Our Favorite Floats in the Missouri Ozarks
Float Trips Recommended By Local Land Agents
We Float These Rivers Ourselves
Floating is part of why people fall in love with the Missouri Ozarks — and part of why they end up buying land here. The five counties we work in are stitched together by some of the best float water in the country: cold-and-clear in some stretches, slow-and-shaded in others, and almost all of it underrated by people who have only ever heard of the Current River.
This page is our personal guide. We float these rivers ourselves, with our families, and the rankings reflect what we actually do, not what shows up first on Google. Most outfitters will rent you a kayak, canoe, or raft for a half day or full day — we have linked to a couple of well-known operators where it makes sense, but search any of these river names + “outfitter” and you will find local options.
Crawford County
Crawford County is the heart of our float country — three clear, spring-fed streams within a few miles of Steelville, and the deepest bench of outfitters anywhere in our region.
The Meramec River
The classic Steelville float. The Meramec is the most popular float in our area for good reason: clean, accessible, scenic, and forgiving for beginners. The water is clear most of the year, the banks are mostly state-protected, and you can find sections that range from quiet flat water to gentle riffles.
Best for: Families, first-timers, mixed-skill groups.
Trip length: Half-day to full-day floats are easy; multi-day options exist for the ambitious.
Season: May through September is prime. Spring floats are colder and faster after rain.
Put-in & take-out: Scotts Ford Access and Riverview Access (both MDC, upstream of Steelville), down toward Onondaga Cave State Park.
Outfitters: Blue Springs Ranch (Bourbon), Garrison’s River Resort, and Bass River Resort (Steelville), and Ozark Outdoors Riverfront Resort (Leasburg) all run the upper Meramec.
Huzzah Creek
Smaller, faster, prettier. The Huzzah is one of the most beautiful float streams in Missouri — gin-clear water, pebble-bottomed riffles, and limestone bluffs framing most of the trip. Narrower than the Meramec, which makes it feel more intimate.
Best for: Paddlers who want clear water and a more personal creek.
Trip length: Half- to full-day (outfitter floats run up to ~12 miles).
Season: Late spring through summer; gets skinny in late-summer dry spells.
Put-in & take-out: Public creek access runs through the Huzzah Conservation Area; most put-ins are at outfitter campgrounds.
Outfitters: Huzzah Valley Resort and Bass River Resort run the Huzzah; Indian Springs and Ozark Outdoors (Leasburg) do too.
Courtois Creek
The Huzzah’s livelier sibling. Courtois (locals say “code-a-way”) is smaller, tighter, and crystal-clear — often combined with the Huzzah and Meramec for a longer trip. Faster and a touch more technical than the Huzzah.
Best for: Confident beginners floating in good spring water.
Trip length: Half- to full-day.
Season: Best in spring with ample water; draws down faster than the Meramec.
Put-in & take-out: Public access via the Huzzah Conservation Area, which fronts both creeks.
Outfitters: Bass River Resort, Indian Springs, and Ozark Outdoors (Leasburg) run the Courtois.
Browse land for sale in Crawford County →
Phelps County
Phelps County trades crowds for cold, clear trout water and big-river smallmouth. Two very different floats — and both are largely do-it-yourself.
Little Piney Creek
Our quiet favorite. The Little Piney is a small, spring-fed Blue Ribbon trout stream that runs out of the Mark Twain National Forest near Lane Spring — intimate, lightly traveled, and beautiful.
Best for: Anglers and paddlers who want solitude and don’t mind skinny water.
Trip length: About 13 miles, Lane Spring to Newburg (a full day).
Season: Spring or after rain — late summer is often too low to float.
Put-in & take-out: Lane Spring Recreation Area (USFS) downstream toward Newburg; check the Forest Service Little Piney Creek page for current conditions.
Outfitters: None — this is a bring-your-own-boat, self-shuttle float. No livery operates on the Little Piney.
The Gasconade River (Jerome)
Big, easy smallmouth water. The Gasconade rolls into Phelps County at Jerome, where the Little Piney joins it — a broad, gentle, family-safe river with tall limestone bluffs and excellent bass fishing.
Best for: Families, anglers, all skill levels.
Trip length: 6–14 miles depending on accesses; the managed smallmouth stretch runs Riddle Bridge to Jerome (~20 miles).
Season: Floatable most of the year; spring through fall is prime.
Put-in & take-out: Riddle Bridge Access (upstream in Pulaski County) down to the Jerome Access (MDC, Phelps County).
Outfitters: The nearest liveries are upstream in Pulaski County — BSC Outdoors (Dixon) and Ruby’s Landing (Waynesville) — both shuttle the Gasconade above Jerome.
Browse land for sale in Phelps County →
Dent County
Dent County is where the Current River is born. The springs at Montauk State Park give rise to one of the most famous float rivers in America — and the first miles, just below the park, are the prettiest.
The Upper Current River
Spring-fed and crystal clear. The Current begins at Montauk and runs cold, clear, and lively through the upper Ozark National Scenic Riverways — the headwaters float every Missouri paddler should do at least once.
