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See all 9 routes on Bayou DeView

Arkansas | Delta

Bayou DeView

Rock Island Road 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 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

Need to know

Why this call
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Conditions

Gauge history and hourly forecast

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Gauge detail

Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view

Gauge

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Route overview

Quick facts and what's next

Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.

Quick facts

On-water distanceAbout 1.5 miRock Island Road Access to Apple Lake Access
DifficultyeasyThis is the shortest Bayou DeView day option in the family, but it still requires flatwater route-finding and respect for floodplain wood and private-bank limits.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage 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.
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.

Plan ahead

Upcoming outlook

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Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

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.

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Prepare this trip

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Start

Put-in

Rock Island Road Access
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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
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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.

Plan this segment

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Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • Rock Island Road and Apple Lake are named public AGFC Bayou DeView Water Trail accesses on WMA roads rather than full-service launch parks.
  • 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.
  • Stay with the named public accesses and avoid private banks, fences, signs, and purple-painted property.

Watch for

  • Water below about 14 ft, when shallow obstructions and disconnected side channels 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 missing the marked route in indistinct cypress-tupelo channels.

Route gallery

See this route on the water

Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.

Bayou DeView winds through a flooded bottomland forest in the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas.
Bayou DeView in Cache River National Wildlife Refuge river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Public domain

Score & sources

Why this score

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
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Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking

Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.

Why
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Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteBayou Deview near Brinkley, AR
Gauge heightChecking
DischargeChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Target band14.00 ft to 16.90 ft
Low threshold14.00 ft
High threshold17.00 ft
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreArkansas Game and Fish Bayou DeView gauge guidance
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
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 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 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.

    Source

  • 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.

    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

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

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Reports

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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.

More in Arkansas

All 45 routes
Arkansas route guideBrowse every tracked Arkansas route.DeltaJump to routes in this region.

More on Bayou DeView

All 9
Apple Lake Access to Bank of Brinkley AccessDeltaEasy · About 4.3 miBenson Creek Access to Apple Lake AccessDeltaEasy · About 10.9 miBenson Creek Access to Bank of Brinkley AccessDeltaModerate · About 15.2 miBenson Creek Access to Rock Island Road AccessDeltaEasy · About 9.4 mi

Nearby routes by distance

Saline RiverLyle Park Access to Saline Crossing Access · about 77 mi awayModerate · About 4.2 miSaline RiverPeeler Bend to Lyle Park Access · about 79 mi awayEasy · About 3.8 miSaline RiverPeeler Bend to Saline Crossing Access · about 79 mi awayModerate · About 8 miSaline RiverTony Kelly Ford Access to Lyle Park Access · about 82 mi awayModerate · About 8.2 mi

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 Rock Island Road Access and ends at Apple Lake Access, about About 1.5 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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