Mile 743.0 - Below Lower Hickman

LBD 743 Below Lower Hickman

There is a large bluff of sand on a small island just below the lower dikes of Lower Hickman (near LBD 743) that would make a beautiful med-high water camp, ideal below 20MG. It’s a small location at 25MG and goes completely under around 28MG. On hot summer and fall days this particular place is a very popular sandbar for motorboat enthusiasts because there is a dependable deep water approach below the dikes on main channel side, even at low water.

Below this island there is sometimes a scattering of scrubby willow islands, depending on river level. If you are in the back channel it’s time to start thinking about returning to main channel for final approach into Memphis. Keep with the flow as long as you can find any river left. At some point you will see all of the flow pouring out back into main channel. Unless you want to hug left bank slow water (and possible parked tows and industry near the mouth of the Looshatchie, go with the flow and head out into the faster water of main channel. As always plan your route according to any visible towboat traffic. Normally upstreamers in this area stay in the slower water LBD while downstreamers keep in the faster water RBD

As you come through Lower Hickman your imagination will be arrested by the sight of a shiny steel and glass Pyramid rising right off the face of the river like an Egyptian mirage flashback. This is Memphis’ famous landmark, the Pyramid. Downtown thickens the horizon. This vision alone will reward you for any trails you have undertaken to get into the back channel and follow it this far.