- This tributary of the Current River is one of the wildest and most
scenic of the Missouri Ozark streams. Its deep valley is nearly a
canyon, with no bottomland fields for the first 25 floatable miles.
It is therefore advisable to camp well above river level if there
is any chance of sudden rain. Trips with loaded canoes above Alley
Spring are recommended only in spring or after good summer rains.
The few miles immediately above Alley Spring are especially wide and
shallow and may have to be walked in low water. Upper sections of
the river provide fine fly fishing water.
-
- Difficulty: I and II.
- Gradients: general -- 7.3; Prongs to Hwy. 17 -- 8.6; to Bunker
Hill -- 8;
to Alley Spring -- 7; to Current River -- 6.3.
- Quadrangles: Summerville, Eminence.
- Counties: Texas, Shannon.
-
- Jacks
Fork River
- 0.0 MDC South
Prong Access at Hwy. Y Bridge. Beautiful section, but not recommended
during low-water.
- 0.8 Chimney
Rock Cave in hill on right.
- 6.8 State Hwy.
17 Bridge at "Buck Hollow." Usual put-in for upper section of river.
Park Service campground.
- 9.2 Salvation
Army camp on left. Access, camp.
- 9.6 Blue Spring
comes from cave on left nearly hidden from river by boulders. Narrow
run just below spring may be difficult.
- 12.6 Jam Up
Bluff and Cave. River entrance of cave is one of the most spectacular
cave entrances in state. Cave may be explored in daylight back to
lake which is plunge-basin for falls from upper part of cave. Upper
section entered through a sinkhole in Lost Hollow which may be reached
by climbing up the bluff.
- 15.9 Ebb and
Flow Spring on left.
- 17.1 Bunker
Hill (Missouri State Teachers Association resort) on left. No access.
- 22.2 Leatherwood
Creek on left.
- 25.2 Bay Creek
on left. Access, camp.
- 31.0 Alley Spring,
10th largest spring in state. Old mill, camping, access.
- 32.3 Horse Hollow
on left. The old Salem, Winona and Southern R.R. used to run up this
hollow and continue up Sinking Branch after following the Jacks Fork
from Mahan's Creek.
- 35.3 Mahan's
Creek on right. Site of old R.R. river crossing just above mouth of
creek.
- 37.3 Eminence.
Stores, cafes, lodging. Take-out at Lions Ball Park on right side,
one-quarter mile below Hwy. 19 Bridge.
- 41.9 Shawnee
Creek on right. Access, camp.
- 42.3 Little
Shawnee Creek on right.
- 44.6 Confluence
with Current River. Best take-out 0.75 mile downstream at ferry landing.
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