See all 9 routes on Bayou DeView
Arkansas | Delta
Bayou DeView
Benson Creek Access to Apple Lake Access
Check current paddling conditions for this Bayou DeView route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
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Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Best window today
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Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Launch at Benson Creek Access and take out at Apple Lake Access for a longer upper-to-lower Bayou DeView day. This is still flatwater, but it is not a casual paddle: use the Brinkley gauge, verify the Apple Lake seasonal rule, and expect a real route-finding commitment.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.
Put-in
Benson Creek AccessOpen mapBenson Creek and Apple Lake are named public AGFC Bayou DeView Water Trail accesses reached by rural WMA roads rather than by developed park marinas.
Take-out
Apple Lake AccessOpen mapAGFC 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.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Benson Creek and Apple Lake are named public AGFC Bayou DeView Water Trail accesses reached by rural WMA roads rather than by developed park marinas.
- 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.
- Apple Lake Waterfowl Rest Area is closed to access from Nov. 1 through Feb. 15, so this route is not year-round even when the gauge looks fine.
- The main channel is not always distinct. Carry the georeferenced map or equivalent offline navigation before leaving cell coverage.
Watch for
- Water below about 14 ft, when disconnected channels and shallow obstructions become more likely.
- Water approaching or above 17 ft, when AGFC says the access roads can close and high-water timber travel becomes more dangerous.
- Floating logs, strainers, wind exposure in open pockets, and losing the marked route through indistinct floodplain channels.
- Long-day fatigue, heat, insects, and limited bailout options once the group commits below Hickson Lake toward the Apple Lake finish.
Route gallery
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Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
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Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Bayou Deview near Brinkley, AR |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Target band | 14.00 ft to 16.90 ft |
| Low threshold | 14.00 ft |
| High threshold | 17.00 ft |
| Data confidence behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Arkansas Game and Fish Bayou DeView gauge guidance |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official route shapeBenson Creek Access to Apple Lake Access, about 10.9 miles
AGFC lists Benson Creek to Hickson Lake as 6.5 miles, Hickson Lake to Rock Island Road as 2.9 miles, and Rock Island Road to Apple Lake as 1.5 miles, which supports the longer upper-to-lower continuation.
- Direct gauge thresholdAround 14 ft to paddle; Dagmar Road gate closes at 17 ft
AGFC still says the gauge height needs to be around 14 feet or higher to paddle the trail and that the gate on Dagmar Road is closed at 17 feet.
- Recent official gauge readingUSGS 07077730 at 14.10 ft
USGS Water Services returned a latest gage-height reading of 14.10 ft at 2026-07-15 12:00 CDT for Bayou Deview near Brinkley, just above AGFC's floatable threshold floor.
- Put-in accessBenson Creek Access, 34.93569, -91.24092
AGFC still publishes Benson Creek Access as a named public Bayou DeView Water Trail launch with a map-linked coordinate point.
- Take-out 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.
- Camping and seasonal accessFree Dagmar WMA campsites; 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 from Nov. 1 through Feb. 15, and camping is not allowed on Cache River National Wildlife Refuge.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
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More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Bayou DeView paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Bayou DeView?
Paddle Today watches Bayou Deview near Brinkley, AR and treats 14.00 ft to 16.90 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Bayou DeView route start and end?
This route starts at Benson Creek Access and ends at Apple Lake Access, about About 10.9 mi on the water.
Is this Bayou DeView route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.