54 miles/3 days canoeing Meramec River, Missouri

[@UncleTeddy314]

STL native here! ive been so sick of this concrete jungle and have been YEARNING for more abundant nature. Fortunately, I met my bumpkin ass wife who has given me new purpose! We fish and hunt locally but have yet to voyage together. This will be our next endeavor. THANK YOU!

[@thebikeweiss]

So glad you'll be taking this voyage! If you can do it in the shoulder seasons (instead of summer), you'll have the river mostly to yourself. Not sure if backpacking is of interest to you but the Ozark Trail is another great way to escape the concrete jungle and fall asleep in a tent in the middle of nowhere while listening to the coyotes sing.

[@ccfarm]

Awesome! We're STL transplants now living near Onondaga! Can't wait to explore the river more as my son gets older! ❤

[@thebikeweiss]

That will be great access to the Meramec... I hope you and your son grow to love it!

[@paddlelikemad3584]

Terrific job, great narration and side takes plus great choice of music! Thanks for sharing.

[@thebikeweiss]

Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments... glad you enjoyed it!

[@gregorydryden7865]

Missouri has many of the greatest streams/rivers to canoe, a beautiful and wild state

[@thebikeweiss]

I totally agree and would add that the massive springs add to the uniqueness of Missouri's waterways. Although I've lived in Missouri for most of my life, it's only in recent years that my wife and I have been canoeing these waterways ...better late than never!

[@brotherbill913]

I grew up floating on the Meramec..... Many many great memories, thank you for taking me down "memory lane"

[@thebikeweiss]

So glad you enjoyed the video, and were able to reminisce about days on the river. Thank you for your comments!

[@thebikeweiss]

So glad you enjoyed the video, and were able to reminisce about days on the river. Thank you for your comments!

[@seathrunmagaoinghous4119]

nice video. One of my favorite rivers. I have paddled source to confluence at the Mississippi a few times

[@thebikeweiss]

Glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for your comments. And wow, paddling the Meramec from source to mouth sounds like a great adventure... congrats!

[@robertwright7501]

The trout there come from Montauk SP Hatchery

[@thebikeweiss]

Thanks for the info! Montauk SP is essentially the source of the Current River if I have it right. We hope to paddle the current from just outside of Montauk to Arkansas someday.

[@dananorth895]

Lovely voyage! And thanks for listing the musical artists, nice choice of music and narration. I had just watch a couples kayak vid a mth back and recognized the first springs on the river. Just bought a 15' Grumman and finished the camo paint. Not I'm finishing up the canvas spray/rain skirt. Hope to put it to good use very soon in the PNW, starting on the Columbia.

[@thebikeweiss]

Thanks for your comments and glad you enjoyed the video! Best wishes for your Grumman to take you to wild and beautiful places. Great to hear that you'll soon be paddling in the Pacific Northwest... I envy you!!!

[@jimparker7778]

touched my heartstrings. I have not been home in so long. Miss it so!

[@thebikeweiss]

Glad you enjoyed the video! Thank you for your comments. I hope you get the opportunity to visit "home" soon!

[@brendanmartin5669]

Awesome video! BTW I believe that turtle around the 8:30 mark is an eastern spiny softshell not a snapper, but I am open to correction. Again great video!

[@thebikeweiss]

Thanks for your comments! ...especially the info about the large turtle being an eastern spiny softshell. I love learning this sort of thing!!!

[@o1420]

Wow! Beautifully done! So enjoyable. Looks like a great trip 😊 beautiful country too! Ty for sharing!! 🙏🏼

[@thebikeweiss]

So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for your comments!

[@OzarkMediaCo]

Isn't it great when the best adventures can happen right next to home? Cool video, maybe we'll see you on the river someday!

[@thebikeweiss]

Yes! ...and all it takes is an old aluminum canoe to get out there! We were originally inspired by some Canadian paddlers (on KZbin) and then realized that we have really awesome rivers right here in the Midwest. Scored the old "Tin Omen" aluminum canoe from my in-laws and we never looked back. Hoping to paddle the length of the Current River this fall or next spring. Hope to meet you on the water someday!

[@jeremywilliams2340]

How in the world does this video not have more views? Great video?! I'm subscribing. This one's on my list to float this year. Thank you for this!!

[@thebikeweiss]

Many thanks for your very generous comments! ...so glad you enjoyed it. If you have the desire and time available in the "off season," the solitude on the river as well as the semi-bare trees (easier to see bluffs, etc.) really made this trip beautiful. Of course it's chilly at night but feels oh so good to climb into the sleeping bag!

[@johnalldredge1285]

Nice photography and fun to watch.

[@thebikeweiss]

Glad you enjoyed it, John! ...and thank you for your comments!

[@GassersGhost]

Toulumne!!!!! ❤

[@DontDoDaylight]

Truly a great video

[@thebikeweiss]

Glad you enjoyed it... thanks so much for your comment!

