Al Agnew Posted March 3, 2014 Posted March 3, 2014 Plenty of 50 mile type floats, but finding ones with developed camping areas, cooperative canoe rentals, and lack of river dorks is a lot harder. Niangua River--Big John Access to Leadmine Access--52.5 miles--plenty of canoe rentals around Bennett Spring in the middle of the float--Upper portion will be too low for easy floating by mid-summer, but heck, they're Boy Scouts and a little work won't kill them. Gasconade River--Wilbur Allen Access to Gasconade Hills Resort--49.6 miles--Gasconade Hills rents canoes--again, upper portion will be too low for easy floating by mid-summer. Gasconade River--Mitschelle Access to Boiling Spring--51.2 miles--canoe rental at Boiling Spring--floatable year-round, a few jetboats in higher water levels (lots of them around Boiling Spring on weekends, though). Big Piney River--Baptist Camp Access to Ross Bridge Access--54.7 miles--canoe rentals at Ross Bridge and one in the middle--upper portions too low by mid-summer. Meramec River--Cedar Ford to Onondaga--49.5 miles--all kinds of canoe rentals in the Steelville area and at Onondaga--upper portion too low to float by mid-summer, lower half might have some jetboats, but not usually too many in mid-week. Meramec River--Woodson Woods Access to Blue Springs Creek--52.4 miles--all the canoe rentals of the last one, and one at Blue Springs Creek--floatable year-round. Meramec River--Onondaga to Hwy. 30-47 bridge--48.9 miles--canoe rentals here and there, including one or two at the take-out--floatable year-round, more likelihood of jetboats. James River--Lake Springfield dam to Ralph Cox Access at Galena--49 miles--floatable year-round--canoe rentals in the middle and at Galena You know about the Eleven Point, and Moguy told you about the Current. There are some others, including the St. Francis and lower Black River, but either they don't have canoe rentals or they wouldn't be recommended for novice paddlers.
MeatintheFreezer Posted March 3, 2014 Posted March 3, 2014 Plenty of 50 mile type floats, but finding ones with developed camping areas, cooperative canoe rentals, and lack of river dorks is a lot harder. Niangua River--Big John Access to Leadmine Access--52.5 miles--plenty of canoe rentals around Bennett Spring in the middle of the float--Upper portion will be too low for easy floating by mid-summer, but heck, they're Boy Scouts and a little work won't kill them. Gasconade River--Wilbur Allen Access to Gasconade Hills Resort--49.6 miles--Gasconade Hills rents canoes--again, upper portion will be too low for easy floating by mid-summer. Gasconade River--Mitschelle Access to Boiling Spring--51.2 miles--canoe rental at Boiling Spring--floatable year-round, a few jetboats in higher water levels (lots of them around Boiling Spring on weekends, though). Big Piney River--Baptist Camp Access to Ross Bridge Access--54.7 miles--canoe rentals at Ross Bridge and one in the middle--upper portions too low by mid-summer. Meramec River--Cedar Ford to Onondaga--49.5 miles--all kinds of canoe rentals in the Steelville area and at Onondaga--upper portion too low to float by mid-summer, lower half might have some jetboats, but not usually too many in mid-week. Meramec River--Woodson Woods Access to Blue Springs Creek--52.4 miles--all the canoe rentals of the last one, and one at Blue Springs Creek--floatable year-round. Meramec River--Onondaga to Hwy. 30-47 bridge--48.9 miles--canoe rentals here and there, including one or two at the take-out--floatable year-round, more likelihood of jetboats. James River--Lake Springfield dam to Ralph Cox Access at Galena--49 miles--floatable year-round--canoe rentals in the middle and at Galena You know about the Eleven Point, and Moguy told you about the Current. There are some others, including the St. Francis and lower Black River, but either they don't have canoe rentals or they wouldn't be recommended for novice paddlers. On James River Cox access is not public anymore. Only JRO in Galena has permission to put in there. You would have to float another 6 miles or so and take out at Kerr. Remember - If at first you DO succeed, try not to act surprised & quit while you're ahead.
