The Lower Mississippi River Water Trail

Greenville Shipbuilding, Waterways Marine Barge Cleaning.  You can see towboats under construction, tows being repaired, tows in drydock, tows in the water, barges being cleaned, and fleets of barges you paddle below and gawk at their size.  It’s a smorgasboard of tows, but you’ll also pass granaries such as Cargill Rice and the omnipresent Bunge Corp, and the towering Mississippi Power & Light Company.

 However if time is an issue or the wind is out of the South, you might opt for a put-in at Warfield Point.

 

LBD Mile 537 Warfield Point Park

 

Ideally situated along the main channel of the big river, Warfield Point Park is easily accessed from the rip rap at LBD 537.  You can’t miss it if you are approaching from upstream for the tall observation tower and giant billboards along the bank.  And of course the mouth of the harbor.  It is located at south side of the Greenville Harbor.  Old Boat ramp in harbor limited to medium water, between 20 and 40 on the Greenville Gauge.  At print time the park is putting the finishing touches on a new concrete boat ramp at the point with a parking lot beside that will make year-round landings possible and will be situated in a better location right on the main channel.

 

There are 52 campsites scattered throughout the park, but long-distance paddlers with tents can request a campsite right on the river’s edge for ease of access.  Hot showers and bathrooms are close by.  Excellent place for beginning your expedition downstream to Vicksburg, Lake Providence, or Mayersville.  Equally great place to end your expedition if you are coming from above locales such as Memphis, Helena, Rosedale or Arkansas City.  The park is open 24 hours every day of the year, with night-time security.  You should be safe parking here overnight, but notify the rangers of your intent, and pay any fees.  As always, hide any valuables.

 

Warfield Park’s eighty acres is situated between the river and some forest bottoms and wetlands behind, and the towering Mississippi Power & Light further back.  You can walk through the woods for birds and wildlife but watch for ATVs which sometimes careen through a series of trails unfotunately carved into the same.  The US Coast Guard maintains a base downstream of the State Park, alongside Wepfer Marine Economy Boat Store and Cooper-Gilder Chemicals.

 

LBD Mile 537 Old Warfield Point Boat Ramp

 

As stated above, the old Warfield Point Boat Ramp is located within the forests along the South side of the Greenville Harbor.  But it gets swamped in high water, and goes dry in low water (actually it disappears into a morass of gooey mud).  For paddlers this is no problem, you just start wherever you can carry your canoe or kayak to.  But for anyone using a trailer your access will be limited to medium water, between 20 and 40 on the Greenville Gauge.  At print time the park is putting the finishing touches on a new concrete boat ramp at the point (near tower) with a parking lot beside that will make year-round landings possible and will be situated in a better location right on the main channel.