Mile 360.0 - 360 - 356.5 RBD Natchez Islands

John Ruskey

20 Apr 2026 � 1 min read

360 - 356.5 RBD Natchez Islands

Your first best campsites downstream of Natchez are found on its namesake islands, which begin to emerge right bank descending in a four mile long archipelago of narrow islands. Good camping throughout up to medium water (around 20NG), then the choices become limited to the top and bottom ends of the first island (RBD 360) and at Whitehall Landing (RBD 359). A sweet shelf of sand is found between 20 and 25 on the breadloaf-shaped Natchez Island #3 (RBD 358).

Beavers thrive within the Natchez Islands. Your sleep might be interrupted by the frequent splashing of their tails, a territorial behavior. Don’t set your tent down near the opening of one of their burrows, or near their scent mounds, as discovered and here described by Mark River from his blog (see Appendix for complete blog):

“I made a bad decision. Arriving at camp, I noticed five beaver scent mounds on the edge of the sandbar. Five different mounds. Another towhead island with a deep back channel that’s home to a territorial beaver family. I made the mistake of camping to close to the scent mounds. I took a walk on the backside of a island. A muddy bluff with steep drop offs. Deadfall throughout the bluff. The beaver must have picked up my scent from camp and followed me along the bluff smashing its tail. A smaller beaver followed not splashing its tail, but mimicking the large beaver. I never seen a beaver so persistent. Splashing its tail over and over, eventually continuing through the night. Didn’t get much sleep as the terrible beaver harassed me all night. That night I leave my tent to relieve myself- and every time the beaver awoke splashing throughout the night. This beaver never slept.” (Mark River Peoples)

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