Mile 815.0 - Miles 815-805: Barfield Bend

815-805 Barfield Bend

You might spend several hours completely circumnavigating Barfield Bend during low water. The main channel here measures ten miles long and wraps completely around Nebraska Point. If you are struggling through a head wind, don’t worry too much, it will soon become a tail wind! After leaving similarly shaped Tamm Bend above the downstream paddler enters Barfield riding the current in a northwesterly direction. The waters get thrust first southward, and the southeasterly, and you will at long last exit the bend flying east through the narrows at Tomato Arkansas. During high water you can shave significant mileage off this bend with good current by hugging the LBD. Good low and medium water camping can be found throughout this bend, everything goes under well before flood stage. Like the bend at island 21 your campsite here will be spoiled by the industrious doings at Nucor Yamamato, which is poorly located in between the best two sandbars along the way. Too bad state planners can’t keep industry all concentrated in one place, and leave the wild places wild.