Upper Atchafalaya

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olmcdon

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Trail stats

Distance: 66.33 nm
Elevation gain: 23 ft
Technical difficulty: Difficult
Elevation loss: 46 ft
Max elevation: 43 ft
TrailRank: 40
Min elevation: 0 ft
Trail type: One Way

Moving time: 16 hours 36 minutes
Time: 2 days 4 hours 20 minutes
Coordinates: 20682
Uploaded: May 8, 2021
Recorded: May 2021

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near Ashridge (historical), Louisiana (United States)

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Trail photos

Itinerary description

Three Rivers to Butte La Rose. Three day trip under really good conditions following the passage of a spring cold front. The river was just below 30" at the Simmesport gauge which gave us a pretty good current and north winds for the first two days. I rated it as "difficult" mostly due to the size of the river and the significant commitment required. You will encounter whirlpools, boils and all the other fun associated with big rivers. Use caution (avoid) bridge abutments, river buoys and other obstructions in the river.

Waypoints

Put in -

Below the Low Sill Control Stricture on the Mississippi. Pretty good river access but I'm not sure I would leave a vehicle there, it is pretty remote, unstaffed and unlit. Our friend Donovan provided shuttle service (thanks buddy!)

Three Rivers

At the junction of the Red, Atchafalaya and outlet of the Mississippi.

Photo

Railroad bridge above Simmesport, Highway 1 bridge below that.

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First Camp

First night camp on a natural levee along the river. Beautiful campsite. The backwater behind the natural levee just out of sight beyond the trees was full of alligators!

Sunset

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Packed and ready

Start of day two -

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Neat old railroad bridge at Melville.

Photo

Night two

Camp night two. Another beautiful campsite on a sandbar below Krotz Springs. Again, lots of alligators in the backwaters! We had fresh tracks in the mud down by where we beached the boat.