River Log section: St. Louis to Caruthersville
St. Louis to Caruthersville
161.6 RBD Ameren Meramec First big power plant below St. Louis. Creamy yellow. Long dock, long intake structure. Four robust smokestacks emerging from 2 giant power generation units. At night time a spectacular array of sound & light. Ameren Meramec has been in operation for 61 years, since 1953,
St. Louis to Caruthersville
163 RBD St. Mary’s Convent The Missouri Bluffs rise to their highest prominences below St. Louis topped with healthy woodlands of oaks, sycamores, walnuts, elms and maples, and a few mansions. St. Mary’s Convent tops the highest prominence towards the mouth of the Meramec with carefully trimmed lawns,
St. Louis to Caruthersville
161 RBD Meramec River The major right bank tributary the Meramec enters the big river through a slot in the forest at 161 RBD, and meets the big river in a steep downstream angle (like so many of the Mississippi tributaries do). No other major tributaries come in from the
St. Louis to Caruthersville
161 LBD Meramec Bar This chain of wing dam bars forms around the dams scattered over four miles of river roughly centered around and opposite the mouth of Meramec. The water starts flowing behind this Island of the Meramec Bar around 10SLG, and the entire island disappears underwater with a
St. Louis to Caruthersville
164.5 LBD Pulltight Landing Blue Hole Just below and opposite Pulltight Landing is a large blue hole carved out of the riverbank parallel to the outside of the bend here by the Flood of 1993. As you’re paddling by you probably won’t notice the slight variation in
St. Louis to Caruthersville
166 LBD Luhr Bros., Inc. Luhr Bros., Inc. operates a fleet of 28 towboats which specialize in moving stone and other aggregate. Their bright green and yellow stripes makes them immediately recognizable to anyone who frequents the Mississippi. They seem to be paddler friendly. The Army Corps of Engineers and
St. Louis to Caruthersville
166 - 165 RBD Wing Dams Possible low water camping in sandy places behind and in between wing dams. Paddle into outside of eddy which typically revolves below point of the dike. Swirl around and make stylish landing on sand.
St. Louis to Caruthersville
166 RBD Fleeted Barges Watch for fleeted barges often encountered along the Missouri shore below Cliff Cave Landing and opposite the Luhr Brothers Landing at the mouth of Carr Creek. As noted above in the St. Louis Harbor, fleeted barges present special challenges to paddlers. Do not allow your route
St. Louis to Caruthersville
166.7 RBD Cliff Cave County Park Leaving St. Louis behind the river rolls along the base of the Missouri bluffs and the limestone cliffs seem to rise higher and higher. At mile 166.7 a spectacular cave opens its mouth to the river below. Cliff Cave (also known as
St. Louis to Caruthersville
168 RBD Bussen Quarries The only downside to camping on the Carroll Island is the traffic on the bridge and your loud neighbors across the river at Bussen Quarries. Aggregate is big business on the Middle Mississippi; this quarry is the first of another dozen or so that you will
St. Louis to Caruthersville
168 -167 LBD Carroll Islands Best camping below Mosenthein Island is found left bank descending (against the Illinois shore) below the JB Bridge, at the top end of the Carroll Islands (two consecutive islands, each similarly shaped and about a mile long), where a generous bluff of creamy white sand
St. Louis to Caruthersville
168.6 Jefferson Barracks (JB) Bridge Last bridge for paddlers to float under in the St. Louis area, and a fitting exit to the city with its two elegant steel arches rising gracefully in a gentle half moon curve 268 feet above the water (at medium height). The main channel