adventuresome paddlers ready for back channel exploring should look for the obvious opening through the forested riverbank around RBD mile 943. Slow flow at 25, gentle at 30, strong at 35. Five mile bend around the bulky shape of old Island No. 2, the 2nd island so numbered by Zadok
stlouis-to-caruthersville
A small indication of what’s to come downstream, Island No. 1 rises to its full height with its best camping below the small forest of scrubby willows near mile 948. Note: On the Lower Mississippi River, make sure there are no oncoming storms, and no forecast for wind, before