Dragover Float on Saturday the 15th

[Louiscov]

Have a wonderful day on the river!! Sure wish I could join y'all: sometimes I get really envious that so many of my friends live so much closer to river action, but then it's so cool and energizing to read all your reports and adventures.

Hope y'alls day is FANTASTIC, & please give a report!!

[Jim Krueger]

Tomorrow, we will probably be putting in a little ways upstream of Dragover, and on the other side of the river. We will past Fulton Branch, and then go on downstream a bit more to our access on private land. Just out of curiosity, I wondered if anyone had any experience accessing the River Bluff Campground from that side of the river and direction, and what the take-out there was like. I never want to experiment with alternate places I don't know anything about on the day of a float trip, and don't plan to start tomorrow, but River Bluff is on that side of the river, and might even avoid the Archeological Summer Field Works folks at Dragover takeout later in the day. For now, we will certainly meet at the Dragover Campground in the morning as planned, I just wanted to ask about River Bluff though in case someone in the group knew more about it that myself. You can see the River Bluff C.G. across the river from the Dragover take-out, but I've just never been there.

Jim

[Louiscov]

Hi Jim:

I've used River Bluff on at least 90% of my Ouachita trips. mainly because camping there was so nice and wooded: one of my top two campgrounds on earth, along with Kyles on the Buffalo. I DEFINITELY WOULD LOOK AT IT IF I WANTED TO USE IT.

River access for boats has gotten much more challenging as the river has changed over the years. Last trip (3 years ago) the only access was up about a 10 foot earth bluff, too steep to climb with boats, very steep to scramble up. We had about a dozen rental sit-on-tops, and had to pull each up with a rope, just no way to get them up otherwise, and we used a relay system to get gear up, too steep to climb without scrambling on all fours. Parking is ample and very convenient to where the boats would be pulled up, roads were quite good, but watch for where a one lane road to River Bluff veers off to the left of the wide gravel road, easy to miss though usually has a sign. It's amazing how the river's changed in 30 years ( :myday" ):

At one time 4 wheel drive vehicles could drive to the river and cross it to Dragover at low water. Now the river has eaten away at the River Bluff side, which is soft dirt as opposed to the rock bluffs on the Dragover side of River Bluff.

DEFINITELY LOOK BEFORE YOU DECIDE ON USING RIVER BLUFF. If the scramle up the bluff is OK, River Bluff might be much easier than conditions at Dragover. I hope this beautiful access is still amenable as a takeout. Please let me know if y'all look at it.

[Jim Krueger]

Thank You Louis! We will probably stick with Dragover as a take-out, and maybe I will explore River Bluff sometime when we're just fooling around in the area. Again, Thanks!

Best Regards
Jim

[Cowper]

The "where" for any lurkers: 34.64137 -93.63125

go to maps.google.com and paste those numbers into the search bar

[Minna Ulmer]

Im on call this wknd so cant go. Have a great time!!

[AR-Nimrod]

What a great day! Level IS getting low. May have to amend (personal) level data for this section. Water was actually warm FInally got to meet "the Captain" and his lady Jamie (sp?). Also great to meet Paul "crawdad" Smith and his buddy Kirk (last name ?). Nice seeing Phil again too. HHH and I got surfin' tips from "the Captain", I almost myself but managed to save it. As always ClanCrawford enjoyed paddling with the Kreuger's and Rowland's. HHH and Gary were up to their usual river hijinks, mischief or whatever you want to call it. They kept us most of the day. All that followed by a great meal with good friends (old and new) made for an exceptional mid June Sat.

[Jim Krueger]

Marlo and I also had a very nice float with everyone! I always thoroughly enjoy seeing everyone and all the visiting as we paddle along, and always supper afterward
My only regret yesterday was not taking Gary's suggestion to try and haul all the boats and folks out with the two trucks we had available. Dragover take-out is a nasty, bug-ridden, place that I know no one enjoys waiting at, or shuttle drivers having to come back to. Many times that is just the way that shuttle goes due to lack of vehicles, but we could have probably done differently if I'd just given it a little more thought. My apologies to everyone.

Best Regards
Jim

[flow]

Thanks for getting this float together Jim & Marlo!
Pleasantly surprised how warm the water was! Like a bunch of kids at
The swimming hole! Great day all around!

Phil