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Arkansas | Delta
Bayou DeViewBenson Creek Access to Apple Lake Access
Longer Bayou DeView continuation from Benson Creek Access to Apple Lake Access. AGFC still documents the public access chain, the direct gauge thresholds, and the same floodplain route-finding plus Apple Lake seasonal caveats that make this a real planning route.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
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.
Access map
Put-in
Benson Creek AccessBenson 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 AccessAGFC 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 Apple Lake Access, then drive back to Benson Creek Access. Carry the AGFC georeferenced map before launching because this upper-to-lower continuation crosses multiple indistinct floodplain turns and side-channel decisions.
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Access planner
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Benson Creek Access to Apple Lake Access is about 10.9 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.
Additional access notes
- 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.
More route and safety guidance
- Carry the AGFC georeferenced map offline and keep trail markers in sight because the upper-to-lower corridor leaves more room for wrong turns and time loss than the short splits.
- Stay off private banks and expect wood, floating debris, blind turns through cypress, and stronger current if the gauge rises toward the 17-foot Dagmar Road closure mark.
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Conditions
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Weather
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Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Bayou Deview near Brinkley, AR. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
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Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
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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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Bayou Deview near Brinkley, AR |
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| Discharge | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
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| Rain last 24h | Checking |
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| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 14.00 ft |
| High threshold | Water-level guidance unavailable |
| Evidence strength 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 |
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NotesPublished 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 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 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.
- 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.
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