See all 4 routes on James River
Missouri | Southwest Missouri
James RiverShelvin Rock Access to Hooten Town Access
Popular lower James day float from MDC Shelvin Rock Access to MDC Hooten Town Access, using two public boat-ramp accesses and the Galena gauge downstream as 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 MDC Shelvin Rock Access and take out at MDC Hooten Town Access for the 6.2-mile lower James segment tracked by Rivers.MOHERP. Use the Galena gauge as a conservative low-water check rather than a full preferred-range recommendation.
Access map
Put-in
Shelvin Rock AccessShelvin Rock and Hooten Town are MDC public day-use accesses with boat ramps and parking, but posted signs and area maps control exact use.
Take-out
Hooten Town AccessBoth endpoints prohibit camping, and MDC rules prohibit leaving boats unattended overnight on department areas.
Road shuttle
Use a short two-car or local outfitter shuttle between MDC Shelvin Rock Access and MDC Hooten Town Access. Stage the Hooten Town take-out first, because warm-weather weekends can bring heavy river traffic and busy parking.
Additional access notes
- Coordinates are practical access anchors from public paddling/location records paired with MDC access confirmation; follow on-site signs for the exact ramp and parking layout.
More route and safety guidance
- Scout bends for wood and changing current, respect private banks, and allow extra time for the shuttle and a safe take-out.
- Check rainfall, rising water, daylight, and current MDC access conditions before launching; the useful range remains community-calibrated.
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.
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Conditions
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Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Weather
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Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
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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
James River at Galena, 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 | James River at Galena, 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 |
| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 200 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 Galena gauge trip evidence for Shelvin Rock to Hooten Town |
| 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.
- Public put-inMDC Shelvin Rock Access
MDC says Shelvin Rock Access provides access to the James River, with two parking lots and a boat ramp. The area is day use only and camping is not allowed.
- Public take-outMDC Hooten Town Access
MDC says Hooten Town Access is on the James River, with a boat ramp and large parking lot. The area is day use only and camping is not allowed.
- Route-specific trip evidenceShelvin Rock to Hooten Town, 6.2 miles
Rivers.MOHERP lists exact Shelvin Rock-to-Hootentown trip rows at 6.2 miles, including good-condition reports at 194, 370, and 467 cfs on the Galena gauge.
- Low-water floor200 cfs minimum-only
Exact-route good reports around 194 cfs and broader lower-James reports around 180 to 300 cfs support a conservative 200 cfs floor. The app does not infer an ideal range or high-water cutoff from those trip rows.
- Live gaugeUSGS 07052500
USGS operates James River at Galena, MO. During this review, the MoHERP gauge page exposed current same-day Galena values after earlier stale-data checks had blocked the route.
- Access rulesMDC day-use access areas
MDC area regulations allow boat use on waters located on department areas, prohibit leaving boats unattended overnight, and require users to follow posted signs, maps, and area rules.
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 James River
All 4Nearby routes within 75 miles
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