See all 9 routes on Bayou DeView
Arkansas | Delta
Bayou DeView
Hickson Lake Access to Rock Island Road 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
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
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
Checking weather.
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 Hickson Lake Access and take out at Rock Island Road Access for a shorter middle Bayou DeView day. Even on this short split, use the Brinkley gauge and the georeferenced trail map rather than assuming a simple one-channel bayou.
Put-in
Hickson Lake AccessOpen mapHickson Lake and Rock Island Road are named public AGFC Bayou DeView Water Trail accesses reached by WMA roads rather than by developed park marinas.
Take-out
Rock Island Road 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
- Hickson Lake and Rock Island Road are named public AGFC Bayou DeView Water Trail accesses reached by 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.
- The main channel is not always distinct. Carry the georeferenced map or equivalent offline navigation before leaving cell coverage.
- Stay with the named public accesses and avoid private banks, fences, signs, and purple-painted property.
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 gate on Dagmar Road closes and high-water timber travel becomes more dangerous.
- Floating logs, strainers, and losing the marked route through indistinct floodplain channels.
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 segmentHickson Lake Access to Rock Island Road Access, 2.9 miles
AGFC still lists Hickson Lake to Rock Island Road as an exact Bayou DeView Water Trail segment.
- 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 14.15 ft
USGS Water Services returned a latest gage-height reading of 14.15 ft at 2026-07-15 17:00 CDT for Bayou Deview near Brinkley, just above AGFC's floatable threshold floor.
- 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 accessRock Island Road Access, 34.85911, -91.29025
AGFC still publishes Rock Island Road Access as a named public Bayou DeView Water Trail launch with a map-linked coordinate point.
- Camping and access policyFree Dagmar WMA campsites; no Cache River NWR camping
AGFC still says free first-come campsites marked by blue paint are available on Dagmar WMA, while 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.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
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Keep exploring
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 Hickson Lake Access and ends at Rock Island Road Access, about About 2.9 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.