Arkansas | Delta

Bayou DeViewApple Lake Access to Bank of Brinkley Access

Paddle 4.3 miles from Apple Lake Access to Bank of Brinkley Access along the lower Bayou DeView Water Trail. Check the Apple Lake seasonal closure, the Brinkley gauge, and the Cache River refuge access rules before launching.

Route location

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DistanceAbout 4.3 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 2.5 hr to 4 hr
ShuttleCar shuttle
Bayou DeView winds through a flooded bottomland forest in the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas.
River contextBayou DeView in Cache River National Wildlife Refuge river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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Trip details

Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.

Permits, camping and season
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known. Use the named public AGFC accesses, follow Arkansas boating and PFD rules, and respect any WMA, refuge, gate, or road postings.
CampingDay tripFree first-come campsites marked by blue paint are available on Dagmar WMA upstream of the route, but this lower segment is usually a day trip and camping is not allowed on Cache River National Wildlife Refuge near the Brinkley end.
SeasonMar-NovThis lower route still depends on enough stage to keep the trail connected, and launch-day checks should include both the USGS gauge and whether Apple Lake or lower access roads are open under current WMA conditions.

Access and shuttle

Launch at Apple Lake Access and take out at Bank of Brinkley Access for the lower Bayou DeView segment. Use the Brinkley gauge, verify Apple Lake seasonal access, and carry the AGFC map because the lower channel is still not obvious at every turn.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Apple Lake Access
DirectionsOpen map

Apple Lake and Bank of Brinkley are named public AGFC Bayou DeView Water Trail accesses reached by refuge or WMA roads rather than full-service launch facilities.

Finish

Take-out

Bank of Brinkley Access
DirectionsOpen map

AGFC says the trail needs about 14 ft or higher to paddle and that the Dagmar Road gate closes at 17 ft, so verify both gauge freshness and road access before launching.

Road shuttle

Stage the take-out at Bank of Brinkley Access, then drive back to Apple Lake Access. Carry the AGFC georeferenced map before launching because the lower bayou still requires active navigation.

Additional access notes
  • Apple Lake Waterfowl Rest Area is closed to access from Nov. 1 through Feb. 15.
  • Stay with the named public accesses and avoid private banks, fences, signs, and purple-painted property.
More route and safety guidance
  • Use the Apple Lake seasonal access rules and the Bank of Brinkley launch road conditions as real go/no-go checks, not just the river gauge.
  • Stay off private banks and expect floating wood, blind turns through cypress, and stronger push as the gauge rises toward the 17-foot road-closure mark.
Terms and safety
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Conditions

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Tomorrow and the weekend

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Station details and river cameras

Sources and methodology

Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.

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Data status
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This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.

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Water levels, published guidance and update times

These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.

Gauge siteBayou Deview near Brinkley, AR
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Preferred rangeNeeds paddler reports
Known low-water floor14.00 ft
High thresholdWater-level guidance unavailable
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
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Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreArkansas Game and Fish Bayou DeView gauge guidance
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Published evidence and verification notes

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Official route segmentApple Lake Access to Bank of Brinkley Access, 4.3 miles

    AGFC still lists Apple Lake to Bank of Brinkley as an exact Bayou DeView Water Trail segment.

    Source

  • Direct gauge thresholdAround 14 ft to paddle; Dagmar Road gate closes at 17 ft

    AGFC describes about 14 ft as the level needed to paddle and separately states that the Dagmar Road gate closes at 17 ft. It warns that high water is dangerous; the gate closure is not a route-wide upper safety threshold.

    Source

  • Put-in accessApple Lake Access, 34.84159, -91.28200

    AGFC still publishes Apple Lake Access as a named public Bayou DeView Water Trail launch with a map-linked coordinate point.

    Source

  • Take-out accessBank of Brinkley Access, 34.80024, -91.30049

    AGFC still publishes Bank of Brinkley Access as a named public Bayou DeView Water Trail launch with a map-linked coordinate point.

    Source

  • Camping and access policyDagmar WMA campsites upstream; Apple Lake closed Nov. 1-Feb. 15; no Cache River NWR camping

    AGFC still says free first-come campsites marked by blue paint are available on Dagmar WMA, Apple Lake WRA closes to access Nov. 1 through Feb. 15, and camping is not allowed on Cache River National Wildlife Refuge.

    Source

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