[@ShowmeMOrocks]

The meramac is a beautiful river.

[@thebikeweiss]

Yes it is! ...especially near the upstream end of the river. As it approaches the Mississippi River near Flamm City and Arnold MO (more than 100 miles down stream around river mile ~190), it becomes much less appealing but still worth paddling - and very convenient for those of us in St. Louis metro.

[@optomix3988]

Missouri has such great floating. But we keep it a secret. 😜 Did you pack 3 days worth of provisions or did you have to stop somewhere along the way? Looks you had good weather as well.

[@thebikeweiss]

I totally agree about great rivers/paddling! Fully intend to explore many more of the hundreds of miles of rivers in Missouri. We carried all the food and water that we needed for the 3 days, which wasn't a big deal since canoe has so much hauling capacity (and we didn't have any portages). And yes, great weather... maybe a bit chilly for some with frost on the tent each morning but we like it that way and it many people don't like it so cold - this meant we had solitude most of the way.

[@notvaxed]

I float that float every January and take my jet boat up to the main fork every spring

[@thebikeweiss]

It sure is a beautiful river!

[@paulmrotek3071]

Great video! Did you/can you leave your vehicles at river access points during your trip? Or do you have to plan for someone to shuttle your cars?

[@thebikeweiss]

Glad you enjoyed it! Sorry for a long reply but here are many more details in case you would like to replicate this trip. We left our car at the "put in" location... Woodson Woods Memorial Conservation Area. When we finished the trip 3 days later (Blue Springs Creek Conservation Area), family shuttled me (Ted) back to our car while Sandy stayed with our gear at the take-out location; I then returned to the "take out" location to get Sandy, the canoe, and our gear. Both the put-in and take out locations were public land - Missouri Department of Conservation - which provides details about parking, etc. A Google search for the specific name of any Missouri Conservation Area will bring up a webpage with links to specific regulation. Here's the webpage for our put-in location... mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/woodson-k-woods-memorial-conservation-area It's a bit vague but based on my read, parking of a non-commercial vehicle overnight during "closed hours" is permitted. Of course, the other issue is whether your vehicle will be safe for several overnights in these remote locations. We have a fairly old car and have left it several times at places like this... never had a problem but always hoping for the best. Another alternative would be to hire a canoe rental operator so you could leave your car at their location and have them shuttle you. For this trip, there is a very large operator near the take-out location (Blue Springs Ranch) that might be of help. If you want more options for put-in and take out locations, here is a great resource that lists all public access points for all rivers/creeks that can be paddled in Missouri... missouricanoe.org/ The upper and middle portions of the Meramec River are definitely the most scenic. Anything downstream from river mile ~100-130 is less scenic (very worthwhile for day trips but if you are going for multiple days, it's much nicer upstream). Here's a link to a "middle Meramec" trip I took with a friend last winter (ending at river mile 127). kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHPdcoyDq5eFsMk Lastly, if you are looking for solitude and wildlife viewing, aim for cool weather in spring or fall (or a warm run of weather in winter but you won't have spring blossoms or fall colors). In the summer, the river gets busy with lots of canoes, kayaks, and motorized boats in the summers... not necessarily bad if you like a more social/festive vibe. Best wishes if you venture out onto the Meramec!

[@Connie-nz8ux]

You need to float the Black River in southeast Missouri

[@thebikeweiss]

Yes! ...we did a very short trip on the Black River a few years ago and will definitely be back for a more thorough adventure. The water was so clear it seemed as though we were floating on air, 4 feet above the river bottom. Thank you for your suggestion!

[@Connie-nz8ux]

Your welcome. I grew up floating the Black River and playing in Clearwater lake.

[@Pianobug007]

❤

[@thebikeweiss]

😊

[@TateTheeeGreat]

Where did you drop in?

[@thebikeweiss]

We dropped in at Woodson Woods Conservation Area (river mile 26, ~10 mi west of Steelville on hwy 8) and paddled to Blue Springs Creek Conservation Area (river mile 79).

[@JeagerTv]

That was a softshell turtle, not a snapper. Even cooler

[@thebikeweiss]

Thank you for pointing this out... very unique looking turtle!

[@ScottSmith-ei7ir]

Last time we were on the river we had a trailer, a canoe, and. a kayak stollen from a drop off site. Keep an eye on your stuff or the meth heads will get it.

[@thebikeweiss]

So sorry to hear that... although most people are trustworthy, all it takes is one or two trouble makers to ruin things by stealing, vandalizing, etc.. I hope you've found your way back to paddling.

[@joealcamo8901]

Music is horrible! NOT NEEDED.

[@thebikeweiss]

Sorry to hear that you weren't fond of the music.

[@dunoharm692]

I totally disagree. It matched the mood of the video perfectly. Only a GenZ would complain about the music. Smh