Vicksburg Gage
Vicksburg Gage
At this point in the Rivergator we’ll leave the Greenville gage and switch over to the Vicksburg Gage, which is about 40 miles downstream. We’ll denote the Vicksburg Gage as “VG.” For daily river levels and weekly forecasts, go to
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc/?n=lmrfc-mississippiandohioriverforecast
Water levels according to the Vicksburg Gage
Low Water = 0 to 20 VG
Medium Water = 20 to 33 VG
High Water = 33 to 43 VG
Flood Stage = 43 VG and above
VG = Vicksburg Gage
Flood Stage Warning: above 43 VG paddlers are advised to stay off the river. Limited access. Most landings and approach roads will be underwater. Most islands will be gone. No easy camping. All sandbars will be covered. Fast waters with many hazards. All islands and landings will be surrounded by flooded forests full of snags, strainers, sawyers and all other dangerous conditions associated with floodwater moving through trees. Docks, wharves, dikes and any other man-made objects will create strong whirlpools, violent boils, and fast eddies. Towboats will create large waves. The Rivergator will not describe the river and its islands at any levels above flood stage.
Lake Providence
Lake Providence is the first town landing south of the Greenville Bridge (Sunnyside Landing), hence you could make Lake Providence the end-place or start-place for your river adventure. If you are resupplying in Lake Providence safeguard your canoe or kayak, and walk into town for access to a number of convenience stores, groceries and restaurants. The US Post Office is just over the levee at Sparrow Street (US 65) and 1st Street. You can find Wi-Fi just down the street at the library (109 Sparrow). Paddlers needing accommodations might try the Lakeview Inn & Suites, which is a mile north of town on US 65.
For sit down or take out food, some of the best eating anywhere along the Lower Mississippi is found in Lake Providence at the Dock. Its well-worth the mile walk from the river for the ambience and Cajun cuisine found at the Dock, which is located literally on a dock at the edge of the oxbow lake at 829 Lake St, (318) 559-3625. Just beyond the Dock the mystical Bayou Macon takes shape as it flows under the nondescript highway 65 bridge. Lake Providence is the birthplace of Bayou Macon. A hundred miles downstream Bayou Macon is the spectacular archeological wonder -- Poverty Point -- the site of the largest & earliest organized native society in the Western Hemisphere. 2-3,000 people lived and flourished here several millenniums before Christ, to mysteriously disappear about 1100BC. See Rivergator Appendix for complete descriptions of the fascinating paddling trails of Northeastern Louisiana including Bayou Macon, Tensas River and Bayou Bartholomew.
Lake Providence Landings
Lake Providence Primitive Landing
You'll see a primitive landing with access into town two miles down RBD. Hide your canoe or kayak and walk through woods, over levee and into town via City Dump Road (which brings you out on Lake Street US 65). If you need a quick resupply of water or food, this would be your closest landing to town.
Lake Providence Harbor Boat Launch
Narrow concrete ramp cut through the muddy banks of the harbor. Good at all water levels. Don't leave vehicle here except for daytrip. The walk to town is three miles.
At low water canoeists and kayakers must stay main channel through some very long straightaways and very, very long gently curving turns around Mayersville, Mississippi and Lake Providence, Louisiana. But at high water levels, above 30 on the Vicksburg Gauge, several long back channels open up delivering fascinating scenery and sometimes spectacular wildlife.
Main Channel
The main channel route through this area is fairly straightforward. Go with the flow around the outsides of the bends, and make your crossings through the middles. As always be forever alert to towboats and their navigation routes, moreover watch for buoys.
Tennis Court Landing LBD 496
There are two ramps are located here. The older one is frequently bogged down in mud (below medium water 25GG). The new one was recently crushed by an upstream tow (sometime in 2011). Access to Mayersville is over a gravel/muddy road that gets flooded around 45 Greenville Gauge.
Back Channel Wilson Point Towhead
At high water Wilson Point Bar splits the ocean of water in two, the majority of the flow going wide around the bend, and a smaller portion staying right bank descending and flowing more slowly through a beautiful back channel. Nearing flood stage 48 on the Greenville Gauge (43 Vicksburg) the top of Wilson Point Bar splinters into a tapestry of smaller channels which flow over the top of the island in a dozen or more sluices through the sandbars and in between stands of willows, cottonwoods, sycamores and other scrubby vegetation.
Back Channel Baleshead/Stack Island/Ben Lamond
In high water yawning wide back channel opens up behind the top end of Baleshead LBD 491 or 492. Wander behind Baleshead and the “left bank” Stack Island and enjoy the pleasure of back channel paddling for many miles free of any towboats or buoys. Once you get past the lower island around 487.5 start checking traffic for return to the main channel, or continue downstream behind the next set of islands.
Back Channel of Stack Island
Cut in behind “right bank” Stack Island (RBD 489) for a beautiful seven and a half mile meandering back channel experience. Best run at medium water or higher, above 20 on the Vicksburg Gauge. Primitive access into town two miles down RBD. Reenter main channel out of the Lake Providence Harbor at RBD 483.
Lake Providence Primitive Landing
You'll see a primitive landing with access into town two miles down RBD. Hide your canoe or kayak and walk through woods, over levee and into town by way of City Dump Road (which brings you out on Lake Street US 65). If you need a quick resupply of water or food, this would be your closest landing to town.
Lake Providence Harbor Boat Launch
Narrow concrete ramp cut through the muddy banks of the harbor. Good at all water levels. Don't leave vehicle here except for daytrip. The walk to town is three miles.
Boat Launch to River
You can put in at the Lake Providence Harbor Boat Launch and paddle one-and-a-half miles to reach the main channel of the Mississippi River.
Back Channel Ajax
When the river is high (above 33 Vicksburg Gauge) adventurous paddlers can dive into a series of chutes and back channels that dart in and out of a myriad of islands that have formed over the years in the Ajax Bar vicinity. The route chosen here is just one of dozens of possibilities. Pick a line and follow it, but be watchful for snags, strainers and other hazards. Frequent log jams changes in sandbar topography. Ajax is mostly contained within the Shipland Wildlife Management Area.