See all 16 routes on Current River
Missouri | Missouri Ozarks
Current River
Van Buren Riverfront Park to Gooseneck / Hawes Recreation Area
Check current paddling conditions for this Current River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
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
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Launch at Van Buren Riverfront Park and finish at Gooseneck / Hawes for a long lower Current River continuation. Use the direct Van Buren gauge as a conservative low-water check and expect motorboats, long pool sections, limited exits, and end-of-river logistics.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Van Buren Riverfront Park AccessVan Buren Riverfront Park is MDC-listed under a cooperative agreement rather than MDC-owned land; posted city or owner rules may apply beyond the MDC-listed boating regulations.
Take-out
Gooseneck / Hawes Recreation AreaNPS materials use both Gooseneck and Hawes naming for the downstream endpoint. Confirm the signed Gooseneck / Hawes river access before leaving a vehicle.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Van Buren Riverfront Park is MDC-listed under a cooperative agreement rather than MDC-owned land; posted city or owner rules may apply beyond the MDC-listed boating regulations.
- NPS materials use both Gooseneck and Hawes naming for the downstream endpoint. Confirm the signed Gooseneck / Hawes river access before leaving a vehicle.
- The Gooseneck coordinate is the existing USGS-topo-derived Hawes Recreation Area point already used by the adjacent route, not an official NPS GIS landing table.
- 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.
Watch for
- Shallow shoals, scraping, and a slower all-day float when the Van Buren gauge is near or below the 700 cfs conservative floor.
- Motorboat wakes, long pool sections, wind, summer crowds, tubes, slick landings, swimmers, fishing lines, and crowded access areas.
- High or rising water, floating wood, stronger current, and NPS non-motorized closure levels after storms. The compendium lists Van Buren Bridge at a 5.00 ft closed level.
- Private banks, limited cell service, few easy exits, and confusion between Gooseneck and Hawes naming at the take-out.
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.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
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.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 700 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| 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 lower-Current trip evidence |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
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.
- NPS route shapeVan Buren to Gooseneck, about 19.3 mi
Current NPS float-times guidance lists Van Buren to Big Spring at 4.3 miles, Big Spring to Cataract at 8.8 miles, and Cataract to Gooseneck at 6.2 miles, which combine into an about 19.3-mile public lower Current route.
- NPS timing supportAbout 8 hr total
NPS lower-Current guidance lists Van Buren to Gooseneck as an about 8-hour route, matching the long committed day shape used here.
- Public endpointsVan Buren Riverfront Park to Gooseneck / Hawes
MDC still confirms Van Buren Riverfront Park as a public launch, while the NPS brochure and Recreation.gov keep Gooseneck / Hawes as a named lower Current camping and river-access area.
- Live direct gaugeUSGS 07067000 at 1,080 cfs / 3.01 ft
Same-day USGS Water Services returned 1,080 cfs and 3.01 ft at 2026-07-11 00:30 CDT for Current River at Van Buren, the direct same-river gauge already used on the adjacent lower Current routes.
- Low-water floor700 cfs minimum-only
Rivers.MOHERP rates the Van Buren gauge Good beginning around 700 cfs and provides lower-Current trip evidence including the downstream Big-Spring-to-Gooseneck section. Paddle Today keeps only the conservative 700 cfs floor.
- Camping contextPrimitive camping at Gooseneck / Hawes
The NPS brochure marks Gooseneck / Hawes for primitive camping, picnic, river access, and boat access, and Recreation.gov corroborates Hawes Campground as a lower Current primitive-camping area.
- Endpoint coordinates36.9939, -91.0140 to 36.8194989, -90.9470707
Van Buren uses the existing practical ramp anchor from MDC context, and Gooseneck uses the existing USGS-topo-derived Hawes Recreation Area point already accepted on the adjacent lower Current route. Confirm the signed river landing on arrival.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
Current River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Current River?
Paddle Today watches Current River at Van Buren, MO and uses 700 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Current River route start and end?
This route starts at Van Buren Riverfront Park Access and ends at Gooseneck / Hawes Recreation Area, about About 19.3 mi on the water.
Is this Current River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.