Advanced Gravel Bar Camping

[Al Agnew]

I'm dreaming of spring and summer multi-day float trips, and thought I'd start a thread on the nuances of gravel bar camping. Hopefully others will chime in on various aspects...

The perfect gravel bar:

It needs to be at least 3 or 4 feet higher than river level. For safety's sake, no islands or potential islands. Ideally it should back up against a higher bank with an easy place to get up the bank in case of a flash flood. Another big reason why you don't want islands or potential islands is that you want to avoid dead backwaters and puddles, which are not only mosquito breeding grounds, but also attract lots of frogs, and if you're there during the frog mating season, they'll drive you nuts.

It needs to have a level spot big enough for your tent, and ideally the level spot should be all fine gravel, mostly 1 inch or less in diameter. But NOT sand. Avoid sand if at all possible. If the wind comes up during the night you'll be in a sandstorm, and at best sand will get tracked into the tent and into your sleeping bag as if by some malign magic.

It should have a fast riffle nearby. The white noise will help you sleep, and the riffle seems to keep air moving and keep the mosquitoes down.

The perfect gravel bar has big trees on the bank behind it that will furnish shade if you get there early enough in the afternoon that the sun is still hot. But it should be oriented so that the morning sun comes sraight up or straight down the river and hits the bar very early. Clear Ozark mornings are always very dewy, and the quicker the sun hits your tent, the more time there is for the dew to dry off. It will also warm you up quickly on cool spring mornings.

Of course, a massive bluff across the river will add to the scene, and a big pool below that fast riffle will give you a good swimming hole in the evening, a nice place to fish at night if you wish either for bass or catfish, or a good place to start fishing the next morning.

There should not be a road or ATV trail coming down to the gravel bar; you don't want your camp disturbed by midnight partiers. And it's always nice if it's as far from a highway as possible, so you don't hear traffic noises.

Way back in the one year I helped an outfitter guide parties on Current River, we had a campsite we always used on the Powdermill to Van Buren float that had every one of those characteristics. I've had a few since then, but not many, though I've had a lot of gravel bar campsites that had all but one or two of them.

[Flysmallie]

Sounds like a great place. The only thing I will add is that many people look to find a place that is shaded in the afternoon. It's comfortable to setup camp in the shade and just relax. But They fail to take into consideration where the sun will be in the morning. If it's early spring then your suggestion is great. Nice warming morning sun drying off the tent and warming the body. If it's the middle of summer then that same location will be miserable. Packing up while the sun is blazing down on you sucks, it can get really warm, really fast. And if you have planned on fixing a big breakfast........well all I will say is enjoy that.

I have found a couple that I would say are the best gravel bar campsites that you could ever find. One on the Buffalo and one on the Eleven Point.

[Terrierman]

I like to have a place to hang a tarp and set a table up under it.

I like to have a place to hang my little Coleman lantern.

Firewood is a plus. Most of the streams I float, that's not normally a problem.

Fall camping watch for a place with a lot of leaves. Pitching your tent on a pile of leaves is right next to heaven.

Pick a place that has a whipporwill to sing to you in the morning.

Pick a place that has bats to entertain you as the sun goes down.

And then life is complete.

[jdmidwest]

High clear knoll overlooking the river with a good view on all sides,

Limited access so you don't have to waste much time laying trip wires and have more for drinking.

Pick a quiet spot so the slightest noise will awaken you from your drunken slumber to defend camp in case of intruder meth heads or mountain lions.

Clear fields of fire and plenty of bright lights.

[hank franklin]

I consider myself a bit of a connoisseur of gravel bars. I love to fish, but for me the pursuit of the perfect gravel bar is an even bigger goal.

The Keys to a Great Gravel Bar

1. Must be secluded. No roads ATV trails purple paint or no trespassing signs. Public land preferred.

2. Must have adequate wood supply. In summer not as critical but in winter a must have.

3. Must have the sound of running water.

4. Must have at least one fishing holding spot adjacent. What we look for is a "smallmouth park." Ideally you are set up in your own little smallmouth park for the evening.

5. Ideally it's a "split level" bar, meaning the fire is down near the river and the tent spot is up high.

6. Agree, avoid sand! Sand is okay to play in but don't make your camp anywhere near it.

7. Swimming hole. Not a requirement but nice to have a deep spot to wash off in summer. Kids love a swimming hole.

8. The morning sun position is important. In summer, avoid a spot exposed to the east. In winter yes, you want that spot. This often you can't control, but do your best.

9. Shade is a secondary concern for me. We usually set up in the golden hour (twilight) and take down by morning.

10. I rarely have trouble with mosquitos. Yes avoid the backwaters. Otherwise I have had no problem. Horseflies on occasion but rarely mosquitos.

11. I actually prefer islands as long as there is water running on both sides. Obviously don't camp if there is any chance of rain. But with no chance an island can be ideal.

12. Confluence locations are often excellent. Usually an open vista, high gravel, good fishing at the stream entry, choice of sun position, etc.

I could go on and on. Gravel bar camping is my favorite thing.

[hank franklin]

Continued...

I agree the fine gravel is ideal. However we use a blow-up mattress so we don't have to be as picky about the bedding spot.

I agree I hate the road noise. This usually isn't a problem but try to avoid it.

If you are in weather it's nice to have an overhanging tree to tie a tarp to. A couple of our best camps came in a light rain where we were able to tie off a tarp and maintain a fire right at the edge of the tarp line.

I really don't like the huge wide open gravel bars. They're okay but I prefer the more "cozy" ones.

Shade can be nice for an afternoon lunch stop. One of the greatest Ozark gravel bars for shade is a mile or so above Onondaga, river right. Enormous sycamore right in the middle of the bar shading almost the whole bar. Deep water against a small bluff opposite, great swimming hole. This would be a nice camp spot but for the walk-in access via Huzzah CA parking area and trail. Have never camped there.

One of our great "innovations" over the years is to dig a "basement" for the fire. This amounts to a hole dug out of the gravel adjacent to your main fire. As your main fire burns down pull some coals down into the "basement" and use that as your cooking fire. Keep it fed with small kindling. Throw your grill over it and you have excellent cooking.

Dealing with morning dew can be a pain. Here again a spot exposed to the east sun is helpful. Often we have packed up the tent or rain fly wet, and then hung it out to dry mid-day in high sun. Doesn't take long on a hot day.

My three top "must haves" are privacy, wood and running water. Add in a nice fishing spot and you got Ozark heaven.

[jdmidwest]

Hilltop view with nice breeze.

[Greasy B]

Under ideal circumstances Hank and Al have the perfect gravel bar dialed in. On heavily floated streams these prime camping spots are heck holes of garbage filled fire rings, poo piles and urine. No way am I going to camp at jam up cave. On streams like JF I prefer the obscure hidden gravel bars, the ones that are about 4 ft high and behind a thin line of willows.

[Gavin]

Looks good over there....is all I need. You know it when you see it.

[hank franklin]

I don't like fire rings. Don't need them. Just build your fire on bare gravel and let the next flood wash the fire marks away.

We leave every gravel bar cleaner than we left it, for sure. All you will find is the remains of the fire and some coffee grounds. I suppose if I was a perfect camper I'd pack out my coffee grounds. No one is perfect however.