What to do Outside
The North Fork of the White River
South-Central OzarkNearby: Dora, MO
Length: 49.5
Difficulty:
Best Season: Spring Summer Fall Winter
Related Link:
http://www.missouricanoe.org/
Description taken from: http://southwestpaddler.com/
Forming in far southwest Texas County, in the Mark Twain National Forest of the Missouri Ozarks, is the North Fork of the White River, a 78-mile long, Class I to II stream with an almost perpetual, spring-fed flow that runs south through Douglas and Ozark Counties to Norfork Lake along the Arkansas border. This beautiful wilderness river is characterized by excellent quality, crystal clear water, banks lined with hardwood trees, a usually swift current and many rapids, small ledge drops and standing waves that provide excitement, though not too much technical difficulty. The river is navigable by boaters with even modest skills and experience.
From its headwaters to SH 76, the river flows about 28.5 miles along a narrow channel among dead-fall debris strainers. Access near the top is a little less inviting than on reaches below. The middle reach, from SH 76 to SH 14, is about 24.1 miles of gorgeous river, natural scenery and few people. This section is ideal for those looking for a trip away from crowds. The lower reach runs about 25.4 miles from SH 14 to Norfork Lake Public Access just below US Highway 160 at Tecumseh, and is the most popular reach of the river. Spring and summer months produce large crowds of canoeists, kayakers and tubers enjoying the gorgeous water with its steady 4 mph current where boaters can either paddle or float, depending upon their desires. Several springs feed additional water into the river, as well as contributing to the natural scenic appeal of the North Fork. Some of the ledges produce drops of 2-3 feet, just to make it interesting. The USFS operates excellent campgrounds at Hammond Camp and Patrick Bridge, two of the intermediate access points between the SH 14 put-in and Norfork Lake. True hazards are few, but depending upon flow conditions, the Dawt Mill low-head dam and the low-water bridge below it, as well as some of the ledge drops, can pose risks to less experienced paddlers, though easy portages offer ways around them. Bring your camera and enjoy this fantastic, moderate whitewater stream that is boatable almost year-round.
Directions
Douglas and Ozark Counties of extreme southcentral Missouri, in the Mark Twain National Forest just north of the Arkansas State Line. The Eleven Point, Current, Black and St. Francis rivers all flow generally parallel a few miles to the east.
The North Fork of the White River Reviews
2:07 pm | Wednesday, Jul 25th 2007
Independence Day Weekend on The North Fork Of the White River
Posted By Shannon
The White River is known for many things. Beautiful clear waters, plentiful fishing including trout and bass, and a swift current with some exciting class I and II rapids. Bryant Creek, a notable tr…