Strawberry River near Evening Shade

[Wildwood]

Who knows about floating Strawberry River? I've been wandering back roads & several spots on the Strawberry look pretty good. I talked to a woman at Simstown access last spring but she only knew about the putin at the #167 bridge. I've been by Peebles Bluff access & today found an apparent takeout at a low water bridge on Hulett Road just off Hwy 58 near Poughkeepsie. Several cars there, nobody fishing. If anyone has info, please let me know. I've read all I can find but would appreciate info from someone who has "been there, paddled that."

Thanks.
Jan

[Cowper]

I've been by Peebles Bluff access & today found an apparent takeout at a low water bridge on Hulett Road just off Hwy 58 near Poughkeepsie. Several cars there, nobody fishing. If anyone has info, please let me know. I've read all I can find but would appreciate info from someone who has "been there, paddled that."

Been there, paddled that.

Since I don’t know which things you found to read, here would be my list:

Tom Kennon’s Canoeing and Kayaking Guide to the Ozarks – starting on page 36 of the third edition. Good descriptions, but two things I would add – there IS a gage now, and the Hwy 58 access was not a good one the last time I went by – too much dragging across a fence and private property, no good place to part, etc. But other than that good description, including the comment to be alert for new strainers at any location as this is a relatively smaller river and paddled less frequently than most.

American Whitewater description - http://www.americanwhitewater.org/conte ... 3016/#main" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Seems more up to date (written in 2009), and mentions the “park and play” at the Hulette low water bridge. At some levels this is a really fun surfing wave.

Ozark Whitewater Page gives a more detailed description of the play spot (and access point) at the Hulette Bridge, but under the name of “Roger’s Private Idaho”. This spot first came to our attention when Roger, Kim, Debo and I were driving a shuttle many years ago. (Roger did all the work on writing it up and checking it again multiple times to find the best levels, so he got the honor of naming it.)

I’ve floated from the Hwy 167 and Simstown accesses down to the Hulette Bridge, but never all the way down to the Peebles Bluff access. I liked it; its pretty and suitable for recreational paddlers. The hardest rapid is still easier than the Saddler Falls rapids on the Spring. Play spots exist but are limited. (I think you can play anywhere there is water, so I may not be the best judge.) Based on what I’ve seen, I’d recommend the Simstown to Hulette Bridge float, or Hwy 167 to Hulette if you prefer a longer float.

It is also worth mentioning that one reason the Nature Conservancy has a reserve on the Strawberry is because it has more bio-diversity and species of fish than any other river in the state. They treated the ACC to a tour there a few years ago; they try to use it as a “demonstration” project to show other landowners how you can use and profit from the land while still preserving water quality with a few simple techniques. One I remember was water tanks – instead of running the fence lines into the water like everyone does, which leads to flood damage for the fence and bank erosion from livestock trails, you simply put a small watering trough above the high water mark and let a tiny solar pump keep the trough filled so the cattle have all the drinking water they need.

[Wildwood]

Thanks, Cowper. I appreciate the info.

I'm gonna try a section of it one of these days soon. The 167 bridge part is very shallow right now, but the part by Hulett bridge looked fair.

Jan