Chickasaw Bluffs
Canoeing in Tennessee with Quapaw Canoe Company
Highlights
- Enjoy peaceful wilderness paddling down the Mississippi River along the colorful Chickasaw Bluffs
- Experience a wide variety of paddling possibilities: powerful boils, whirlpools & giant eddies
- Explore the richest biota in the mid-south with wildlife viewing opportunities of black bear, bald eagles and more
Full Description
Join us for this paddling adventure through the legendary Chickasaw Bluffs, located along the Lower Mississippi River above Memphis, Tennessee.
Enjoy fabulous views of the Chickasaw Bluffs and adjacent bottomland hardwood forests, including the bluffs at Fort Pillow (1st Chickasaw Bluff), Richardson's Landing (2nd Chickasaw Bluff), Meeman-Shelby State Forest (3rd Chickasaw Bluff) and finally the sweeping view of the Memphis skyline (which straddles the 4th Chickasaw Bluff). The vista from the river is unparalleled!
There are great back channels & oxbow lakes to explore as well as fossil finding & rock hunting at Knowlton Crevasse and Catfish Point. Cool off with lots of swimming opportunites throughout the trip. Enjoy viewing the abundant wildlife such as Louisiana black bear and the greatest concentration of white-tailed deer in the country. Bring your binoculars for the exceptional birding! We'll see very few towns or signs of industry along the way- the only evidence of civilization are the tugboats on the river.
We'll put in at Osceola, Arkansas or Ashport, Tennesee and take out at the foot of Beale Street in the Memphis Harbor. In total, we'll paddle 58 miles on this exhilirating trip on the Mississippi River. We meet in Memphis the morning of Day One, camp two nights, then take out in the afternoon/evening of Day Two.
To maximize your enjoyment of your visit to this area, we suggest the following itinerary: Fly into Memphis International Airport one or two nights before the trip. Enjoy an evening of live blues on Beale Street and visit museums & other cultural attractions such as the National Civil Rights Museum and Al Green's Full Gospel Church Sunday. We will pick you up at your downtown Memphis Hotel to take you on our river trip down the Chickasaw Bluffs. Finally, we'll drop you back off at your hotel. Rental car not needed!
Includes:
- Canoes, paddles, and Coast Guard-approved lifejackets
- VHF Marine Radio and extra emergency gear
- All food and refreshments
- Camp tables and chairs
- Dry-bags for packing all personal gear
- Summertime: Cold waterbottles and iced cooler
- Wintertime: thermoses filled with hot water for soups & teas & cowboy coffee
Excludes:
- Tents and sleeping bags (available for rent $35 per person)
- Transportation to and from launch point
- Personal items (gear, sunscreen, toiletries)
- Alcoholic beverages (BYOB)
- See FAQ tab for "Eleven don't forget Items"
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1
Pick-Up: Your hotel in downtown Memphis 9am
Shuttle: The Great River Road
Put-In: Put in Ashport Landing, 12 noon
Camp I: Lookout Bar (an island opposite the 2nd Chickasaw Bluff)
Points of Interest: Fort Pillow Bluffs (1st Chickasaw Bluff), Anderson-Tully Wildlife Management Area, the mouth of the Hatchie River, Richardson's Bluff (2nd Chickasaw Bluff: massive red, blue orange & grey bluffs collapsing into main channel.)
Day 2
Camp II: Island 35
Points of Interest: Island Archipelago "Hen & the Chicks," Richardson's Bluff (2nd Chickasaw Bluff), Dean Island Chute.
Day 3
Take-Out: Memphis Harbor: 3pm (subject to change)
Points of Interest: The mouth of the Hatchie River, Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park (3rd Chickasaw Bluff), Brandywine Chute, Hickman Bar, Mouth of the Loosahatchie River, Mud Island, I-40 Bridge, the Pyramid and downtown Memphis (4th Chickasaw Bluff)
About The Operator:
Quapaw Canoe Company
Headquarters:
Clarksdale, Mississippi
Quapaw Canoe Company offers wilderness expeditions on the Lower Mississippi River. Tours can be arranged by the day or the week. Float trips available on any section between Cairo (Illinois) and the outlet of the river into the Gulf of Mexico. Also available on its tributaries are the White, the Arkansas, the Big Sunflower (subject to river level), and the Yazoo. Trips are by canoe or kayak only—no motor power used. Clients must be willing to paddle and to endure extremes of nature. Storms on the river can be furious at times and may temporarily stall a journey or change itinerary.
