St Francis River Trip Report


A self-supported trip created by richharmer

Trip Overview

This is a beautiful river with a lot of wildlife. The water is clear with a red tinge, it was running fairly quickly and lots of overflow to little side channels which proved useful for obstructions. There were 4 bridges. 1 highway, two wood/cable foot bridges and one metal bridge made of truck frames. The two foot bridges were close to the water. We had around 100 trees which we had to go over/under or around. Approximately 8 times we had to get out and go around. Three trees where we climbed onto the tree, pulled our kayak over the tree and got back in.

Safety Notes

This is a long ride with no real exits unless you cross private property. Bring plenty of food/water. Cell service was good throughout the entire paddle. Expect to spend at least 8 hours going down this river at it's current flow and status. You can usually stand up in the river, but at certain tree obstruction spots the river is 6-8 feet deep. NOT a beginners river.

Gear Notes

We used 9 and 10 foot kayaks. They will need to scrape over the trees and it's highly likely you will get wet/need to get out

Portage Notes

Tree obstructions will cause around 8 portages.

Trip Details

  • Trip Dates: 8/12/2018
  • Trip Duration: Day Trip
  • Sport/Activity: Kayaking
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Water Type: Flat/Sheltered Water
  • Number of Portages: 8

Trip Location