Make a splash: Consider floating a nearby river

A day spent on a rambling river can be quite fun, and the rivers of Southeast Missouri can be enjoyable for boaters and rafters alike.

The Current, Black, Jacks Fork and Castor rivers are within easy driving distance for area residents and visitors. Merchants along the rivers sell supplies and rent canoes, kayaks, rafts and inner tubes. So atock a canoe or two with good friends, a cooler of food and drinks -- and have a good time. Many merchants will drop you off at the start of your float and, when it's over, pick you up.

For many years, Dave Miller of Jackson, his brother of Bartonville, Ill., and their brother-in-law of Memphis, Tenn., have gathered at Miller's home the Friday night before Memorial Day Weekend. They get up early Saturday morning and head for Lesterville in nearby Reynolds County where they rent canoes and float the Black River.

"We call it the 'Manly Men Weekend,'" says Miller. "We stock up on plenty of food, beer, soda, chips, you name it, and then we just have a blast. I mean, we really have a blast on the river."

Unlike Miller's experienced canoeing crew, Missy Butler of Rocky River Resort in Doniphan has seen many "city slickers" tip over their canoes at the bank of the river.

"Some people need instructions and general information on canoeing," says Butler, assistant manager at the resort. "We tell them what they can and cannot do based on Conservation Department rules. They're supposed to know how to swim, and they have to wear life jackets."

The easy-going river is good for families looking for a weekend adventure, said Jayme Parks, owner of Parks Bluff Campground in Lesterville. She expects a busy summer season with visitors from the St. Louis area, Cape Girardeau area and Illinois who come to to float the Black River.

"No doubt we'll be renting a lot of canoes and rafts," she said. "Most people who have never floated a river rent rafts, because they don't turn over very easily."

Current River

The Current River weaves through 100 miles of the Ozark foothills, through forests of pines and oaks and along deep, lush valleys. Launch sites on the river are plentiful and include spots in Van Buren, Big Spring, Eminence, Akers Ferry and on the river's north end at Montauk State Park.

The Current River is named for its sure and steady flow, and it's noted for its clear, cold water. Along with Jacks Fork, the rivers makes up the Ozark National Scenic Riverway -- the largest national park in Missouri.

Canoeing has long been one of the most popular methods of enjoying a day on the Current River, although inner tubes and kayaks are popular options. Bring a pair of old tennis shoes, because the riverbed is rather rocky.

Akers Ferry Canoe Rental in Akers, which is just south of Salem, and Jason Place, a campground located two miles from Akers Ferry, are two popular launching sites.

Akers Ferry Canoe Rental is marking its 51st year of catering to river floaters. "We've been here long enough to have had visitors from every state in the country," says Eleanor Maggert, co-owner. "We've also had visitors from Australia, Great Britain, India, Pakistan and Japan. It's amazing."

Interesting stopping-off points along the river are places such as Rocky Falls, Round Cave and Alley Spring, where historic Alley Mill was in operation until about 100 years ago. The mill now sits near a reconstructed one-room schoolhouse.

Those who like to explore can paddle to Cave Spring or, in the summer months, explore Round Spring Cave using lantern light. Big Spring's bubbling, blue water is a major attraction at Van Buren in Carter County. An underground waterway feeds what is reported to be the largest spring in the United States. Big Spring can spill as much as 846 million gallons of water into the river in a single day.

Black River

The three forks of the Black River rise virtually within the shadow of the highest point in the state, Taum Sauk Mountain, and join near Lesterville to flow quickly southward. The upper Black is exceptionally clear and has enough feeder springs to produce some good small-mouth bass fishing. Below Clearwater Lake, the river moves more slowly but it is still a good float-fishing stream.

The 14-mile-long Black River flows through some of the most gorgeous areas of the Ozarks. The water is clear and the river perfect for canoeing and floating. There are some rapids, such as those near Johnson's Shut-ins State Park in northern Reynolds County, while in other parts of the river enticing swimming holes can be found.

The Black River is safe throughout its course -- even with its rapids -- providing fun for the beginning or expert paddler. There are many rope swings and campgrounds along the river that make it a perfect destination getaway. During summer weekends, the river is especially popular. Planning a weekday trip ensures you a choice of campsites during the busiest season.

Jacks Fork River

The Jacks Fork River travels 38 miles before it merges into the Current River near the town of Eminence in Shannon County. Both rivers are important parts of Missouri's largest national park -- the Ozark National Scenic Riverway.

Jacks Fork is a slower running river than the Current, but it also has fast areas and the scenery is just as spectacular.

At Jack Forks Campground near Eminence, co-owner Eleanor Maggert says high gas prices might affect business.

"I think we'll get more local people and fewer people from far away," says Maggert. "But we'll still be very busy. We expect to rent a lot of canoes, kayaks and what we call fun tubes, which are like inner tubes."

Between the Jacks Fork and Current rivers are 1.5-million acres of largely undeveloped public land and 135 miles of protected waterway. There is plenty of space and privacy to greet the city-weary traveler.

Floaters may want to detour off the Jacks Fork River and explore Hospital Cave, a spot where injured Union and Confederate troops received aid during the Civil War.

Castor River

A visit the 1,630-acre Amidon Conservation Area, which lies on the border of Madison and Bollinger counties, takes visitors back thousands of years when the clear waters of the Castor River cut deep gorge-like chutes into the pink granite.. The area is located in the St. Francois Mountains about eight miles east of Fredericktown.

Scott Bumgardner, Madison County agent for the Missouri Department of Conservation, says the Castor River is more of a wade-fishing river than a floating river.

"There are some people who float it, but there is not a lot of access to it. It's very shallow and in the summer the water level tends to get pretty low."

Still, the Castor River is famous for its sandbars, gravel beds, great fishing and rare Indian artifacts that can sometimes be found. Many parts of the twisting river are shadowed by sky-high oaks trees.

From the Amidon Conservation Area, the Castor River, which is 62 miles long, flows south past Marquand to Gipsy, near Marble Hill in Bollinger County, then past Zalma before turning southeast on its way to its Mississippi River confluence south of Cape Girardeau.