Spring, Eleven Point, North Fork...

[Donna]

Hey Everyone.
As a usually silent and soloing member of the club, I read these message boards often and aquire a lot of useful information from you guys..... as well as useless albeit entertaining information. BUT.... in the words of Oliver Twist, "I want some more, please Sir".

I am planning an adventure next week to visit the aforementioned rivers for the first time and would appreciate any and all tips resulting from previous personal experiance that you might have to offer. My plan it to camp at Old Davidson State Park, then move on up to MO to the North Fork for a few days.

I anxiously await your words of wisdom.

Thanks in advance.

[coldspring]

Just kinda curious why you'd want to camp at Old Davidsonville? Lots of places with better scenery and clear water.

[Donna]

coldspring.....
I don't know. That's why I'm asking questions. That was the closest state park to the vicinity I wanted to be in. State parks are usually nice, whereas private campgrounds can turn out to be dung holes.

[coldspring]

What are you camping in, trailer, tent?

I've only driven through Old Davidsonville once, just to check it out. I have to drive by clear springfed rivers to get there, so the muddy river there isn't on my list of destinations.

The North Fork Recreation Area on North Fork River is pretty nice, with amenities and a nice river that's wadable, swimmmable, gravel bars, scenery. Some of the private campgrounds on the North Fork aren't bad there either. Greer Campground on Eleven Point isn't bad. Many Islands on the Spring River is a noisy party spot, might qualify as a dung hole. Riverside is probably a better campground if you go to the Spring.

[Donna]

Camp = Tent.

Thanks for the info! I will see if I can locate info on Greer Campground.....or maybe Riverside. I want to float the Spring, but didn't know if I wanted to camp there. I gravitate toward peaceful if possible.

I am planning on the North Fork Recreation Area when I go on up to the North Fork River. Seems that I made the correct decision with that one.

Thanks again for the info. I really appreciate it. It seems that folks on here must not camp in NE AR & SE MO....... or perhaps they just don't camp. ??????

[Jim Krueger]

Donna,

When you go to the Spring River, do check out Riverside Resort, it's a very pretty campground right on the river. The owners keep the grounds neat as a pin. Most anytime during the week the camp will have less people than the weekends. One thing to consider about all the camps along the Spring is that there is a major, high-use, railroad that follows the entire river, adjacent to all the camps along the river. Still, the Spring River is a treat for it's fishing, floating, clear water and scenery! Hope you enjoy.
As per your question about camping in general, yes, many, many folks in the canoe club love to float-camp, truck-camp, back pack camp, and RV camp. It's just that with many folks it's a seasonal enjoyment. Often folks prefer not to camp during the sultry Summer months as it's just not fun when it's too hot to sleep.

Best Regards
Jim

PS We certainly enjoyed having you join us on the Dragover float earlier this year! I hope you will join us on the Upper Caddo next Spring when it again runs cool and plentiful :)

[Richard]

I have been to but never on the Spring because of its reputation as a party river, it runs through private property and I am told the drops can shorten the life of a boat. The Eleven Point on the other hand is only 30 miles farther north, has federal protection, has some beautiful springs and some not so beautiful but functional campsites. It would be my pick in a heartbeat.
What I do is spend day 1 getting there and camping at either Riverton (Hwy 160) or Greer Crossing (Hwy 19)
Day 2 put in at Greer Crossing and paddle to Horseshoe campground or beyond.
Day 3 take out at Riverton.
or
Day 1 same
Day 2 paddle to stinking pond or someplace closeby.
Day 3 paddle to Boze Mill camp
Day 4 take out at Riverton

[Randy Dodson]

It's another hour north of the Eleven Point but the Current River is awesome. Especially if it's the middle of the week and not the weekend. National Park Service camprounds at Round Spring and Pulltite are pleasant but can be a little noisy sometimes. (but nothing like the Spring).

It moves along at pretty good clip just like the Eleven Point so you might cover more miles in a day than you would on the Buffalo. Pulltite to Round Spring is a favorite section of mine as well as Baptist Camp to Akers Ferry.

[coldspring]

Riverton Access on the Eleven Point doesn't have camping. The only camping is Cane Bluff, Greer, Turner's South, and Whitten. I think.

