The Beautiful Black River
Fishing, floating and swimming are just a few of the activities
that await you on the beautiful Black River of Reynolds and Wayne
counties. Black River actually covers more than just Reynolds
and Wayne counties. It begins in southern Iron County and grows
to one of the most popular attractions that stretches south, flowing
though Butler County and Poplar Bluff.
The east fork of Black River flows through Taum Sauk Mountain
State Park and continues through Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park.
Both parks are located near Lesterville.
The east fork joins the west fork at Lesterville near the Black
River Lodge Bridge. The new Black River Lodge Bridge opened June
15. The old bridge, a historic landmark, will be demolished soon.
It has become too hazardous to maintain.
There are many popular resorts at Lesterville where tourists can
swim and float the river on rafts, on innertubes and in canoes.
Butch Bourland of Springfield, Illinois, led 20 people from the
Springfield area on a float trip from Parks Bluff Campground at
Lesterville on June 12.
Bourland said many of the people in his group experienced Black
River for the first time during the float. The calmness of the
river makes it ideal for novices to float, according to Bourland.
Ryan Rowland of Columbia was part of another Lesterville float
trip. He found Lesterville online and decided it would be a good
place for his family to visit. Tina Rowland likes the beautiful
land and hills at Lesterville. Tina and Ryan Rowland didn't let
a rain shower stop them from enjoying the river.
"This is our first canoe trip," Tina Rowland said.
Marissa Geary of St. Louis has floated Black River many times.
She said the beautiful water brings her back every year.
"It's a great place," Geary said. "The water is
crystal clear all the way through. It's just a great float. It's
a great trip."
Geary said she alternates between floating at Lesterville and
at the K Highway Bridge near Annapolis. She said her family has
been floating Black River for decades.
Katrina Rowland of Jefferson City looked forward to her first
float on Black River at Lesterville. She has floated the Jacks
Fork and Meramec rivers and said she likes the beauty of Lesterville.
"It's pretty," Katrina Rowland said. "The trees
and the river's nice."
Shanna Ashton of Park Hills is an employee at Parks Bluff. She
said the groups that launched on June 12 went on 6-mile floats.
Ashton has floated Black River many times and said she always
has a great time.
"Especially early in the season when the water's high and
really nice, there's not much dragging," Ashton said. "It's
great."
Black River's middle fork winds through Centerville. There is
a small campground and fishing area near the Centerville Bridge
on Highway 21.
Two parks are now located at the K Highway bridge between Redford
and Annapolis. K Highway Park has been a summer favorite for many
years. Recently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened K-West
Park, used for overflow camping. K-West Park is located on the
west side of the K Highway bridge.
Two canoe-rental businesses near the K Highway bridge, Jeff's
Canoe Rentals and K-Mark Canoe Rentals, remain busy all summer.
River enthusiasts can float the river all the way to Clearwater
Dam. Jeff's Canoe Rentals is a busy place each weekend. During
one recent Saturday morning, Robyn Parker, co-owner, was preparing
to send out approximately 50 people on a canoe float. Since Black
River is a Class I river, Parker explained that it is slow-moving,
making it ideal for families with small children, beginners, and
church groups.
"On a typical Saturday, we have right about 500 people,"
Parker said. "I would say the majority of our business is
from the St. Louis and western Illinois area."
Float trips begin 6 or 11 miles upstream and end at the bridge.
Katie Couch of Fredericktown said she canoes once a year on Black
River. She likes the pretty scenery and the safety of the mild
movement of the water.
"It's mellow," Couch said. "It's very clean. You
can see the bottom of the river."
Mike Bossaller of St. Louis said he likes to float and fish. He
enjoys taking the 11-mile float to the K Highway bridge.
"We just take our time and fish, and we usually have lunch,"
Bossaller said. "It's just something we have been doing for
a long time. It's been really enjoyable, and I'm glad I do it
every year."
Erica Boushie and her sister, Erin, of Fredericktown liked Lesterville.
When another family invited them to float with them this year
at K Highway, they decided it would be fun, especially since Black
River is not overcrowded.
