Condition Of River Md And Halls Bay

[Mark]

I've always wanted to camp at Halls Bay, just too close to taking out at Riverton so we never have. Last year was the first time I have floated the Whitten to Riverton section in a few years. Amazing all the changes in the river. There was one hairy place just a mile upstream from Riverton with a narrow shoot between downed trees and a sweeper that got us. We had to bail out to save the canoe but only waist deep water. Of course the river was very low then so I'm guessing it's still tricky if Forest Service hasn't cleaned that shoot up.

[steve l]

My brothers & I used to camp at Halls Bay every year. It was a wonderful spot. Then the last flood choked the side channel & really changed the lay of the gravel. And then the new owner of the adjacent land has cleared alot of the trees, cut down other brush & spread it on the gravel (our guess is to make it less welcoming to campers), and has built a roadway down to there. Not to mention the purple paint splattered about. Not a good steward of a Scenic river, but that's another story I guess.

We were very disappointed to see the changes, but what do you do. Just waiting for the next flood to maybe set things right again.

As a side note, Greasy B asked about jet boats up HB. They used to be run up the side channel. While camping there one year we saw one guy go screaming up that channel missing a turn. Right up the bank he went. Glad he was ok, but it was pretty darn funny to see.

[Mark]

Sounds like the new owner is trying a bluff. I would love to have that conversation with someone trying to tell me that the former island/gravel bar is private property. I'm guessing that Hall Bay area is about where the private property starts. They have to know going in that they bought land on a public stream and they do not own the gravel bars.

We camped for several days a couple years ago just a little bit above Boze Mill on the opposite side of the river. Sure enough, a farmer was working the field right behind us and was keeping an eye on us. We expected a run in with him at some point with him telling us we were on private property and to leave. But after a couple days, the guy and another fella came down to the river to inspect us, we started talking, and had a pleasant conversation. The guy knew we were harmless, not trashing the area, and left us alone.