Flysmallie Posted March 3, 2014 Posted March 3, 2014 On James River Cox access is not public anymore. Only JRO in Galena has permission to put in there. You would have to float another 6 miles or so and take out at Kerr. Ralph Cox access is the public access just across from JRO in Galena. Not the same as the private Cox access above Kerr.
RSBreth Posted March 3, 2014 Posted March 3, 2014 Yep - and taking out at Kerr would shorten it to about 43 miles, too. Taking out at Blunks would put it over 50. The James could use a clean up. I do what I can, but I'm just one man...
MaxDrown Posted March 3, 2014 Author Posted March 3, 2014 Yep - and taking out at Kerr would shorten it to about 43 miles, too. Taking out at Blunks would put it over 50. The James could use a clean up. I do what I can, but I'm just one man... What trip are you thinking would be good for a 50-miler? Would there be enough places along the way to camp (for free, like along the banks)? Would there be enough places along the way to dump trash as part of their service project? And, are there canoe rental places that might have scout-friendly rates? -- Max Drown
RSBreth Posted March 4, 2014 Posted March 4, 2014 What trip are you thinking would be good for a 50-miler? Would there be enough places along the way to camp (for free, like along the banks)? Would there be enough places along the way to dump trash as part of their service project? And, are there canoe rental places that might have scout-friendly rates? From Lake Springfield to Table Rock is just about exactly 50 on the James. Plenty of big gravel bars away from roads to camp. Places to dump trash? - I'm not sure on that, but you might get some help from the Upper White River Basin Partnership. Any of the canoe rental places might give you a group rate - you probably just have to ask.
MeatintheFreezer Posted March 4, 2014 Posted March 4, 2014 Ralph Cox access is the public access just across from JRO in Galena. Not the same as the private Cox access above Kerr. Ah, you are correct. sorry for the mix up. MaxDrown- I floated the James several times last year, but only once from the dam and Lake Springfield. It was in the summer, but only about a week after a huge rain. The water up above Delawaretown (basically Hwy 14 bridge) was pretty small with lots of obsticals. Some of this may have been attributed to the flood, so maybe some folks more fimillair with that streatch can chime in on what "normal" looks like up there. As RS said, there are tons of gravel bars along the way where you could set up and camp for the night away from roads and traffic. Hootentown has a camp site wich would be about half way from the dam to Galena, but I have heard it can get pretty roudy on weekends. I have never stayed there, but have taken out there on Saturday afternoons and from what I have seen it is not hard to believe. JRO at Galena has a campground as well that I have stayed at several times, they all seem to be good people. Here is there link if you are interested :http://jamesriveroutfitters.com/. I don't know about scout friendly rates, but they have always give us a little discount when we have a group of 8 or 10. Remember - If at first you DO succeed, try not to act surprised & quit while you're ahead.
MeatintheFreezer Posted March 4, 2014 Posted March 4, 2014 I am trying to remember.......don't all the public access points have trash barrels or dumpsters of some sort for trash? Remember - If at first you DO succeed, try not to act surprised & quit while you're ahead.
grizwilson Posted March 4, 2014 Posted March 4, 2014 Ah, you are correct. sorry for the mix up. MaxDrown- I floated the James several times last year, but only once from the dam and Lake Springfield. It was in the summer, but only about a week after a huge rain. The water up above Delawaretown (basically Hwy 14 bridge) was pretty small with lots of obsticals. Some of this may have been attributed to the flood, so maybe some folks more fimillair with that streatch can chime in on what "normal" looks like up there. As RS said, there are tons of gravel bars along the way where you could set up and camp for the night away from roads and traffic. Hootentown has a camp site wich would be about half way from the dam to Galena, but I have heard it can get pretty roudy on weekends. I have never stayed there, but have taken out there on Saturday afternoons and from what I have seen it is not hard to believe. JRO at Galena has a campground as well that I have stayed at several times, they all seem to be good people. Here is there link if you are interested :http://jamesriveroutfitters.com/. I don't know about scout friendly rates, but they have always give us a little discount when we have a group of 8 or 10. Hootentown: http://www.riversmokin.com/page/1sy5n/Our_Neighbors.html “If a cluttered desk is a sign, of a cluttered mind, of what then, is an empty desk a sign?”- Albert Einstein
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