Mile 171.8 - RBD River des Peres

John Ruskey

20 Apr 2026 � 2 min read

171.8 RBD River des Peres

(Note: hard-to-locate entrance described below is sometimes hidden behind parked tows and barges). The River des Peres cuts a steep-banked slot canyon into the Missouri shoreline, which makes a handy secret exit point to paddle into and gain quick refuge if you are paddling downstream and the need for shelter arises. Say a large tow passes kicking up huge rolling waves that you don’t want to paddle through. Or maybe a summer thunderstorm is brewing over the Illinois bluffs and you can see straight-line winds gaining speed as they barrel upstream towards you... If you are anywhere in this vicinity of the Gauntlet you could use this slot canyon for an easy but very effective retreat. (Note: In stretches further downstream you will find other anomalies that provide similar shelter. The Rivergator will attempt to list the best, but in the ever-changing nature of the river, many of these prized holes change with water level. Study the map, and keep your eyes open for other similar harbors of refuge.)

In Low water a small sandbar emerges from the rip-rap bank which could be enough room for one or two tents in a pinch. Be forewarned: this is “land accessible,” so you might have company of the less desirable sort. The 9-mile long River des Peres drains most of the City of St. Louis and its suburbs. In case you had any doubt, do not make coffee from water collected here! Greenway Access: if you desperately need land access you could pull your canoe up through the tall grasses and over a short fence to get to the parking lot on the other side of the Mississippi River Greenway Bike Trail at the base of the River City Casino Boulevard Bridge. Access to South Broadway: If the Mississippi is medium high or higher, and the des Peres is not running too strong (after heavy rainfall), you could paddle up to the South Broadway and pull out there. The River des Peres translates to "River of the Fathers." A mission of Jesuit Catholic priests settled here near the confluence of the des Peres and the Mississippi in 1700. They soon moved south in 1703 to Kaskaskia, probably as a result of conflict with American Indians, roughly 60 years prior to the founding of St. Louis.

The River des Peres is the backbone of sanitary and storm-water systems in the city of St. Louis and portions of St. Louis County. Its largest tributaries are Deer Creek and Gravois Creek. The River des Peres is channelized from its southernmost point - its confluence with the Mississippi - up to its "end pipes," just south of Forest Park. The end pipes re-emerge north of Forest Park. It is generally perceived as a degraded stream or river (depending on the portion in question). The River des Peres currently functions as a major element in the combined sewer and storm water management system of its watershed, which includes large portions of St. Louis City and County. It is currently operated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) with that function as its highest priority, however, MSD is in the process of separating the sanitary and storm water systems, which will enable more recreational use of the river. The agencies that maintain most authority over its domain are MSD and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The functions of sanitary and storm water management are of highest concern to MSD, and general flood and safety concerns are those of the USACE. (Adopted From Wikipedia)

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