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Southern US paddlers

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I've noticed that canoe tripping is really popular in the Northern US and Canada. I'm in the Southern part of the US, and I'm wondering how many here in the forums are from this part of the US and enjoy tripping?
 
Am blessed to have many spring runs, canoe able rivers near by and a few campsites for canoeist. But the large wilderness areas are further away than my wallet can by gas for. The Suwanee River trail and Everglades are too many gallons of gas away nowadays. So day trips in late fall through early spring. Other wise get up and on the river at dawn and off before the sun bakes me to a crisp. Not to mention those afternoon sea breeze winds/storms with a lot of lightning. So no canoe tripping. Maybe a overnight trip this fall.
 
Not a Southern resident but Florida is good for a total of six weeks canoeing each year. Everglades, Okefenokee and lovely jewels of spring runs like Blackwater Creek.
 
I'm located in central Arkansas. We have a lot of float-able rivers such as the Buffalo National River, White River, Upper Ouachita River, Spring River, Cato River, and a lot of day tripping rivers. Some are good for several days of paddling. Some are only good for an couple of days on the river.

A lot of our rivers are limited to times of year that you can float also. We do have some spring fed rivers which remain float-able unless things get really dry and many rivers can be timed with the weather for an off season float.

We don't have any huge wilderness areas like up North, but most rivers lack cell phone service or at least consistent cell phone service. That's an indicator of wilderness area right? :D

We do have some very beautiful scenery though.
 
I no longer live in the Southern US but I am in southwestern Indiana and go to the Missouri and Arkansas Ozarks when I can.

When there is sufficient water, the Buffalo National River is about as good as it gets in the lower 48 states. I have been on the White River and Spring River. Have not yet been on the Mulberry or Cossatot. If you are looking for people to trip with, the Arkansas Canoe Club is a sizable group and they have a yearly Rendezvous, I believe on the Mulberry. You might check out their facebook page.

There is a group that gets together twice a year to paddle in the Missouri Ozarks, generally on the Jacks Fork River, Current River, North Fork of the White River, and Bryant's Creek. They generally do day trips but overnight and multi-day trips have also been done.

The Current and Eleven Point Rivers in Missouri are not too far away, can be paddled year round, and are suitable for multi-day trips. It is a bit further, but the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River flowing out of north Tennessee into Kentucky is a wonderful river for overnight trips as well.
 
Never thought of AR as south but it is.. Like Pete I attend the Ozark Rendezvous from time to time for paddling on the North Fork or the Current. Its a fun time open to all.

The Buffalo is gorgeous. I have done it four times. Its time to do a fifth. Anyway Soggy maybe you can come to Rendezvous. Its the week of Oct 13.
 
I was mainly curious about how many paddlers are in this forum from the Southern part of the US.

I have done the Eleven Point a couple of times. It's a nice river.

I put the Rendezvous on my calendar. That sounds like fun. Looks like it is September 12-13th this year at Camp Couchdale on Lake Catherine.
 
Well then there is more than one Rendezvous!. Ozark one is at Pulltite Campground Missouri on the Current River from approx Oct 14-18.
 
yc,
I'm noticing there are 7 chapters of Arkansas Canoe Club. I may have mixed a couple posts up while reading this thread. :eek:

Were you not referring to the Arkansas Canoe Club? http://www.arkansascanoeclub.com/

Is there a website for the Rendezvous you are talking about?
 
Missouri.. Missouri.

The Ozark Rendezvous is just a gathering of 40 -50 paddlers from all areas.. MO and WI and IN. Day trips on the Jacks Fork or Current.. I never mentioned any canoe club.

There is no affiliation with any canoe club. I haven't belonged to a canoe club for a few years.

You can search under Getting Together and Going Paddling on P net to watch the planning go on.. there is a thread now. Look for Ozark Fall Rendezvous
 
I currently live in Connecticut but have lived in Florida three times and have been paddling there, and all over the southeast, since the early 70's. I like all waters, but if I had to choose between northern paddling and AmSouth paddling . . . take me to Dixie, mamma!!!
 
yc,
I'm noticing there are 7 chapters of Arkansas Canoe Club. I may have mixed a couple posts up while reading this thread. :eek:

Were you not referring to the Arkansas Canoe Club? http://www.arkansascanoeclub.com/

Is there a website for the Rendezvous you are talking about?

I mentioned the Arkansas Canoe Club and its Rendezvous is indeed at Camp Couchdale. Yes, the Arkansas Canoe Club is large. I have not been a member but have paddled with a few. There are quite a few members from Texas and Oklahoma as well.

The Ozark Rendezvous has been going on for some 9 years or so now and is a more informal gathering of individuals, most of whom met via P net and is a group that meets twice a year somewhere in the Missouri Ozarks. For the last few years, the spring gathering has been on the North Fork of the White River upstream of Norfork Lake at a little place called Twin Bridges, MO and the fall gathering on the Current River at the National Park Service campground at Pulltite, but that is not set in stone. The next gathering will be the week of October 13-19 at Pulltite.
 
I'm over in west-central LA... I paddle mostly the Sabine/Toledo Bend, Oiska Chitto, and Neches, and a small local creek. Mostly day trips. My try to make an annual pilgrimage back home to NY, to get to the Adirondacks if i can. That's my favorite canoeing.
 
I definitely mixed up several replies. Sorry about that. Looks like I will be out of town for the Fall Rendezvous this year. I will have to try and catch the Spring 2015 one.
 
Soggy,
I live in Dallas and canoe trip quite often in OK and AR. Illinois, Kings, Buffalo, Kiamichi and Caddo Rivers are great for overnight travel. We just did a 3 day 2 night on the Sabine. They were generating out of Toledo Bend and had great water. In the winter we paddle around the Big Thicket in southeast TX. I hope to make a Rendesvous one of these days.
 
I'm a little behind on reading posts. Good to hear from you Toddyboy.
 
Soggy- We are going to be on the Lower Mountain Fork River July 18-20. Basecamping out of Beavers Bend if your interested. There is normally a decent release during this time of year. Cooler temperatures and rain in the forecast, what a relief.
 
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