2022 Cedar Grove to Akers Ferry Gravel Bar Survey

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I have been wanting to document all of the gravel bars on the river for some time.  I know that these will change with time and I will update every few years (if time allows).   This Cedar Grove to Akers Ferry stretch on the upper Current River (8 miles) took me almost 7 hours to document them all.   I found 33 gravel bars along this stretch and I ranked them 1-10, with 10 being the best end of the scale.   The bars are labeled by two sets of numbers and 2 letters.  The first number set is the year surveyed and the second number set is the order at which they come while going down river.  The 2 letters on the end of the 2nd number set is the location (i.e.  AP means Akers to Pulltite, CA means Cedar Grove to Akers).  Some higher ranked bars will be given a name that I will denote, since I feel they are worthy of more than just a number, but also a name too.  I do not list any bars that are less than 10' wide, since I don't feel they are worthy for any extended stay.   Also, the composition of the bars can vary from gravel, rock (which is larger), sand, dirt or grass.  The one that I put first in order is the main content, and lesser will be after (i.e.  Rock/Gravel/Sand vs. Sand/Gravel/Rock).  All of my stop times have bene taken out of the below data, so when I state floating minutes that denotes how many minutes on the average the bar is located if you were to drift/paddle without any stops from the put in point.  On this trip I drifted about 30% of the time and paddled about 70% of the time.  In July 2022 I did the Akers Ferry to Pulltite gravel bar survey which can be found here.    

NOTE:  THIS SURVEY BEGINS AT THE END OF CEDAR GROVE WHERE BIG CREEK FLOWS INTO THE CURRENT RIVER.  This stretch is an 8 mile float and you will average 2.5 miles per hour + stops in a canoe.   Kayaks a bit faster and rafts a bit slower.  The best outitter for this 8 mile stretch if ending at Akers Ferry is Jadwin Canoe Rental.  If you are going past Akers down to Pulltite or Round Spring to end, then Carrs Canoe Rental is the best option.    If you are going to Two Rivers, then Two Rivers Canoe Rental.  Always try to leave your vehicle at your take out spot for the best convenience.

Island 19 floating minutes after pushing off from the low water bridge at Cedar Grove and located just after where Big Creek enters the Current River on the right (which is at the furthest southern end of Cedar Grove).  This was not an island in 2021.   Size=200 long x 60' wide, Open (No Shade), Composition=Rock/Gravel, Channel to right is better to float, Rank=3

Bar on right 20 floating minutes from the start and just past island 22-1CA.   Size=200 long x 20' deep, Composition=80% Gravel & 20% Sand, Rank=3

Bar on right 25 floating minutes from the start.   Size=300 long x 60' deep, Current in front, Composition=Gravel, Rank=4

Bar on right 32 floating minutes from the start.   Size=600 long x 100' deep, Open (no shade), Composition=1/3 Gravel & Sand & 2/3 Rock, Rank=5.

Bar on right 33 floating minutes from the start.   Size=100 long x 20' deep, Composition=Gravel, Rank=2.

Bar on left 33 floating minutes from the start.  Located around a bend.   Deeper hole.  Small but nice.   Bluff across from it.   Size=50 long x 20' deep, Composition=Gravel, Rank=4.

Bar on right 39 floating minutes from the start.   Size=300 long x 100' deep,  Composition=Rock, Rank=2.

POWER/PHONE LINES CROSS RIVER 1 MINUTE PAST LAST BAR.  TREE ACROSS RIVER.

Bar on right 46 floating minutes from the start.   Size=100 long x 20' deep, Composition=Gravel/Rock, Rank=1.

Bar on right 48 floating minutes from the start.   Horse tracks.   Trees for Hammocks.   Size=100 long x 40' deep, Shade, Composition=Rock/Gravel, Rank=5. -- PHOTO 1 -- PHOTO 2

Bar on left 1 hour &  39 floating minutes from the start.  Connected by 22-19CA, Has a drive in access point to from Flying W gravel/dirt road off of hwy K (see part 2 of these videos here).   Has a south end too which is less desirable and looks like vehicles have crossed river at south end via sand road.  Size=1000' long x 400' deep, Composition=Sand/Gravel, Lots of trees for hammocks, Shaded.  Rank=7.  -- PHOTO 1 -- PHOTO 2

Bar on right 1 hour &  42 floating minutes from the start.  Accross from south end of 22-20CA,  Sand road connects on this side.  Size=75' long x 20' deep, Composition=Gravel, Rank=2. 

