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Following the main channel past Mellwood Lake the river is thrust outwards by a prominent point below the 624.8 light for a crossing back to the Mississippi side. If you maintain this channel you will enjoy a fast ride on a boiling tongue of water past an eddy below
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There is a series of sandbar islands that have grown up along the lower end of the Sunflower Dikes. When the river is below 20HG you can make an easy picnic stop on the last of these but beware any approaching storms for there is no protection of any sort.
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(Note: closed since the 2011 Flood, but supposed to reopen in 2012). There are hot showers and other camper conveniences at Great River State Park, but be aware that the park is built for vehicle access, not river access. This is not a good place to put-in or take-out unless
helena-to-greenville
If you are on a time schedule or don't feel like exploring the back channel, follow the strong flow of water out of Scrubgrass Bend as it issues forth running almost due East for several miles until forced Southward by the elbow shaped Victoria Bend. You could stay
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The Mississippi runs along the Eastern edge of Big Island all of the way from the mouth of the White RIver to the Arkansas River Confluence, so you might as well make friends, -- it will be your right bank shoreline companion for the next seventeen miles! 20,000 acre
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Smith Point Sandbar is high enough and large enough paddlers will discover it to be the best camping in this area of the river and should be included in any itinerary. Of course, if the timing is off, or if it is very windy, you might chose elsewhere. As with
helena-to-greenville
Scrubrass Bend makes an elegant 180 degree semi circle around Smith Point. Seen from the air the river channel scribes an almost perfect half moon. You enter it paddling west (into sunset) and exit paddling east (into sunrise). You might experience a common river illusion as you enter Scrubgrass from
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Following the main channel of the river past Hurricane Point/Dennis Landing you will be thrust out mid channel with slower water left bank descending (and the large eddy at Dennis Landing). At low water levels you must continue main channel because there is no other choice, but at higher
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[CLICK HERE: Map of Islands 62 & 63 Circumnavigation] Beautiful remote towhead island with long stretches of willow broken by stands of cottonwood and other hardwoods, all surrounded by a sea of big-grained yellow sand. Good camping or possible break stop, great animal tracking, birding, and fossil finding. Island 62
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A highland of mixed willow/cottonwood/mulberry forest at mile 646, giant sandbars upstream at low water, plenty of sand at medium water, only a small spit of sand at high water 35HG, goes completely underwater at 42HG with only the trees on the tallest pieces of land poking out
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[CLICK HERE: Map of Friar's Point Island] Immediately downstream of the primitive Friars Point Landing mile 652.5 is a narrow opening tight against the Mississippi shoreline that at any water levels above 20 HG offers glimpses into the wild world of the ancient Mississippi, where steep muddy
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A three-mile long island at low water, one mile-long at medium, no sand at 35HG, goes completely under at flood stage 44HG. Montezuma Towhead was created when an unfortunate steamboat by the same name The Montezuma happened upon a snag in this section of river and sank on Feb 28,