The Lower Mississippi River creates one of America's greatest and wildest wildernesses—a land subject to chaotic weather and the unpredictable character of Old Man River. It is a landscape of water and sky, broken only by a horizon of willow and mixed deciduous forests. Everything about it is big. Imagine floating a bend of the river that takes twenty miles of delta to complete; skirting around swirling eddies the size of several city blocks; camping on a sand bar that stretches to the horizon, and swimming in pristine blue holes. It is America's major waterfowl flyway, and central artery of barge shipping. Three-screw tugboats pushing tows a half-mile long are common. Deer, coyote, beaver and possom abound, and bears still inhabit the bottomlands. It is the flood plain of the second biggest river in the world, and water levels might fluctuate fifty feet from Spring high to Summer low. As such, each adventure is slightly different, and itinerary is dependent on river conditions and prevailing weather.
In its 10 years of operation Quapaw Canoe Company has demonstrated the viability of safe canoeing on the Lower Mississippi River with countless expeditions involving churches, schools, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, families, couples and individuals. Quapaw has successfully guided over 10,000 people on the river. Quapaw Canoe Company is underwritten by Lloyd's of London through Worldwide Outfitters & Guides Association. All expeditions are outfitted with first-aid kits, rescue ropes, life preservers, cellular communication, and VHF marine radio. Life Jackets are best quality US Coast Guard approved type III Life Jackets. Guides stringently practice safe canoeing and are knowledgeable in all aspects of wilderness survival and canoe rescue. Please remember that river travel is always somewhat dependent on river level and prevailing weather.
Frequently Asked Questions
Guests often ask what they should pack for a trip down the Mississippi. We can encounter a wide range of conditions, summer or winter. Here are Eleven "Don't Forget" Items
1) Foot Protection you don't mind getting muddy & wet. On the water, Neoprene Booties are the very best, if the water gets in your feet stay warm. We stock NRS 11mm neoprene knee high booties for rent ($35) or purchase ($85 + tax) - these are the best we've ever worn. Rubber or plastic Barn Boots work almost as well, but your foot will get cold if the water gets in! Easily found at your local hardware store. For the sandbar, it's nice to have an old pair of dry tennis shoes to change into, or equivalent. Bring extra pair of shoes & pack into drybag to change into at camp.
2) Head Protection for both cold & sun. Remember, you lose 90% of your body heat through your head. Best set-up: bring one hat for sun, and another to put on at night.
3) Water Protection even if it doesn't rain, you might get wet from splashing waves, paddle drips, early morning dew, etc. Start out with polypro layers, top that with fleece or wool, and in case it gets really bad, pack a pair of top-to-bottom rain gear. This combination will provide sufficient all-weather protection, whether it's a full rain or just cold & windy. Remember, it always feels colder on the river, especially in the winter!
4) Wetsuits required when water temperature falls below 60 degrees (generally November through April).
5) Head lamp for after-dark reading, eating, journaling, finding your way around camp, get one with a red-light option for reading your star chart.
6) Thermos filled with your favorite hot beverage. Nothing tastes better on a cold windy day than a sip of hot coffee, hot chai, hot chicken broth, hot miso soup. Refill at lunch time, refill every morning.
7) Sun Protection: Similar to snow sports, winter sunburns are common, especially facial sunburn. Sunglasses, sun screen, long sleeve clothing and a wide brim hat that doesn't blow off in the wind. Low-angle winter light has a sneaky way of getting underneath your hat brim (reflected off the surface of the river).
8) A knife. Useful for everything from cutting steaks to making tent stakes!
9) Notebook, journal, sketchbook, camera. You will want to record some of your experiences and the amazing sights & sounds of the Mississippi River. Always a surprise when you least expect it! You might have life-changing thoughts, ideas for a new business, or maybe just a sweet note to a loved-one.
10) Star-chart: at least one per group. The best sky-watching in the mid-south! Let the campfire burn low and enjoy an ever-changing rotation of the heavens over your sandbar camp, the stars & constellations reflected with mirror-like splendor in the middle of gentle boils & eddies. Watch falling stars seemingly sizzle into the cold dark water. Have you ever seen the entire Milky Way reflected on the face of the river?
11) A Towel. Towels are great for all kinds of things, not just washing your face in the morning, but wiping sand out of your tent, a makeshift pillow, etc.
ALSO: bring several changes of clothes, and dress in layers in cool evenings. A sweater, jacket, fleece pull over & rain jacket for cool mornings/evenings. Camping close to the river is similar to camping on a Pacific Ocean beach, the day might be warm, or even hot, but it always feels cool by the water's edge, and even cooler if there is a breeze blowing over it.