Bar on right 1 hour & 46 floating minutes from start.    Size= 200 long x 60' deep, Open with no shade, Composition=Rock/Gravel, Some weeds, Rank=2

Aerial Photo

Bar on left 1 hour & 47 floating minutes from start.    Size= 150 long x 15' deep, Composition=Gravel, Rank=2

Bar on left 1 hour & 58 floating minutes from start.    Size= 100 long x 30' deep, Composition=Rock, Rank=1

Bar on right 2 hours & 11 floating minutes from start.    Size= 200 long x 10' deep gravel bar area by water and a HUGE NICE 500' long x 400' deep shaded area above, TREES FOR HAMMOCKS, bluff across with deep hole,  upper area has a small dirt road in, but not a normal vehicle type of dirt road. This is located just before Welch Spring where water rushes in from the spring into the Current River on the left.   Welch is on the OTHER side of the river just 1 minute down river from this location.    Rank=8 -- PHOTO 1 -- PHOTO 2

On left 2 hours & 12 floating minutes from start.   What is the temperature of this spring compared to the river?  See here.   Over the years, Ozark springs have been used as campsites, power supplies for grist mills, tourist resorts and even hospitals.  Hospitals? Yes, hospitals. Back in 1913, an Illinois doctor named C.H. Diehl bought Welch Spring for eight hundred dollars. Dr Diehl believed that the spring water had healing properties and that cool, pollen free air coming from the adjacent cave would be beneficial for people with asthma, emphysema, and tuberculosis, which together were called "consumption" at the time. He said that it worked for him, helping him with a chronic case of hayfever. To tap this clean air resource, Dr Diehl built a hospital over the mouth of the cave. Welch Spring, which flowed from the cave, was dammed up so that water would close off the entrance. This was to force more air out through the cave opening into the hospital. In today's terms, it might be better called a "health spa" since there wasn't much in the way of formal medical treatment, just an invitation to breathe the fresh air of the cave.  Dr Diehl was not blind to the scenic values of the region either. He hoped to run a thriving campground resort to supplement his medical fees with tourist dollars. In time his healing resort expanded to a few small cabins, a campground, a show cave and he even had an electric generator running off the spring. Visitors came from the local area and from as far off as Oklahoma and Illinois, but times were hard and travel to such remote places still difficult.  Unfortunately, the hospital and resort were not a big success. Roads in the Ozarks were rough and unpaved, making it difficult to get into the Current River Country. Few tourists were willing to make the trip. The good doctor died in 1940, and his family did not have much interest in keeping up the resort afterwards, which soon fell into ruin.  Was Dr Diehl just a man ahead of his time? In time, tourists did discover the Current River, over a million come to canoe, camp, hike and fish every year. As for his medical ideas, he wasn't out of step with his times. Many people at the time believed in the healing qualities of cave air and spring water. It was almost a cliché for people to take a vacation to "take the waters" at one spring centered resort or another. This was the heyday of the healing spas at Hot Springs, Arkansas among others. Years earlier a tuberculosis sanitarium had been built in Mammoth Cave, some three hundred feet underground.  The hospital is a ruin today, but still stands next to the beautiful Welch Spring. It is located between Cedargrove and Akers on the Upper Current. It is best reached by canoe. You can drive to it also, go north from Akers on Route K. Turn left on the first gravel road past the Akers Group Camp. At the end of the road, park next to the river and walk a trail north along the river for about a half mile. At the end of the trail you will be able to see the hospital, although you will be across the spring from it.  Please do not wade in the spring, metal debris from the hospital period may injure you. Springs are also delicate biologically and wading and swimming can cause damage.  -- Bill O'Donnell  -- PHOTOS -- SPRING VIDEO -- VIDEO 2 -- BACK IN THE DAY PHOTO.

Bar on right 2 hours & 12 floating minutes from start.   Located directly across from where Welch Spring flows into the Current River.  Partly shaded.   Stunning view of spring!   Size= 100 long x 40' deep 100% PURE SAND!!!    Rank=10 if you are a sand lover. -- PHOTO 1 -- PHOTO 2 -- PHOTO 3 -- VIDEO

Bar on right 2 hours & 18 floating minutes from start.  Located above river by about 4 foot.  Some shade. Knee deep gentle current.   Size= 200 long x 50' deep, Composition=Gravel/Sand, Rank=6

Bar on left 2 hours & 21 floating minutes from start.    Known as Welch access gravel bar.  You are 2.5 miles from Akers Ferry at this point.  This is a popular spot to put in a tube to float down to Akers Ferry since a short run.  NO CAMPING. Sporadic weeds and some young trees.   This is where the road to Welch Spring from hwy K ends.  There is a trail that goes along the river up river where you can walk to see Welch Spring.  Do NOT wade in the spring.   There is a trail that goes over the top of the spring above the bluff to get to the hospital ruins.   Size= 1000' long x 400' deep, Composition=Gravel, Rank=5

At 2 hours & 23 floating minutes from start and just a minute or two below Welch access gravel bar are power/phone lines that cross the river.   On the right side where the power lines go up is a trail (may be shelted by weeds, but it is there) that takes you up on the below to see historic Maggard Cabin.   The bluff overlook is a site to see in itself besides Maggard Cabin.   -- VIDEO/PICS