Little Maumelle River and Caddo River

[Torque]

I want to explore these two rivers, but I am completely ignorant of where to put in and take out.

On the Little Maumelle I will probably put in at the Pinnacle Mountain state park. Where can I take out? I do not want to go onto the Arkansas.


The Caddo, I will take pretty much take any suggestions on which areas are best to float around the Hot Springs/Arkadelphia area.


Thank you very much in advance for your suggestions.

Clay

[Russ_359]

You can access the Little Maumelle River from a privately owned launch off of Pinnacle Valley Rd. As soon as you cross the train tracks on Pinnacle Valley Rd. take the immediate right onto Burnett Rd. A man has built a boat launch on his property. There is a fee to use and it is of the "Honors System". Last I checked he had gone up to $5 per launch.... Pricey I know.

If you're taking out, you could probably just take out at the Pinnacle Valley Rd. bridge. It's 100 yds upstream from the privately owned launch I just described. They are doing some construction on it right now and the construction crew has built a road down the bank to the water for heavy equipment. This way you wouldn't have to climb the bank, and it would be free!

Both accesses are about half-way to the Arkansas River.

[Torque]

Russ, thank you very much for the information. I have just started to really explore other rivers other than the Saline and Buffalo, and I'm feeling a little lost. Finding the actual location points for river access has been difficult for me.

[Jim Krueger]

On the Caddo, there are half a dozen named sections to float on the 40+ miles of the Upper Caddo River (that part of the river upstream of Lake DeGray) This part of the Caddo has been my favorite for many years. We usually float it in the late Winter through early Summer, usually ending our floats in June when the upper river becomes too low for good floating and too warm for swimming enjoyment. Currently the upper river may still be floatable below Glenwood. I say may be because I'm not entirely sure the USGS gauge up there is reading the same as before the recent major flood.
All of the river is nice, but our favorites during the Spring are the Norman and Caddo Gap to Glenwood sections. In addition, there are a couple of nice outfitters up there to assist with shuttles if needed. Good fishing on the Caddo, wonderful swimming and gravel bars along the way. If you look at the website for Caddo River Canoe in Glenwood you can view some shots of the river as well as suggested floating levels*

On the Lower Caddo (that part below Lake DeGray, near Arkadelphia) The river is near it's end here with two miles of cooler water that's popular with locals on inner tubes. This section begins at the Lower Dam Ramp,(a COE facility) and ends at the Hwy 67 bridge at Caddo Valley,Ar.
There is an outfitter at the 67 bridge; Two Rivers Outfitters also with a website, nice owner. We float this stretch in the Summer some because it's convenient and the water is a little more comfortable with a minimum release constantly from the lake above. Sometimes we will float on past the 67 bridge and enjoy fishing and floating the remaining two miles of the river to where it ends at the Ouachita river. If you float this last section, you commit yourself to a 7 mile trip because there is no public access when you hit the Ouachita and must then paddle another 5 miles down the Ouachita to the Hwy 7 public access at Arkadelphia. IF, they are generating and the river is up and flowing, I strongly advise against paddling the part on below Hwy 67 as there are dangerous strainers just before the river hits the Ouachita!

Hope all this helps, let me know if you want more specific information on a particular section, I have much more... :)

Best Regards
Jim

[fishhomer75]

On Little Maumelle you can also float to the ramp above the I430 bridge. This is about an eight mile paddle. Some really cool cypress gardens in the middle stretch. Also, lots of cool wildlife. Even saw a big gator this spring.

[Water bug]

Torque:
Floated Little Maumelle twice in March '10. 1st trip we used the boat landing below the bridge (pd the $5) and paddled upstream.
2nd trip, the water was up. We parked at the same boat landing. Put in our kayaks at Pinnacle Mtn State Park. It was an amazing trip through the cypress trees. You could not put in at the state park in the summer. Water's too low.
I think it's a great place to paddle in the cool months and the views are great. I do not like snakes.
Great place to float; and if you live in the Little Rock area, it's in our backyard.

[paddlecouple]

I was searching and found this post. I was recently told of a gator sighting on Little Maumelle. Anyone know the general area where this might be?

On Little Maumelle you can also float to the ramp above the I430 bridge. This is about an eight mile paddle. Some really cool cypress gardens in the middle stretch. Also, lots of cool wildlife. Even saw a big gator this spring.

[Cowper]

2nd trip, the water was up. We parked at the same boat landing. Put in our kayaks at Pinnacle Mtn State Park. It was an amazing trip through the cypress trees. You could not put in at the state park in the summer. Water's too low.

I like putting in at Pinnacle, even in summer. Yes, there are 2 places where you will have to get out and wade/drag your boat for a very short distance, but it really isn't bad at all. When you think about it, you already drag (or carry) your boat about that same distance every trip you take - from your car down to the water's edge, and then back up a hill to your car again.

With the lower put in, you have to paddle a couple of miles or more before the trees close in; I like the smaller stream "feel" that the upper river has from the start; I agree, amazing trip through the cypress trees!

[Deuce]

Heard this morning on THV that the Corps finally told River Valley Marina they have to clean up the mess. I'm sure there will be a process, but if I heard correctly they ultimately have a year.

[potterspoint434]

The clean up is way over due, I think it has been 2 years. I posted about it and everyone made a joke about it. It is a eye sore and dangerous, they spent all that money for the bridge just to look at the sunk boats and boat docks!!

[Cowper]

If we made fun of it, that was our bad.

I know that more recently, within about a week of when someone reported them to the Coast Guard for gasoline leaking from a sunken boat, they had the boat raised up off the bottom and the oil or gas leak was no longer in progress.

Kudo's to the CG for getting something done. Hopefully the positive trends will continue instead of fizzling; if not, we need to work together to keep the pressure on.

[potterspoint434]

I talked to the CG while getting the permit for the Ar River Race and ask them about it. They said they were about to do something but I didn`t what.
I enjoy paddling there when the River is up , now if they could just do something about the snakes

[fishhomer75]

@paddlecouple, the gator I saw was a little ways up stream from the pinnacle valley bridge. Going up stream you can go left off of the main channel into a sort of backwater area that runs alongside the horse farm/soccer compound. He was on the bank across from one of the horse pastures.

[fryingsquirrel]

Huh. I've paddled that channel a few times and the most interesting thing I've seen was a tractor brush hogging and some horses. Maybe one day I'll stock around and lookfor him.