"It's calm," Erica Boushie said. "There's not,
like, 80 people rushing to one spot."
Bossaller said he enjoys the calmness and tranquility of Reynolds
County. He likes to lay on his canoe and let the river take him.
"That's my favorite part," Bossaller said.
Ben Vimslager of St. Louis recently took his second float on Black
River at K Highway.
"It's fun," Vimslager said. "Just floating down
the river is relaxing."
Vimslager has floated the Meramec River in St. Louis but likes
the Black River better because the water is deeper and because
it is a quieter float trip.
"Meramec is too much of a party place," Vimslager said.
"People get drunk on the river. It's kind of annoying."
Jerry Bossaller of St. Louis has floated Black River so many times
he has lost count.
"I've done this as a child a lot," Jerry Bossaller said.
"I think it teaches teamwork and gets you used to nature
and wildlife and conservation."
Jerry Bossaller and his family like to float, swim, and fish.
Once they catch their fish, the Bossallers throw them back into
the river.
"We don't bring mom," Jerry Bossaller said. "She
doesn't like roughing it. That's her loss, not our loss."
Not far from Clearwater Lake are two spots local residents flock
to during the summer-Riverside and Bluff View. Riverside is an
area great for swimming, located off CC Highway. From Piedmont,
take Highway 49 north and turn left on CC Highway. It's about
halfway to Des Arc.
Bluff View, with its boat dock, campground, and resorts, is right
on the entrance to Clearwater Lake. Boating and water skiing are
two of the favorite Clearwater Lake activities. There are several
campgrounds on both sides of Clearwater Dam. Swim beaches on Clearwater
Lake at the dam and at Webb Creek near Ellington provide welcome
spots to cool off in the hot summer sun. River Road Park, on the
lower end of Clearwater Dam, has a scenic nature trail that is
a favorite of summer visitors. Watchable wildlife, including birds,
deer and beavers entertain hikers.
One of the favorite resorts on the lower end of the dam is Kempers
Hideaway, located about six miles from Piedmont. At the Piedmont-area
resorts, tourists can rent cabins, play volleyball, swim or fish.
Kempers rents canoes for those who want to float the Black River.
On a recent weekend, several families were found fishing from
the Kempers boat dock. Jackie Medlin of St. Louis spent most of
her weekend fishing and swimming.
"They've been biting," Medlin said of the fish in the
river.
Fishing is one of the year-round features that attract people
to Black River. Fishing enthusiasts get out their lights and go
gigging after dark in the fall and winter. The night gigging season
runs from Sept. 15-Jan. 31. Redhorse and hog suckers are a couple
of the species anglers catch during gigging season.
There are a multitude of carp on Black River around Clearwater
Lake. Other fish species in Black River include shadow bass, black
bass and crappie.
Medlin said she keeps active on the lakes and rivers in the St.
Louis area. She said Black River is more fun than the lakes she
visits in St. Louis. She likes the currents and the scenery of
Wayne County.
"It's just gorgeous," Medlin said. "It's peaceful.
It's gorgeous. It's fun."
Adrian Jinga brought his 6-year-old daughter, Aubrey, to spend
the weekend at Kempers. They arrived late on a Friday night and
spent all day Saturday enjoying Clearwater Lake and Black River.
"We had a little hard time finding it because it was so dark,"
Jinga said. "But we got here. We made it. We had a good time."
Aubrey Jinga kept her dad busy chasing after her as she ran around
the area.
"She's been enjoying fishing, running around, swimming and
just jumping off the pontoon," Jinga said. "She's had
a great day today."
From Clearwater Dam, Black River continues its journey south.
The forest country of Iron and Reynolds counties is replaced with
flatter terrain the closer the river gets to Poplar Bluff.
Residents of Black River Retreat, located off Highway 34 several
miles south of Piedmont, love living near the river. Markham Springs
Recreation Area is a favorite place that area residents visit.
Markham Springs is located near Mill Spring, Leeper and Williamsville.
The closer Black River gets to Poplar Bluff, the more urban the
river becomes. Black River runs through the city of Poplar Bluff,
and then travels into rice country and through the Bootheel.