River guideMissouri
Jacks Fork River
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End of mapOzark National Scenic Riverways · Missouri
Choose a Jacks Fork trip by section
The upper corridor can be seasonal. Each section has its own access pair, gauge, and trip details.
Buck Hollow, Blue Spring, Rymers, and Bay Creek
NPS places 35 miles of the Jacks Fork within the park and says some portions are navigable only at certain times because of low water. Its 2024 float-time table lists Highway 17–Blue Spring at 2.6 miles / 1 hour, Blue Spring–Rymers at 6.6 miles / 3 hours, and Rymers–Bay Creek at 9 miles / 4 hours. These upper choices use the Mountain View gauge for conservative context; check the trend, recent rain, and actual water at the launch.
- Buck Hollow / Highway 17 to Blue Spring · 2.6 mi
- Blue Spring to Rymers · 6.6 mi
- Rymers to Bay Creek · NPS sources differ on mileage
Bay Creek and Rymers to Alley Spring
Bay Creek to Alley Spring is a source-listed 5.8-mile float. Longer trips from Rymers or Blue Spring combine more of the seasonal upper water before reaching Alley Spring. Use USGS 07065495 at Alley Spring for routes that reach this section; it does not represent the Mountain View or Eminence ends.
- Bay Creek to Alley Spring · 5.8 mi / about 2 hr per NPS
- Rymers to Alley Spring · about 14.8 mi by NPS segment totals
- Blue Spring to Alley Spring · about 21.4 mi by NPS segment totals
Alley Spring to Eminence
NPS names this the most popular summer float. Its newer float-time table, updated August 2024, lists about 6.3 miles and 3 hours; the older NPS Jacks Fork page lists 4 hours. NPS says its estimates vary with flow; the newer table also factors in breaks, paddling pace, vessel, and wind. The trip card uses a 3-to-4-hour estimate. Keep the landing plan on Joshua T. Chilton Memorial Landing and do not assume private riverbank access around Eminence.
Alley Spring to Joshua T. Chilton Memorial Landing · use USGS 07066000 at Eminence for conservative water-level information.
The route selector keeps the other public trip options available with their own distance, shuttle, camping, gauge, and safety notes. See the current NPS estimated float-time table, its Jacks Fork paddling page, and park access and river-mile information before setting a shuttle. NPS advises checking live levels and closures; route-card flow floors are not official safety limits.
River overview
Jacks Fork River paddle planning
What to verify before you commit.
Water levels
Jacks Fork options follow one main access corridor, but the upper section is seasonal and trip guidance uses three different stations. The trip cards group every endpoint choice here; use the direct documented adjacent floats to anchor a plan, and select the route that matches your launch, take-out, time, and gauge.
Route options
Compare all 15 Jacks Fork endpoint choices here. The NPS adjacent float sections provide useful anchors, while longer combinations remain available with their own mileage, shuttle, camping, and hazard notes. Use the gauge assigned to the specific trip: Mountain View upstream, Alley Spring in the middle, or Eminence for the lower finish.
Difficulty
Jacks Fork River routes here are marked easy and hard and moderate, so choose the stretch that fits your group and conditions.
Quick answers
Jacks Fork River paddling FAQ
Where can I paddle the Jacks Fork River?
Choose among 15 trip options from Buck Hollow and Blue Spring through Rymers, Bay Creek, Alley Spring, and Eminence. The upper river can become too shallow to navigate during dry periods; the popular Alley Spring–Eminence float is a separate lower reach. Check the section guide and use the gauge attached to the exact trip.
How should I check Jacks Fork River water levels?
Use the station shown on the selected trip: USGS 07065200 near Mountain View for upper reaches, USGS 07065495 at Alley Spring for trips in the middle corridor, and USGS 07066000 at Eminence for the lower finish. NPS warns that parts of the upper river are navigable only at certain times because of low water. The 100 or 200 cfs card floors are conservative community-sourced planning cues, not NPS safe-flow rules; no ideal range or high-flow cutoff is claimed.
Which Jacks Fork River route is best today?
Compare current scores where available, along with water level, recent trend, weather, access, and route difficulty. Planning-only cards provide trip information without a live paddling recommendation.