See all 15 routes on Jacks Fork River
Missouri | Missouri Ozarks
Jacks Fork RiverBay Creek to Alley Spring
Short upper Jacks Fork day from Bay Creek to Alley Spring. NPS lists the exact float, Recreation.gov confirms Bay Creek river-edge access, and the direct Alley Spring gauge now supports a conservative low-water check.
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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 Bay Creek and take out at Alley Spring for the NPS-listed upper Jacks Fork day float. Use the Alley Spring USGS gauge as a direct low-water check, but keep the decision conservative because this reach is shallow above the spring and can get pushy after rain.
Access map
Put-in
Bay Creek River Access / Backcountry CampgroundBay Creek is a remote NPS backcountry campground/access reached by about two miles of gravel road from Highway 106; low-clearance vehicles and wet roads can complicate the shuttle.
Take-out
Alley Spring River AccessAlley Spring is a busy NPS access area with campground, visitor, swimming, hiking, and paddling traffic; inspect the landing and parking before launching upstream.
Road shuttle
Use a rural two-car shuttle between Bay Creek and Alley Spring. Stage the Alley Spring take-out first, then drive west on Highway 106 and County Road 106-425 to Bay Creek. The Bay Creek road is gravel and remote; inspect the access before leaving a vehicle.
Additional access notes
- Endpoint coordinates are USGS-topo-derived access anchors rather than an NPS ramp-coordinate table. Follow park signs, posted closures, and the current access layout on arrival.
- Only use designated access points and lawful gravel-bar stops. Private lands and scenic-easement boundaries in the Riverways corridor still matter.
More route and safety guidance
- Below the 100 cfs floor, expect frequent dragging, poling, or lining. Moderate to heavy rain can raise the river quickly and make changing obstacles less forgiving.
- Use only the named NPS accesses at Bay Creek and Alley Spring. Check current park closures and the remote Bay Creek gravel-road approach before leaving a vehicle.
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Conditions
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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
Jacks Fork at Alley Spring, MO. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
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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 | Jacks Fork at Alley Spring, 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 |
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| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 100 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 Alley Spring gauge rating and Bay-Creek-to-Alley 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.
- Official route shapeBay Creek to Alley, 4 hr
NPS lists Bay Creek to Alley as an estimated 4-hour Jacks Fork float and names Bay Creek and Alley Spring among popular Jacks Fork put-in locations.
- Bay Creek accessRiver-edge NPS backcountry campground
Recreation.gov says the Jacks Fork / Middle Current backcountry campgrounds include sites on the river edge with quick water access, lists boating as an available activity, and gives directions to Bay Creek via County Road 106-425.
- Alley Spring accessNPS river access
The NPS park brochure lists Alley Spring in the Jacks Fork river-access inventory with campground, ranger station, picnic area, and hiking-trail context.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-05-31USGS 07065495
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 floor100 cfs minimum-only
Rivers.MOHERP rates the Alley Spring gauge Good from 100 to 360 cfs and lists a Bay Creek-to-Alley Spring row at 61 cfs as Low/Poor with nearly every riffle stopping the boats. The app uses only the conservative 100 cfs floor.
- High-water cautionHigh/flood conditions are not casual-trip water
Rivers.MOHERP describes High water as potentially dangerous for young or inexperienced paddlers and Flood water as avoidable for casual trips because obstacles can be treacherous or deadly.
- Coordinate supportBay Creek River Access to Alley Spring River Access
TopoQuest / USGS topo-derived records list Bay Creek River Access at 37.1231, -91.5018 and Alley Spring River Access at 37.1484, -91.4499.
- Seasonal characterWide and shallow above Alley Spring
FloatMissouri / MDC-derived Jacks Fork guidance says loaded-canoe trips above Alley Spring are recommended only in spring or after good summer rains, and that the few miles immediately above Alley Spring can be wide, shallow, and walkable in low water.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- NPS Paddle Jacks Fork River
- Recreation.gov Jacks Fork / Middle Current Backcountry Campsites
- NPS Ozark National Scenic Riverways park brochure
- Rivers.MOHERP Jacks Fork Alley Spring gauge
- USGS 07065495 monitoring location
- USGS 07065495 legacy current conditions
- TopoQuest Alley Spring area features
- FloatMissouri Jacks Fork River guide
Other routes nearby
More on Jacks Fork River
All 15Nearby routes within 75 miles
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