The Lower Mississippi River Water Trail

Day Trip: Caruthersville to Booth’s Point

10 miles (From Caruthersville Harbor Boat Launch)

Put In: Caruthersville Harbor Boat Launch

(1/2 mile up harbor) 850 RBD

 

Take-Out: Linwood Bend Boat Ramp

 LBD 840

 

Paddling time: 2-5 hours (depending on stops and route taken.

 

Paddling Ability: intermediate to advanced paddlers only.  Not for the beginner paddler.

 

Shuttle: arrange pick-up at Booth’s Point or shuttle your vehicle and park for arrival.

 

Caruthersville to Booth’s Point makes for a beautiful ten-mile day trip that can be done a couple of different ways, depending on river level of course.  The river is wide here, at least a mile wide at medium water, and twice that at flood stage.  As described above you can leave Caruthersville and 1) stay main channel.  Or 2) you can go left bank descending towards Tennessee and jump into the back channel of Blaker Towhead.  Or lastly 3) you can hug the Missouri shore right bank descending and disappear into the back channel of the Caruthersville-Linwood Bend (but be sure to leave plenty of room to cross over before you get too close to the bridge — or you’ll miss your landing).  Three entirely different routes within the same ten miles of river.  If there was ever any doubt as to the dynamics of the big river they are here removed!

 

lbd 840 Linwood Bend Boat Ramp

Simple rough ramp laid over the revetment.  Good up to flood stage,  Bottoms out around 5 CuG but paddlers can always lift their canoe or kayak over the sand/mud bar deposited at bottom in low water.  If you need to make landing at Booth’s Point LBD 840 (Linwood Bend Boat Ramp) ease your way mid-channel as soon as you see the bridge and make your crossing in between towboat traffic.  If there is any traffic stay safely inside the green can buoy line until the coast is clear and then paddle hard across the wave train.  Tune into VHF channel 13 and look both ways before crossing!  The landing is one mile above the bridge.  There is another Bunge grain elevator below the bridge but no landing at grain elevator. 

 

On the other hand if you are continuing downstream, time and the river will be on your side and you can proceed following whichever line feels best.