[Richard]

There is a developed NFS campground at Hwy 19. In addition the NFS has several float camps (picnic tables, pit toilets) between Hwy 19 and Riverton.
Here is the river mile and name.
16.6 State Hwy. 19 Bridge. Campsites and put-in.
21.5 Turner's Mill and spring Camping on south side only.
22.0 Stinking Pond float camp on left.
26.5 Horseshoe Bend float camp on left.
27.0 Barn Hollow float camp on left. (not sure if it is still used)
28.5 White Creek float camp on left.
31.0 Greenbriar float camp on left.
33.4 Boze Mill Spring on left. Camping.
35.7 Riverton and Hwy. 160 Bridge. Access east side, picnic on west side beneath bridge only. No camping either side.
http://www.missouricanoe.org/river-maps ... point.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hufstedlers at Riverton has a campground. Not fancy, on a hillside, but functional. They are my choice when I need to use an outfitter which is just about every time I go to the 11pt.
http://www.hufstedlers.com/eleven-point.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Minna Ulmer]

Hi Donna! Do you have any interest in paddling the Spring on Sunday? Most of the party crowd "sleeps in" after Sat nite. Riverside is a good campground. I really enjoy The Spring this time of year.Pm me if ur interested :) Minna

[antwhabap]

Donna, I just got back from the area tonight actually. We drove up and floated the Eleven Point on Thursday, hit the North Fork on Friday, and then my husband was looking to people watch on Saturday so we went to Jack's Fork instead of the Current. We definitely plan to hit the Current our next trip up. Jack's Fork is a nice float, but definitely a party scene on Saturday. Not like the Spring is on a weekend though. No nudity. Just lots of drinking and boats everywhere. People everywhere.

We had a great time. Eleven Point is really COLD the entire time. We actually stayed in a cabin for $50.00 a night. Which was nice for that money. The couple renting it to us then shuttled us for extremely cheap as we took our boats and were staying at their cabin. I can send you that contact information if you are interested. Just pm me. About the float....It was different. We only saw two canoes all day and several jetboats, jonboats, etc. Toward the end we had to deal with one of the boats using a water board behind the boat and they kept circling us. We were told by locals on weekends you could expect to see about 75 of these boats on the water. So, don't float it on a Saturday if you want any kind of peace and relaxation...you will spend the day fighting waves from motor boats.

North Fork, we did a short float as I had a swollen eye that was irritating me quite bad. I liked to have not made it the day before on the Eleven Point, as it was already swollen and hurting. The water was warm, much like our streams and rivers here this time of year. We only did Twin Bridges to Hammond I believe. 5 miles. Peaceful though. Not too many people at all. One family and then one set of guys out doing an overnight trip on the river.

Jack's Fork is as I said a party river. However, a nice float during the week. I would recommend it. We put in at Alley Spring put in and took out right after Circle B (as it depends on where you shuttle or rent from). It was about an 8 mile float. There is about another 8 miles after that that is good too from what we hear. This was our second time, the first time a few years ago and we went during the week. This time curiosity got us and we went to see people.

Locals have told us Current is nice and peaceful. The upper part is suppose to have the largest cave in MO on it. Big enough to float into from what we hear. Again, haven't made that trip yet though. If you go, let me know how you like it.

One thing I recommend is to hit visitor's centers and talk to locals. There are a lot of hidden caves and springs on the river that you have to know what to look for. Drive to the springs in the area and hike if you have to. They are well worth it. Lots of springs we've visited, which if you want to know more, please pm me and I'll do my best to respond before your trip.

[thebob.com]

Rebuttal:

The cave that you can paddle a canoe into on the Current River is Cave Spring. It is most certainly NOT the largest cave in Missouri, by any stretch of the imagination.

The cave on the upper Jacks Fork River with the large entranceway is Jam Up Cave. It DOES have one of the tallest entrances of any cave in Missouri.

There IS a campground at the Riverton access.

Personal opinion: I would NOT suggest Stinking Pond to any friend of mine as a good campsite to use on the Eleven Point River. It has it's name for a reason. If you have to get out of your canoe to drag it up through the stagnant water & muck, you'll find out how it got it's name.
Additionally, it is a very buggy campsite due to the stagnant water previously mentioned.
I have spent (literally) over a year of my life paddling & camping on the Eleven Point river. There is no other place on that river where I have seen more Copperheads than at Stinking Pond. The last time I camped there, there were 3 adult size Copperheads in the upper campsite at Stinking Pond. While not dangerously venomous when compared to a
Timber Rattler, or a Water Moccasionl a wet bite(venom injected) from a Copperhead will more than likely ruin the rest of your day, and at least part of your next day too. Help will be difficult to find. Rangers are seldom seen out there.
The Current, Eleven Point, and Jacks Fork are all better when paddled on weekdays. You will run into fewer jon boats, and fewer drunks on weekdays.

BOB

[Richard]

Rebuttal of the rebuttal :shock:

There IS a campground at the Riverton access.

Thar aint neither . . . . Unless you are talking about Hufstedlers.

Personal opinion: I would NOT suggest Stinking Pond

Neither would I. [/b]

[thebob.com]

No, there is not a park service campground at the Riverton access.
But there is an "in a pinch" campground, of sorts, behind Hufstedlers Canoe Rental, less than a mile up the road from the Riverton access.
Personally, I'd camp on a gravel bar before I'd camped there.

Actual "riverside" campgrounds on the Eleven Point are rustic at best, and are not very well maintained. McCormack Hollow(not actually on the river) & the Greer Access campgrounds are as good as they get.

BOB