Mile 669.0 - LBD Flower Lake Dikes

669 LBD Flower Lake Dikes

Above 20HG (medium water) you can paddle behind several narrow islands found on the Mississippi shoreline left bank descending which are formed over the St. Francis and Flower Lake Dikes. Stay LBD and paddle hard to cut into the narrow openings leading behind these islands for reprieve from the wind and towboat traffic and gain some relief from the vast & sometimes overwhelming hugeness of the main channel. Simultaneously enjoy some close up views of wildlife and the forests found in this area. Possible camping on dunes which accumulate on these islands, especially at the bottom end of the Flower Lake Dikes Island, near Mile 668. Only accessible during Medium to High Water. During Low Water a tall rip-rap rock dike emerges which forms a solid wall almost a mile long, and this prevents paddlers from reaching the Mississippi LBD shore. However, at the end of this long rock wall you can eddy around the backside and gain landing in a completely protected harbor formed by the same wall. Landing here is possible for a picnic, rest, or a creative campsite within this strange & inspiring river-scape.