Canoe The Ozarks

The wild and wonderful Eleven Point River rolls through the forested hills of the Mark Twain National Forest in the southern part of the Missouri Ozarks.

Back in 1968, Congress designated 44 miles of the Eleven Point(Thomasville, MO to Hwy 142 bridge) as part of the “National Wild and Scenic River System.”  It truly is a national treasure that abounds with great beauty, wildlife and adventure.

The Eleven Point is also home to the second largest spring in the state of Missouri, Greer Spring.  The enormous flow of this spring almost doubles the size of the river; so even in dry years, the Eleven Point is easily floatable below Highway 19.  Good to know when you consider the drought summers we’ve experienced in recent years.
Also, I highly recommend a float during the hottest of months because the Eleven Point is one of the coldest rivers in the Ozarks.

I’ll never forget the first time I was on this river.  It was a hot day in August when we pulled up to a spot where the outlet of Greer Spring’s icy waters enter the river.  It was probably around 90 degrees as we still dared each other to take the briefest of plunges.  Did I mention it was brief ?

Our legs must have been springs as we launched out of that water faster than any Bullfrog from Calaveras County.  Whoa!  That might be the coldest water I’ve ever experienced.  But I soon felt rejuvenated as I started to “air dry” beneath the August sun.

And it was quite a spectacle to witness this awesome spring enlarge and transform the river right before our eyes.  The gushing waters of Greer Spring plunge down a hillside for over a mile before they merge into the river.  Make sure you stop for this special view “from and on the river.”
(And make a plan to see Greer Spring close up.  It’s not far from Alton and it’s a short hike down to the main outlet of the spring.  The views are spectacular here as well!  To see the spring at its source, to watch its pristeen waters flow outward and merge into the river is a phenomenal experience not to be missed!)

With numerous springs feeding this river and especially after you get past Greer Spring, you don’t have to work hard at paddling along this cool, fast river.  Of course you need to be on the lookout for trees and root wads, but you’re going to enjoy the mix of rapids and clear pools as you glide through
this wonderland.

Because this river is a fast one, I honestly have not fished it with much frequency. Moving along the river with considerable speed is not conducive to fishing … not for me anyway.  I just enjoy the floating, exploration and the scenery when I’m on the Eleven Point.

We Brake for Springs (of ALL sizes)

I do know that anglers go after Smallmouth, Rockbass, Walleye and Trout on this river.  Of course you’ll need a permit if you want to fish for trout.

As for camping, you won’t find an abundance of gravel bars on this river, but even the smaller sites will still offer a cozy, intimate camping experience.  So don’t get too picky about selecting your campsite.  It bears repeating, there are not many gravel bars.  And the gravel bars you will find are usually small, so be ready to get cozy.

Cozy Campsite on the Upper Eleven Point River

We have been to the Eleven Point in the months of May, August and September.  Every trip has offered new experiences and new adventures that I look forward to sharing in future posts.

So for now fellow paddlers I beseech you,

Make a plan to go and discover the treasures of the Eleven Point River…

by William Hughes.