Jacks Fork River Kayak Camping - Day 1

Join me and my buddies, Wes & Grey, as we paddled and camp down 49 miles of the Jacks Fork River near Van Buren, Missouri. We start at the Prongs and float about 19 miles to our first camping spot. #camping #kayaking

[@t20sgrunt36]

Such a gorgeous river. The upper section is one of the best in the country.

[@SouthernPaddler]

I could not agree more!! That place is amazing!!!

[@Rsdillon17]

After watching this one a couple times I’ve been getting suggestions for other videos on the Jackson fork and I think I’m gonna have to plan this one out for next spring. Just amazing.

[@SouthernPaddler]

I highly recommend it! This river is fun, beautiful and remote! It's a perfect river (although it can get low). Hope you get to do it!!

[@hike-bike-paddle-and-drone]

What a gorgeous River!! Love all of the rock formations! Betcha its even more spectacular with leaf color in the Fall! Nice to see Wes and the Yukon Expedition. Very cool cave along the way and a NICE campsite to end the day! Jeff

[@SouthernPaddler]

Thanks, Jeff! Yes, I imagine this trip would be pretty special in the fall. I need to get me a Yukon Expedition!! :-)

[@100BearPaw]

I’m adding that place to my list for sure. I’d like it to be twice as deep though. Less scraping. Have to do me some research on it. Now that paddle choice is interesting. I started out when I was younger in kayaks and moved on to a canoe when my joints required it. I never once considered using a kayak paddle with the canoe. I actually find the canoe paddle to be very versatile after time spent learning how to use it in many different situations. Still more to learn ofcourse. Song of the paddle as well as the way of the paddle are classics to watch and learn techniques. Need to bring a machete on the next trip I see. Ha ha. Great video, thank you for bringing us along.

[@SouthernPaddler]

Thanks, Bro! The Jacks Fork will NOT disappoint! And yes, we were on the low end of the comfortable paddling range. For sure wouldn't do it any lower, but it was still a great trip. I've been trying to improve my canoe paddle techniques. I really enjoy using it, but if there's wind or big miles to cover, you can't beat having a blade in the water twice as fast. I also enjoy the challenge of using just a canoe paddle...just like some deer hunters enjoy the challenge of bow hunting. Oh, and I almost always have a folding saw in my boat...lol!! That thing has saved me more than once!! :-D

[@Yak_Mafia]

It's looking like a great start so far, Dan. Now that was a sweet camping spot. Looking forward for day 2

[@SouthernPaddler]

Thanks, Chris! Yes, that has to be one of the best camping spots I've ever seen!!

[@MySUPRunnethOver]

Wow that was quite the adventure. The cave was definitely a treat. Enjoyed day 1,start to the campfire finish. Looking forward to the rest.

[@SouthernPaddler]

Thank you very much, LM! This was a great adventure, for sure!

[@MinuteontheMountain]

That looks like an epic adventure, my friend. So many beautiful spots along that river.

[@SouthernPaddler]

Thanks, John! It was a lot of fun and a beautiful river!!

[@brngrose]

Wow, you had several battles with low limbs !

[@SouthernPaddler]

Lol- that seems to be the norm for me! Ha, ha! The water was getting on the low side and a few places were narrow, so we were just trying to avoid dragging...although there might have been one or two bad reads in there. :-D

[@DaveCollierCamping]

Have a great day.

[@SouthernPaddler]

Thanks, Dave! You too, my friend!

[@weshuber8055]

Love this float always try to make this is first one in the spring. Seen some crazy rapids on that spot you said was spicey 😆 gotta try north fork of the white river of you haven't already

[@SouthernPaddler]

It is a great float! North Fork of the White- NOTED!! Thanks, Wes!! :-)

[@losttime6949]

@@SouthernPaddler The North Fork of the White is a great river with some fun riffles! The very upper part has to be floated in spring only or when water levels are higher. There are several low water bridges . Easier to float from Hebron or Twin Bridges on Hwy 14 down. 49.5 miles from top at Hwy 76 access to Tecumseh take out on Norfolk Lake.

[@SouthernPaddler]

@@losttime6949 Thanks so much for the info!! I've heard some great things about the North Fork. I know anything in the Ozarks is going to be beautiful!!

[@saltyw1]

The water level looked perfect

[@SouthernPaddler]

Thanks! It was close, maybe low in a spot or two, but certainly no complaints!! It was a great trip!!

[@einnor1040]

Love that river. I looked at a house last summer just up the road from the prongs access.

[@SouthernPaddler]

That river is amazing!! I would love to live in that area with such great rivers, springs and beautiful mountains!!

[@fbenton2]

We have the exact same pfd and knife 😮

[@SouthernPaddler]

Yep, I copied you! :-) Well, it was the nicest PFD Academy had...lol. But it's a great one!!

[@user-so1mv9po2f]

Really nice canoe camping rivers there. Ya might want to upgrade your canoe. I have an ancient Royalex Mad River Explorer that I used to paddle white water with back in the seventys. Those are really good all around canoes. Found a Dagger Demention that might be a better boat the Explorer for canoe camping. Have a Mad River ME that is good on class three stuff and can still carry a ton of gear for camping

[@SouthernPaddler]

Yes, I've kinda got my sea legs (so to speak) on the Saranac, but I am ready to up my canoe game. I do like the tracking of my canoe, but I need to paddle a nicer whitewater canoe before I make my next purchase. I do a fair amount of flat water paddling, but try to avoid large open water areas.

[@user-so1mv9po2f]

I have a Bell Majic I paddle flat water with. Light weight and very fast. Have been caught in Pamlico Sound in a thunder storm and that was the most Scariest situation I have ever been in@@SouthernPaddler

[@williamearl546]

What canoe do u have

[@SouthernPaddler]

Old Town Saranac 160 - a 16 foot canoe. It's a basic design and one of their cheaper canoes, but I really enjoy it.

[@natesambo9759]

Great vid, I actually like the Jack's and Current a little better than the Buffalo. The Buffalo has the best bluffs out of any of them, but in the summer it gets low and is rain dependent, and when we were there it was like bathwater with lots of algae, but again it's still very nice.. I just find these rivers are much cooler and refreshing and have good fishing all year due to the cooler temps. If you haven't, you should check out Akers Ferry to Two Rivers, the Cave Spring is quite a sight to see. The Current is a bit easier than the upper Jacks, which is a lot of class II rapids. Was this around September?

[@SouthernPaddler]

Yes, I agree that the bluffs on the Buffalo are so stunning! The remoteness of the Jacks Fork is what one me over (and the beauty). Those 2 guys and myself had actually just finished 5 days on the current the day before we started this trip. We did Baptist to Big Spring. It was amazing. All three of those Ozark rivers are kind of the standard that I judge other rivers by now!! :)

[@SouthernPaddler]

Forgot- no, this was in April of '23 (18th - 20th).