Good to know: Floating is not allowed inside Montauk State Park itself; the first put-in is just below the park at Tan Vat or Baptist Camp (both in Dent County).
Best for: Everyone — beginners with normal caution up to seasoned floaters.
Trip length: ~19 miles Montauk area to Akers Ferry; most do 7–10 mile day floats (Baptist to Cedargrove ~6.9 mi; Cedargrove to Akers ~7.7 mi).
Season: Spring-fed and floatable year-round; spring and fall are the least crowded.
Put-in & take-out: Tan Vat and Baptist Camp (Dent County) down through Cedargrove and Akers Ferry (just over the line in Shannon County). See the National Park Service float-times page; Montauk State Park anchors the headwaters.
Outfitters: Jadwin Canoe Rental (Cedargrove) and Akers Ferry Canoe Rental (Salem) shuttle the upper Current.
Browse land for sale in Dent County →
Franklin County
Franklin County is home water — the slow, shaded Bourbeuse and the easygoing lower Meramec, both close enough for an after-work paddle. This is where local floaters go when they don’t feel like fighting a crowd.
The Bourbeuse River
Slow, shaded, and yours alone. The Bourbeuse is one of the most crooked, laid-back rivers in Missouri — a quiet, meandering smallmouth stream that rarely sees a crowd.
Best for: Solitude, fishing floats, relaxed paddlers.
Trip length: Access gaps are long (often 8–18+ miles), so plan your put-in and take-out carefully.
Season: Spring through early summer for flow; slow and shallow by late summer.
Put-in & take-out: MDC accesses include Tea Access (upstream in Gasconade County), Reiker Ford Access, Union Access, Noser Mill Conservation Area, and Chouteau Claim Access at the Meramec confluence.
Outfitters: None — the Bourbeuse is a bring-your-own-boat river with no commercial livery.
The Lower Meramec River
The big, friendly river near home. By the time the Meramec reaches Franklin County around Sullivan and St. Clair, it’s wide, scenic, and easygoing — bluffs, gravel bars, and gentle current.
Best for: Families and groups; beginner-friendly.
Trip length: Roughly 4.5–10 mile day floats.
Season: Late spring through summer.
Put-in & take-out: MDC’s Meramec Conservation Area (Sullivan), River ‘Round and Catawissa Conservation Areas, and Chouteau Claim Access.
Outfitters: Old Cove Canoe & Kayak (St. Clair) is the local choice; the Meramec State Park concession (Sullivan) also rents and shuttles.
Browse land for sale in Franklin County →
Gasconade County
Gasconade County holds the lower reaches of its namesake river — big, slow, fishy water that’s more about jonboats, bass, and quiet evenings than busy float weekends.
The Lower Gasconade River
Wide, slow, and full of fish. By the time the Gasconade reaches its namesake county, it’s a broad, deep, gently winding river running to its mouth on the Missouri — a smallmouth and catfish river more than a party float.
Best for: Anglers and quiet paddlers with their own boats.
Trip length: Fredericksburg Ferry to Gasconade Park is roughly 7–8 miles (a half-day).
Season: Spring through early fall; spring and early summer for the most dependable water.
Put-in & take-out: Fredericksburg Ferry Access and Gasconade Park Access (both MDC, in Gasconade County; Gasconade Park is the last take-out before the Missouri River).
Outfitters: No livery operates this far down — it’s a bring-your-own-boat stretch. The nearest rental and shuttle help is well upstream (for example, Gasconade Hills Resort near Richland) or just up in Osage County; call ahead.
The Lower Bourbeuse River
A second quiet option. The Bourbeuse also winds through Gasconade County before crossing into Franklin — slow, turbid, and good for bass.
Best for: Bring-your-own-boat anglers.
Season: Spring and early summer; sluggish by late summer.
Put-in & take-out: Tea Access (MDC, Gasconade County) is the main local put-in, usually paired with downstream accesses in Franklin County.
Outfitters: Bring your own boat — no livery on this stretch.
Browse land for sale in Gasconade County →
Float Trip Tips
- Book outfitters in advance for any summer weekend — especially Crawford County in June, July, August.
- Check water levels on the USGS gauge for your river before going. Too high = dangerous. Too low = dragging your boat over gravel.
- Bring sun protection. Cloudless Ozark days are brighter than people expect. Long sleeves, hats, reef-safe sunscreen.
- Pack out everything you bring in. The clear water in these streams is clear because generations of locals have kept it that way.
- Coolers stay in dry bags or strapped to the boat. A cooler in the bottom of an unstable canoe is the most common reason floats end early.
- Cell service is mostly nonexistent on the float itself. Plan accordingly.
Buying Land Along an Ozarks River?
River frontage is one of the highest-value features a Missouri property can have — and one of the most complicated to buy or sell well. Easements, riparian rights, flood zones, and the legal definition of the navigable waterway all matter. Justin has structured contracts on a lot of river properties; if you are buying or selling something with frontage, call us before you write the offer.
Justin Head · (573) 308-7376 · justin.head@whitetailproperties.com
Ryan Record · (573) 259-6360 · ryan.record@whitetailproperties.com