South Prong Access

[eric1978]

Looks like we'll be doing South Prong to Rymers next weekend. We'll be getting there late on Friday and was wondering if any of you guys knew if there was anywhere to camp at the South Prong Access...haven't been there before. We'll just camp at Rymers if not, but I'd prefer to just pack up and shove off Saturday morning. How's the parking there? Pretty safe? I've heard about big crowds of rowdy locals hanging out at night at some of the lower accesses. Hope I don't get back to a truck with broken windows and a missing trailer.

[KCRIVERRAT]

Hey Eric, don't know exactly how much rain they got before yesterday, but the gage height reading at Mountain View went from 3.2 to 6.8 yesterday and is now back down to 3.6 already. CFS is at at 601... down from 2600.

I've never put in at the Prongs. Hoping you have no problems there. I'm doing Buck to Bay Creek early June. Can't wait! Gonna camp at Chalk Bluff.

Don't know if you have or not, but the website "missouriscenicrivers.com" is a great site with lots of info and photos to get you all fired up.

[GloryDaze]

Eric- We always put in at South Prongs and I have never had a problem with my car being vandalized (it's been left there as long as 4 days). It's a really big gravel bar and you won't have any problems camping there. I'll be doing that same float the first weekend in May!

[eric1978]

Thanks for the info. I'll post a report when I return. I can't wait to get down there. Haven't floated JF in two years.

[Coldspring]

Just in case you didn't know, South Prong is an MDC area and isn't in ONSR. I don't think camping is technically allowed, but I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[eric1978]

Just in case you didn't know, South Prong is an MDC area and isn't in ONSR. I don't think camping is technically allowed, but I wouldn't worry about it too much.

I Google Earthed it, and as GD said, there's a big ol' gravel bar there. So I figure once we're on the river we can camp wherever, even if it's at the access. That's my guess anyway.

[Coldspring]

I Google Earthed it, and as GD said, there's a big ol' gravel bar there. So I figure once we're on the river we can camp wherever, even if it's at the access. That's my guess anyway.

I've camped there before, but couldn't remember how smooth it was (hammocker) You might also be able to camp down at the bridge where the Prongs run together, just a stone's throw away.

[Gavin]

The ONSR doesnt start till your down a mile or so from Prongs...and you never know who is going to show up at a public access point. I'd paddle in aways just to avoid a possible crowd of undesirables. Cheers.

[eric1978]

We'll be arriving late Friday night, so camping at some access is probably our only option. I don't care for floating at night, especially when the river is moving. We'll just have to roll the dice and set up camp at the Prong access, and hope the undesirables leave us alone. Thanks for the tip though. At this point I'm really most concerned with the flow...looks like Wednesday's gonna bring some precip.