Stay in Touch with MDC news, newsletters, events, and manage your subscription
Xplor reconnects kids to nature and helps them find adventure in their own backyard. Free to residents of Missouri.
A monthly publication about conservation in Missouri. Started in 1938, the printed magazine is free to residents of Missouri.
Chillicothe, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer a free Grand River Paddling Experience from 8 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Sept. 5, with a put-in at the Wabash Crossing Access. Some prior float trip experience is suggested, but beginners are also welcome. This is a chance to learn how to paddle downstream with guidance from MDC instructors.
The Grand River passes through what once was a prairie landscape but now is farming country. It is one of the biggest rivers in northwest Missouri and a major tributary of the Missouri River. MDC will provide all canoes, kayaks, paddles, and personal floatation devices needed for the trip. Participants may also bring their own watercraft and gear. Life jackets must be worn while on the river. Once the float has started, there is nowhere to get off the river as there are no road accesses.
Participants are asked to bring their own snacks and drinks. Bring plenty of drinking water. Each watercraft will have room for a small cooler. The float will depend on Grand River water levels. If water levels are too low, the float will be moved to a secondary location on the Platte River at the Platte Falls Conservation Area near Platte City.
The Wabash Access is about one mile east of Gallatin and reached via Missouri 6 and a turn onto County Road 239. For more information on the float, contact Adam Brandsgaard, MDC conservation educator, at Adam.Brandsgaard@mdc.mo.gov. Registration is required for this float trip. To register, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4sw.
