Frog Bayou, Ash Drive to Grotto 3.5

[kru1]

Great float and great folks on the Ash Drive to Groto float today.

Full of features on the upper end, great float all around.

kru

[tomOzarkVideo]

What's the "butt boater" doing with that broken paddle??

Trying to hang with the cool kids, I guess.

What a great run. I'm glad to see that the features were in fact larger than the stuff downstream (as I remembered).

[magicmike]

Great run! More good eddies than any similar stretch on the Mulberry. Thanks for letting me tag along.-M-

[James]

We took the Lancaster road trip down to the bridge in Rudy. Your pictures look great! I can find the put in at Ash drive in Mountainburg, but I am not sure where you are taking out at. Where is the take out you mentioned and how long of a run is it? How high does the water need to be to make it a decent run? Any informaton you give me would be great!

[James]

We took the Lancaster road trip down to the bridge in Rudy. Your pictures look great! I can find the put in at Ash drive in Mountainburg, but I am not sure where you are taking out at. Where is the take out you mentioned and how long of a run is it? How high does the water need to be to make it a decent run? Any informaton you give me would be great!

[kru1]

Hey James,

If you know how to get to Lancaster low water bridge from Rudy then finding the Grotto (why it is named this I don't know) access is easy. When you are on 282 you make a left onto Lancaster Rd to get to the low water bridge, if you want to go to the Grotto don't make the left on Lancaster and continue straight for another few miles on 282 to where it crosses the Frog along with the train tracks. Huge parking area, can't miss it.

The float I think may be a little less the 7 miles+/- We did a lot of playing and did it in about 4 hours. You can also float another 4 miles+/- and get to the Lancaster bridge, but there not much action on that section.

I've only done this section at higher levels, so I don't have the beta on how low one can float it. My guess would be that it is very similar to lower section cause it is only a few miles upstream without a major tributary coming in.

Watch for that first rapid, it is right around the very first left hand bend and it is blind. You can scout it from the big gravel bar in the middle.

Enjoy,
kru

[James]

Thank you so much for your directions. I am familiar with the Grotto now, and have been there. I just didn't know it was called that. I agree that the action from the Grotto to Lancaster is non worth 4 miles of water. If Mother Nature loves me, I will be testing that section this weekend. If the forecast rain is sufficient, I hope to do clear or cedar on Sunday.

[tomOzarkVideo]

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