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Missouri | Missouri Ozarks
Jacks Fork River
Alley Spring Access to Joshua T. Chilton Memorial Landing
Check current paddling conditions for this Jacks Fork 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
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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
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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
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
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Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Launch at Alley Spring and take out at Joshua T. Chilton Memorial Landing in Eminence for the NPS-listed classic lower Jacks Fork day. Use the direct Eminence gauge as a conservative low-water check and expect heavy recreation traffic in peak season.
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Put-in
Alley Spring AccessAlley Spring is an NPS river access with campground and ranger-station context; follow the signed launch and parking layout rather than informal bank paths.
Take-out
Joshua T. Chilton Memorial Landing / EminenceJoshua T. Chilton is an MDC-listed Jacks Fork access operated under a cooperative agreement; posted owner or local rules may apply beyond the MDC-listed boating regulations.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Alley Spring is an NPS river access with campground and ranger-station context; follow the signed launch and parking layout rather than informal bank paths.
- Joshua T. Chilton is an MDC-listed Jacks Fork access operated under a cooperative agreement; posted owner or local rules may apply beyond the MDC-listed boating regulations.
- The Jacks Fork has a park-boundary gap around Eminence. Stay with public accesses and lawful stops rather than using private banks near town.
Watch for
- Shallow riffles and scraping when the Eminence gauge is near or below the 200 cfs conservative floor.
- Heavy canoe, kayak, raft, tube, and motorboat traffic in summer, especially between Alley Spring and Eminence.
- High or rising water, fresh wood, faster bridge approaches, and harder landings after storms.
- Cold spring water, bluff jumps and swimmers, fishing lines, private banks near Eminence, and changing gravel 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 | Jacks Fork at Eminence, 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 | 200 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 Eminence gauge rating and Alley Spring-to-Eminence trip rows |
| 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 shapeAlley to Eminence, 4 hr
NPS says the most popular summer float on the Jacks Fork is Alley Spring to Eminence and lists the estimated float time as 4 hours.
- Public put-inAlley Spring, river mile 69
The NPS park brochure lists Alley Spring as a Jacks Fork river access with campground, ranger station, picnic area, and hiking trails.
- Public take-outJoshua T. Chilton Memorial Landing
MDC identifies Joshua T. Chilton Memorial Landing in Eminence as a Jacks Fork River access and says boats may be used there under the cooperative-area regulations.
- Access coordinates37.147975, -91.444906 to 37.152717, -91.353486
Southwest Paddler publishes coordinates for Alley Spring Access and Joshua T. Chilton Memorial Landing on the Jacks Fork.
- Direct gaugeUSGS 07066000
The route uses the Jacks Fork at Eminence gauge at the take-out corridor. Rivers.MOHERP surfaced same-day May 30, 2026 Eminence-gauge conditions during review.
- Low-water floor200 cfs minimum-only
Rivers.MOHERP rates the Eminence gauge Good beginning at 200 cfs and lists lower-Jacks trip rows, including Alley Spring-to-Eminence at 183 cfs marked Good. The app keeps a conservative 200 cfs floor and does not claim an ideal range.
- Route characterClass I lower Jacks Fork
CurrentRiver.net maps Alley Spring to Two Rivers as 13.6 miles, places Eminence 6.3 miles below Alley Spring, and describes this lower Jacks Fork map section as Class I-II with the take-out at Eminence on river right.
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
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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
Jacks Fork River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Jacks Fork River?
Paddle Today watches Jacks Fork at Eminence, MO and uses 200 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Jacks Fork River route start and end?
This route starts at Alley Spring Access and ends at Joshua T. Chilton Memorial Landing / Eminence, about About 6.6 mi on the water.
Is this Jacks Fork River 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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