Notes from Hunter Creek

Welcome To Hot Springs, America Part I If you agree to travel on the cheap dime like I do, you are always planning ahead for your next bath or shower.         I travel in a four year old 4X4 Freightliner 25’ long Van, powered by a nifty little fuel-efficient turbo V-6 Diesel…

The Other Nat’l River Ozarkians probably don’t realize how lucky they are. Besides living in the second best floating state (behind Alaska) with an abundant number of clear water streams –– all four national rivers are located in the Midwest.       The St. Croix River forms a good part of the northern Minnesota-Wisconsin…

Going Light Practically everyone knows that the less weight carried in your paddle craft means greater maneuverability. Sounds easy, right?     In other words, bring a 50’ spool of strong nylon braided rope instead of a 14’  log chain for use in an emergency when canoeing.          And the weight of…

Recent Stream Fatalities In past years (now way past) I have floated a couple of pushy class IV rivers at high levels, thereby elevating their relative danger to paddlers.   I like to compare it to driving 85 mph on the Interstate (yes, one state actually has this limit now, in the day time). The highway…

Another River Gem In The Ozarks When a person first truly examines the Jacks Fork River, you’re thinking: “No not a River but, “Jacks Fork Creek.”   From the slender beginning of its two prongs in eastern Texas County, down all the way almost 45 miles later to its juncture with the Current River at a…

Easter & The St. Francois River If it’s Easter weekend, you know where you can find me, on the scenic and thrilling whitewater of the St. Francois River. We have only missed it twice in 40 years. The St. Francois begins as a small clear-water stream just west of Farmington, Mo. for a good portion…

“If It’s Spring…” I knew spring was coming! Hey, I predicted it way back in mid-February.   First the grass started  to get a green tinge to it. Then less eagles and more buzzards. After that robins began appearing in mass on the lawn.         So I like to cut the Ozarks…

The Big Bend Area Of Texas Part II –– Continued US Hwy. 90 leads to Marathon, Texas, the site of an old hotel bed and breakfast along the railroad, and  US 385 leads south from Marathon into the park at Panther Junction. You can also take scenic Texas Hwy. 118 south out of Alpine, Texas…

The Big Bend Area Of Texas Part II In part I, we covered the general history of the Big Bend area, including the establishment of the Big Bend National Park in 1944.  Due to WW II, post-war, and the Korean Conflict, no funding was provided for the park, other than a Superintendent position and two…

You will note I entitled this article “The Big Bend  Area of Texas” and not the Big Bend National Park. Peruse a map of the great state of Texas, you will immediately discern that the Park only takes up about half of the Big Bend area. And while it’s a dandy, Big Bend Park only…