River Log section: Memphis to Helena
Memphis to Helena
663 RBD Helena-West Helena Mark Twain said that Helena occupies “the prettiest situations on the Mississippi River…” Twain should have also added: “and the driest...” Thanks to Crowley’s Ridge Helena has the distinction of being the only remaining population of any size to be found directly on the main
Memphis to Helena
663 RBD Helena Harbor Paddler’s Note: the most prominent landmark in the Helena area is the Helena Bridge, but don’t go there (yet)! The Helena Harbor is almost two miles above the bridge. If you’re looking to make a landing for access to boat ramps & downtown
Memphis to Helena
665.5 LBD Trotter’s Pass A beautiful side trip into a primeval world where you can paddle as far as you feel comfortable doing so. Round Trip: paddle into Trotter’s Pass and then turn around and paddle back and continue your journey downstream the main channel. How to
Memphis to Helena
668-663 RBD Buck Island (Prairie Point Towhead) Buck Island was saved from auction block by the American Land Conservancy in 2008 and is now protected by a permanent wetlands easement through the NRCS, which means that it will never be forested again, and our children will one day enjoy the
Memphis to Helena
668 RB (a view of) Crowley’s Ridge D As you are approaching the top end of Buck Island you will be welcomed to the area with a grand view of Crowley’s Ridge. Helena is located at the Southern end of Crowley’s Ridge, “Where the Ridge meets the
Memphis to Helena
669 LBD Flower Lake Dikes Above 20HG (medium water) you can paddle behind several narrow islands found on the Mississippi shoreline left bank descending which are formed over the St. Francis and Flower Lake Dikes. Stay LBD and paddle hard to cut into the narrow openings leading behind these islands
Memphis to Helena
671-673 LBD St. Francis Bar Created by historic flooding of the St. Francis River, the St. Francis Bar is a perennial sandbar that varies from a mile long at low water, to half a mile at medium water, and is completely submerged during high water (goes under around HG37). Beautiful
Memphis to Helena
672 RBD Mouth of the St. Francis River Two miles below Stumpy Island right bank descending the mouth of the St. Francis opens up momentarily and affords a striking view westward through overhanging trees and jumping fish to the Crowley’s Ridge. If you aren’t looking for it, you
Memphis to Helena
674.5 Harbert Point Swift currents past the point will carry the downstream paddler quickly into the final approach to the mouth of the St. Francis River. You can stay left bank and duck behind the St. Francis Bar. Or you can stay main channel and enjoy a quick view
Memphis to Helena
677-676 Shoo Fly Bar Shoo Fly is what paddlers have come to name a dynamic low-lying open bar that forms below the Tunica Runout and is only visible in low water conditions, and goes completely under around 20HG. Paddlers should avoid camping here except in the most perfect of conditions.
Memphis to Helena
677-674 Stumpy Island Three mile long island (at low water) topped with a young willow/cottonwood/sycamore forest with beautiful camping all around. In high water levels best camping is found top end above the trees, and there is ample water flowing through the back channel. (Cutoff resident Rick Howe
Memphis to Helena
679-677 Hardin Cut-Off The main channel of the Mississippi explodes out of Walnut Bend and into a five mile southerly run through Hardin Cut-Off towards the mouth of the St. Francis. Here you will get your first views of Crowley’s Ridge, which meets the Mississippi at Helena. The faint