Arkansas | Delta

Bayou DeViewRock Island Road Access to Apple Lake Access

Paddle 1.5 miles from Rock Island Road Access to Apple Lake Access. This short floodplain section still needs route-finding and the AGFC map; Apple Lake access is seasonal and closes from November 1 through February 15.

Route location

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DistanceAbout 1.5 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 1 hr to 2 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.
CampingOptions nearbyTreat this as a short day float. Free first-come campsites marked by blue paint are available elsewhere on Dagmar WMA, but Apple Lake access is closed from Nov. 1 through Feb. 15 and camping is not allowed on Cache River National Wildlife Refuge.
SeasonMar-NovThis short route still depends on enough stage to keep the channel connected, and launch-day checks should include both the USGS gauge and any WMA seasonal access notices for Apple Lake.

Access and shuttle

Launch at Rock Island Road Access and take out at Apple Lake Access for the shortest Bayou DeView option in the family. This still needs the Brinkley gauge, WMA access check, and an offline map before launch.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Rock Island Road Access
DirectionsOpen map

Rock Island Road and Apple Lake are named public AGFC Bayou DeView Water Trail accesses on WMA roads rather than full-service launch parks.

Finish

Take-out

Apple Lake 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 Apple Lake Access, then drive back to Rock Island Road Access. Carry the AGFC georeferenced map even on this short segment because the floodplain channels are not always obvious.

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
  • Carry the georeferenced map anyway; the route is short, but the Apple Lake side still sits in a floodplain maze where a missed turn can waste time quickly.
  • Stay off private banks, watch for floating wood, and verify Apple Lake access status because the WMA closes Apple Lake WRA to access from November 1 through February 15.
Terms and safety
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Conditions

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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.

Data reliability: checking
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.

  • Checking data sources and update times.
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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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 segmentRock Island Road Access to Apple Lake Access, 1.5 miles

    AGFC still lists Rock Island Road to Apple Lake 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 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.

    Source

  • 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.

    Source

  • Seasonal access caveatApple Lake WRA closed to access Nov. 1 through Feb. 15

    AGFC still says Apple Lake Waterfowl Rest Area is closed to access from November 1 through February 15.

    Source

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