See all 15 routes on Jacks Fork River
Missouri | Missouri Ozarks
Jacks Fork RiverBuck Hollow / Highway 17 Bridge to Bay Creek River Access
Longer upper Jacks Fork day from Buck Hollow to Bay Creek, backed by current NPS float-time rows, primitive camping context at both public accesses, and the same direct Mountain View gauge used conservatively on adjacent upper-river splits.
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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 Buck Hollow and take out at Bay Creek for a longer official upper Jacks Fork day built from the current NPS float-time rows. Use the Mountain View gauge as the same conservative low-water check already used on adjacent upper-Jacks routes.
Access map
Put-in
Buck Hollow / Highway 17 Bridge AccessBuck Hollow and Bay Creek are official NPS river accesses, but the coordinates here are practical access anchors rather than an NPS coordinate table. Follow current park signs and actual landing layout on arrival.
Take-out
Bay Creek River AccessBuck Hollow is the Highway 17 bridge access north of Mountain View. Do not confuse it with the upstream Prongs / Highway Y section, which is a separate, more seasonal reach.
Road shuttle
Use a rural two-car or authorized outfitter shuttle between Buck Hollow / Highway 17 and Bay Creek. The take-out uses a remote Highway 106 gravel-road approach, so inspect the landing before launching and do not assume navigation apps will choose the right road-end turn.
Additional access notes
- Bay Creek is a remote road-end access near primitive backcountry camping. Weather, washboarding, flood damage, or temporary park management can change practical access conditions.
More route and safety guidance
- The direct Mountain View gauge was below the 100 cfs conservative floor during this run, which matches the expected scrape-prone, drag-heavy character on shallow riffles above Rymers.
- Use only the named NPS accesses at Buck Hollow and Bay Creek. Private banks, informal pull-offs, and unsanctioned gravel bars are not substitutes for the signed river accesses.
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Conditions
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Gauge source
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Weather
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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 near Mountain View, 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 | Jacks Fork near Mountain View, MO |
| Discharge | Checking |
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| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
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| Rain last 24h | Checking |
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| 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 Mountain View gauge rating and adjacent upper-Jacks trip rows |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
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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 shapeHighway 17 to Bay Creek, about 18.2 mi / 8 hr
The current NPS float-times page still lists Highway 17 to Blue Spring as 2.6 miles / 1 hour, Blue Spring to Rymers as 6.6 miles / 3 hours, and Rymers to Bay Creek as 9 miles / 4 hours, which supports a combined Buck-Hollow-to-Bay-Creek public day route of about 18.2 miles / 8 hours.
- Public put-inBuck Hollow at Highway 17, river mile 88
The current NPS park brochure lists Buck Hollow where Highway 17 crosses the Jacks Fork and places it at river mile 88.
- Public take-outBay Creek, river mile 74
The current NPS park brochure lists Bay Creek as a river access with picnic area and primitive campsites west of Eminence off Highway 106.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-06USGS 07065200 at 95.0 cfs / 0.89 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.
- Low-water floor100 cfs minimum-only
Rivers.MOHERP rates the Mountain View gauge Good beginning at 100 cfs, and the adjacent implemented upper-Jacks routes already use that conservative floor. The app keeps only the same 100 cfs minimum-only model here.
- Coordinate supportBuck Hollow bridge access to Bay Creek River Access
This route reuses the same Buck Hollow and Bay Creek access anchors already implemented on adjacent upper Jacks Fork routes, keeping the endpoint interpretation consistent across the corridor.
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 Jacks Fork River
All 15Nearby routes within 75 miles
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