See all 9 routes on Bayou DeView
Arkansas | Delta
Bayou DeViewHickson Lake Access to Apple Lake Access
Middle Bayou DeView continuation from Hickson Lake Access to Apple Lake Access. AGFC still documents the public access chain, the direct gauge thresholds, and the Apple Lake seasonal closure caveat that shapes this otherwise short floodplain route.
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Route location
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Safety
Route safety
CautionThis route has hazards or access considerations that require extra verification.
AGFC says Bayou DeView high water is dangerous and the main channel is not always distinct, so even this mid-length continuation still needs active route-finding rather than casual flatwater assumptions.
Safety details
- Use the Apple Lake seasonal access rule and the lower Dagmar road conditions as real go/no-go checks, not just the 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.
Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch at Hickson Lake Access and take out at Apple Lake Access for a mid-length Bayou DeView continuation. This is still flatwater, but it is not a casual paddle: use the Brinkley gauge, verify the Apple Lake seasonal rule, and carry the AGFC map.
Access map
Put-in
Hickson Lake AccessHickson Lake 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 Hickson Lake Access. Carry the AGFC georeferenced map before launching because even this middle continuation still crosses multiple indistinct floodplain turns and side-channel decisions.
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Hickson Lake Access to Apple Lake Access is about 4.4 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
- Use the Apple Lake seasonal access rule and the lower Dagmar road conditions as real go/no-go checks, not just the 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.
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Conditions
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Minimum 14.00 ft · Bayou Deview near Brinkley, AR
Does this gauge apply to my trip?
AGFC says Bayou DeView needs a gauge height around 14 ft or higher to paddle, warns that high water is dangerous, and closes the Dagmar Road gate at 17 ft. That gate level is an access condition, not a route-wide upper water-safety limit. Check the live gauge, access roads, seasonal closures and the marked channel before departure.
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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
Look for recent access, obstruction and hazard observations. Context photos may show a different part of the river.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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More level reports needed
Only a low-water floor is known.
We can tell when this route is likely too low, but we do not yet have enough reports to define a best range. If you paddled it recently, send a condition report with how the level felt.
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
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 shapeHickson Lake Access to Apple Lake Access, about 4.4 miles
AGFC lists Hickson Lake to Rock Island Road as 2.9 miles and Rock Island Road to Apple Lake as 1.5 miles, which supports this middle continuation through the same public access chain.
- 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 accessHickson Lake Access, 34.89039, -91.29826
AGFC still publishes Hickson Lake 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.
Other routes nearby
More on Bayou DeView
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