Little Sugar Creek, Saturday 5-17-14, Trip Report

[kru1]

This is an invite for everyone and anyone to come join us on a float down the Little Sugar Creek in Bella Vista, AR this Saturday @ 10:30am - ?

A group of us has discussed doing this float in conjunction with the screening of the film DamNation which will be held on Friday evening. However, as most know everything is rain dependent. Well the river gods have smiled on us and blessed us with some rain. The creek is flowing and therefore, we're floating. This float is NOT official in any capacity, but one of the objectives is to raise awareness of the Little Sugar as a possible waterway trail and ultimately included in the Northwest Arkansas Greenway Trail System. I will paraphrase our membership chair Heather Huckeba (Since this trip is informal - not sponsored or guided - you are ultimately responsible for making your own decision about whether this trip is right for you.)

A group of us are going to meet at the Lake Bella Vista Park at 10:30am (http://goo.gl/maps/PC3Bh" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). We will then set shuttle in Jane, MO just over the border at Gordon Hollow. The trip will be approximately 7 miles in length on basically a class I stream. Several of us are bringing our larger boats and several trash bags to try to clean up the stream along our way.

The water should be at a nice level and the weather should be beautiful. Come and join us, and post up if you have any questions.

kru

[maggiepowell]

Does this creek have current or will we have to struggle to paddle the whole way?

[kru1]

It's an Ozark Stream, pool shoal pool shoal, repeat. I personally haven't floated it or it's big brother. I have been on the Elk (starts at the confluence of Big & Little Sugar) and it was pretty continuous.

Maybe if someone else has beta they can chime in.

kru

[tracer]

There is current, but there possibly may be a few spots of having to drag your craft. I have not floated this section, but I am hoping that with all the rain we received , that this will not happen. Hope to see some people out with us. If you need directions. Feel free to call me at 479-957-6025. This is a beautiful creek.

[greg vanhorn]

While it is a small creek, it looks like there will be a nice current by Saturday. We might get a little more rain on Friday night and that will make the current even better. I don't think a big group has ever floated this part of Little Sugar Creek through Bella Vista. It will be a historic event. Tell your friends!

[Dustin]

Put me down for a tentative yes.

[kru1]

Would love to have you Dustin.

There's about 10 of us so far, come on out and join us.

kru

[greg vanhorn]

That rain last night helped lift Little Sugar Creek to a good level. This should be a good float!

[greg vanhorn]

In all the years that I've lived near this creek, I don't think I've ever seen 10 people at once floating this stretch of Little Sugar Creek. It is about time! Thank you ACC.

[kru1]

We had a great float this past Saturday on the Little Sugar. As mentioned in the original post we floated Lake Bella Vista Park to Gordon Hollow in Jane MO. It was around a 7 mile float. A total of eleven of us showed up. We were able to put on at 11:30 (after the hour it took unload boats, gear up and run shuttle) and took off around 3:30. The levels were fine, but there is not a gauge for this section. However, like a majority of the creeks on the Springfield Plateau, it is spring fed so it probably runs a lot more frequently then our streams in the Boston Mountains.

The weather was a little chilly for late May (~50/55 degrees) and overcast but drysuits were not required. This is a beautiful stream in downtown Bella Vista. Sure we were not remote and the "hand of man" could be seen more often then not, but there were many sections where you felt remote. Besides, I thought that it was kinda cool to float right through a golf course. Most golfers that we encountered were inquisitive on where we came from and where we were going. All of them paused and let us "play through" before they continued play. We didn't have any problems with the grounds keepers. Even ate lunch on a huge gravel bar right behind a fairway.

We turned this float into a clean up of sorts. I was, however, pleasantly surprised how clean this stream is (not accounting for the golf balls on the water holes). Didn't even fill my trash bag. Tom did get one ATV tire, and we left one cart tire behind and few other larger items that I didn't want in my boat or car. Most any other stream that I have paddled in an urban environment are literally trashed. Not this one.

I would love to see this stream included in the Northwest Greenway Trail System. It would be perfect. It is not remote, but that may appeal to some, particularly those that use the urban trail system.

I look forward to floating from Gordon Hollow to the confluence of the Big Sugar in the future.

kru

[magicmike]

Sounds like a fun little float. Sorry I missed it. Thanks for the trip report. -M-