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Missouri | Missouri Ozarks

Current RiverPulltite to Round Spring

Popular Upper Current River day float from Pulltite to Round Spring inside Ozark National Scenic Riverways. NPS lists the 8.9-mile route, the Akers gauge is fresh and already supports nearby Upper Current routes, and the scoring stays low-water-only because the gauge is upstream.

Route location

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Distance8.9 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 4 hr for canoes and kayaks
ShuttleCar shuttle
The clear Current River flows below wooded Ozark hills with gravel bars along the channel.
Route photoCurrent River corridor near Welch SpringPhoto by Kbh3rd via Wikimedia Commons
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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.

Permits, camping and season
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific private-vessel paddling fee is known inside Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Follow NPS rules, posted signs, designated access layouts, parking limits, no-glass/no-polystyrene rules, and any current river closure notices.
CampingOptions nearbyTreat this as a day float unless you have a separate legal camping plan. Pulltite and Round Spring have developed NPS camping areas, and gravel-bar camping has park rules and location limits; do not assume any bank is public just because it is reachable from the river.
SeasonMar-NovThe Upper Current is spring-fed and NPS lists private paddling year-round, but low summer levels can still make shoals slow and scrape-heavy. Heavy rain can raise the river quickly, add floating wood, and trigger NPS non-motorized closures.

Access and shuttle

Launch at Pulltite and take out at Round Spring for the NPS-listed 8.9-mile Upper Current River day float. Use the upstream Akers USGS gauge as a conservative same-day low-water check, with the app using only a 300 cfs minimum floor.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Pulltite Campground / Current River landing (imagery-derived water-entry edge)
DirectionsOpen map

The current NPS Superintendent's Compendium lists Pulltite and Round Spring (middle) as Current River landings. Follow signs to the Round Spring floater landing; the separately listed Round Spring Boat Ramp is for motorized-vessel launching.

Finish

Take-out

Round Spring (middle) river landing
DirectionsOpen map

The coordinates are practical access-area anchors from Mapcarta / GeoNames / OpenStreetMap records paired with NPS route and access confirmation, not official ramp-coordinate tables. Follow current NPS signs and ramp layout on arrival.

Road shuttle

Use a two-car or authorized outfitter shuttle between Pulltite and Round Spring. Cell service is limited in the park, so stage the take-out and confirm the pickup plan before launching.

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Additional access notes
  • The Akers gauge is upstream of this route. It is supported by MoHERP Pulltite-to-Round-Spring reports, but it should still be treated as a proxy and paired with a visual check at Pulltite.
More route and safety guidance
  • NPS warns that rootwads and fallen trees can occur on any section and that Current River levels can rise quickly after moderate to heavy rain. Check current closures, avoid high or rising water, and leave room to stop upstream of fresh wood.
  • The Akers gauge is upstream of this route and the 300 cfs value is only a conservative low-water floor. Do not turn the separate NPS local-stage closure levels at Pulltite and Round Spring Bridge into an inferred high cutoff on the Akers gauge.
  • Cold spring water, limited phone service, and potentially long waits for help make a worn PFD, a filed itinerary, and self-rescue ability important even on this NPS-listed easy day float. Use designated access and legal stopping or camping areas rather than assuming every reachable bank is public.
Terms and safety
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Sources and methodology

Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.

NotesPublished 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 shapePulltite to Round Spring, 8.9 mi / 4 hr

    NPS Estimated Float Times lists Pulltite to Round Spring as an 8.9-mile Upper Current River float with an estimated four-hour canoe/kayak time.

    Source

  • Upper Current route contextNPS standard access pair

    NPS Paddle the Upper Current River names Pulltite and Round Spring among popular Upper Current locations and lists Pulltite-to-Round-Spring as a four-hour route.

    Source

  • Public access contextPulltite landing to Round Spring (middle) landing

    The current NPS Superintendent's Compendium lists Pulltite and Round Spring (middle) as Current River landings. It separately lists the Round Spring Boat Ramp as a motorized-vessel launch.

    Source

  • Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-27USGS 07064533 at 208 cfs / 0.86 ft

    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.

    Source

  • Low-water floor300 cfs minimum-only

    Rivers.MOHERP rates the Akers gauge Good beginning at 150 cfs and includes exact Pulltite-to-Round-Spring Good reports at 321 and 336 cfs, plus nearby lower-Upper-Current Good reports around 288-346 cfs. Paddle Today uses 300 cfs as a conservative floor and does not infer an ideal range.

    Source

  • NPS high-water closure contextPulltite 4.20 ft / Round Spring Bridge 5.20 ft

    The NPS Superintendent Compendium lists Current River closure levels for Pulltite and Round Spring Bridge during flood conditions. Use this as high-water caution, not as a scoring high cutoff for the Akers cfs gauge.

    Source

  • NPS river safetySelf-rescue, fast-rise, and obstacle guidance

    NPS warns that help may be hours away without phone service, that local streams can rise quickly after moderate to heavy rain, and that rootwads or strainers can occur on any river section.

    Source

  • Endpoint coordinates37.33505, -91.47959 to 37.27996, -91.40792

    Mapcarta / GeoNames / OpenStreetMap place Pulltite Campground and Round Spring Campground in the named NPS access areas. These are practical access-area anchors; current NPS signs and ramp layout should control on arrival.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Other routes nearby

More on Current River

All 16
Akers Ferry to PulltiteMissouri OzarksEasy · 9.6 mi

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Jacks Fork RiverAlley Spring Access to Joshua T. Chilton Memorial Landing · about 13 straight-line mi awayEasy · About 6.3 mi per NPS float-time table

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