River Log section: St. Louis to Caruthersville
St. Louis to Caruthersville
67.5 RBD Trail of Tears Overlook You’ll feel like you’re flying over the river like one of the many bald eagles that frequent the Middle Mississippi from the Trail of Tears Overlook. Upstream you can see all the way over what remains of Hanging Dog Bluff, past
St. Louis to Caruthersville
69 - 65.6 RBD Trail of Tears State Park Once passed Indian Creek Trail of Tears State Park dominates the right bank descending, and it’s one of the most beautiful stretches of river along the entire Middle Mississippi River, with distinctive bluffs and cliff lines running down the
St. Louis to Caruthersville
69 RBD Indian Creek Indian Creek marks the northern boundary of Trail of Tears State Park. In its gentle meanders it carves through tall banks of yellow, orange, and red rock, and its channel is strewn with the same. Beautiful shoals and gravel bars of brightly colored rocks are strewn
St. Louis to Caruthersville
71.6 RBD Hanging Dog Bluff Best med/low campsites are found opposite Trail of Tears State Park, the upper end has some nice choices, between LBD 68 and 67.
St. Louis to Caruthersville
73.9 - 71.6 LBD Crawford Towhead Good camping at top of island at all water levels up to bankfull. The back channel opens around 15SLG, with slow inflow at 17SLG, but strong flow at 25SLG.
St. Louis to Caruthersville
74 - 63 LBD Hanging Dog Island 11 mile long Hanging Dog Island has migrated and joined the LBD Illinois shore, but returns to island status at flood stage. You can locate isolated campsites along the length of Hanging Dog Island. Spectacular views of the tall bluffs around Trail of
St. Louis to Caruthersville
74.5 RBD Hines Boat Ramp (Dysfunctional) Old Boat Ramp now dissected from river by railroad tracks. Possible emergency access from limestone shelf, across tracks to Mo Hwy 535.
St. Louis to Caruthersville
75.3 RBD Apple Creek Paddlers will notice a line of red cliffs that line the river right bank descending along the Missouri shore for several miles between Cottonwood Island and Apple Creek. Apple Creek Conservation area and access is 2 miles off the river up Apple Creek at 75.
St. Louis to Caruthersville
75.7 LBD Big Muddy River There is a primitive boat launch approx one mile up the Big Muddy from the Mississippi River. This launch is accessible from the levee at the bottom end of Tower Island Chute. The Big Muddy is the cypress dividing line. North of the Big
St. Louis to Caruthersville
76.6 - 75.7 LBD Big Muddy Island Big Muddy Island sits between Tower Island Chute and the Big Muddy River, and like its name suggests, there is a lot of mud here! Better camping elsewhere, but fantastic birding and wildlife viewing here.
St. Louis to Caruthersville
79 - 77.5 RBD Cottonwood Bar This small island makes a great campsite at all but the highest of water levels. A giant gravel bar forms top end in low water, presumably flushed out of the Ozarkan bluffs which cross the river close by above at Fountain Bluff and
St. Louis to Caruthersville
79 - 76.5 LBD Grand Tower Island The State of Missouri crosses the river at mile 79 to the Illinois side and continues downstream until the bottom of Grand Tower Island 76.5. At least that’s how it looks on the map. The river, in its one of