See all 16 routes on Current River
Missouri | Missouri Ozarks
Current RiverCataract Landing to Gooseneck / Hawes Recreation Area
Short final lower Current section from Cataract Landing to Gooseneck / Hawes. The current NPS float-times page lists this stretch at 6.2 miles and about three hours, and the Van Buren USGS gauge remains the conservative same-river low-water check for the cluster.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch at Cataract and finish at Gooseneck / Hawes for the last public lower Current section. Use the Van Buren gauge as a conservative low-water check and expect lower-river motorboats, private-bank constraints, and end-of-river logistics.
Access map
Put-in
Cataract LandingThe Cataract coordinate is a topo-derived landing point, not an official NPS GIS table. Follow the signed landing, parking, and turnaround layout on arrival.
Take-out
Gooseneck / Hawes Recreation AreaThe current NPS float-times page publishes the exact Cataract-to-Gooseneck trip, its concession operating plan names Cataract and Hawes as authorized Lower Current access points, and the Superintendent's Compendium identifies Gooseneck (Hawes) as a Current River landing. Confirm both signed landings before leaving a vehicle.
Road shuttle
Stage the take-out at Gooseneck / Hawes before driving back to Cataract Landing. Verify both signed landings before launch because this lower-river pair uses simpler downstream accesses and ends near the river mouth.
Additional access notes
- This route ends near the Current River mouth. Do not continue onto the Black River or other downstream big-river water without a separate plan.
More route and safety guidance
- NPS warns that fallen trees and rootwad strainers can occur on any river section, streams can rise quickly after moderate to heavy rain, and phone help may be hours away. Wear a PFD, be ready to self-rescue, and do not launch on high or rising water.
- The Current is spring-fed and cold. Expect lower-river motorboat wakes and pools; use only NPS-owned land for gravel-bar camping and do not treat every reachable bank as a public stop.
- The 700 cfs value is a conservative community-supported low-water floor, not an ideal band or high-water clearance. The NPS Van Buren 5.00 ft closure level remains a separate same-day closure check.
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
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Conditions
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Gauge source
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Weather
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Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.
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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
Current River at Van Buren, MO. 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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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 | Current River at Van Buren, MO |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | 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 | 700 cfs |
| High threshold | Water-level guidance unavailable |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Rivers.MOHERP Van Buren gauge rating and adjacent lower-Current trip evidence |
| 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.
- NPS route shapeCataract to Gooseneck, 6.2 mi / 3 hr
The current NPS Estimated Float Times page lists Cataract to Gooseneck as a 6.2-mile lower Current float that typically takes about 3 hours.
- Gooseneck access contextNPS Gooseneck / Hawes landing and backcountry campground
The current NPS Superintendent's Compendium identifies Gooseneck (Hawes) as both a Current River landing and a Lower Current backcountry campground.
- Lower Current access authorityCataract and Hawes authorized accesses
The current NPS concession operating plan includes both Cataract and Hawes among the authorized Lower Current access points, while the NPS float-times page publishes the exact Cataract-to-Gooseneck trip.
- Gauge check during route review · July 27, 2026USGS 07067000
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
- Low-water floor700 cfs minimum-only
Rivers.MOHERP still supports the same conservative Van Buren floor already used on adjacent lower-Current routes. Paddle Today keeps only the 700 cfs minimum-only floor and does not infer an ideal range.
- Endpoint coordinates36.8964418, -90.9073471 to 36.8194989, -90.9470707
The put-in uses the topo-derived Cataract Landing point published by AnyplaceAmerica. The take-out reuses the USGS-topo-derived Hawes Recreation Area point, corroborated by current NPS Gooseneck / Hawes landing and campground context.
- Route hazardsStrainers, fast rises, and remote self-rescue
NPS says fallen trees and rootwad strainers can occur on any section, storms and floods continually change the river, moderate to heavy rain can raise streams quickly, and help may be hours away.
- Cold-water contextSpring-fed, cold Current River
NPS describes the Current and Jacks Fork as spring-fed, cold, clear rivers.
- Legal-bank checksGravel-bar camping only on NPS-owned land
NPS allows gravel-bar camping only on National Park Service-owned land and requires campers to follow posted restrictions.
- High-water closure contextVan Buren Bridge 5.00 ft closed level
The NPS Superintendent Compendium says the Current and Jacks Fork close to non-motorized vessels during flood conditions and lists Van Buren Bridge at 3.00 ft average and 5.00 ft closed level. Use this as high-water caution, not a scoring high cutoff.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- NPS Estimated Float Times
- NPS Ozark park brochure
- NPS Ozark Superintendent Compendium
- NPS Lower Current authorized-access operating plan
- NPS Ozark river safety
- NPS Gooseneck Campground
- NPS Ozark National Scenic Riverways overview
- NPS gravel-bar camping rules
- Rivers.MOHERP Current River Van Buren gauge
- USGS 07067000 Current River at Van Buren
- USGS 07067000 legacy current conditions
- Cataract Landing topo coordinate
- Hawes Recreation Area topo coordinate
Other routes nearby
More on Current River
All 16Nearby routes within 75 miles
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