Mississippi River Water Trail Nature is Only a Paddle Away!
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Water Trail Information & Maps
The Mississippi River water trail will consist of 4 sections. In addition to the Mississippi River a trail segment will be developed on the lower 80 miles of the Illinois River.
Pike's Passage (Pool 24):
Pike's Passage was chosen as the name of this section of the water trail, since the Mississippi RIver is bordered on both sides by Pike County, Illinois and Missouri. Zebulon Pike for which the two counties are named, was a soldier and explorer. He was the leader of the Pike expedition in 1806 to map out the south and west portions of the Louisiana Purchase.
Pike's Passage (Pool 24) is 27.8 miles long.
The cities of Louisiana and Clarksville sit along the Mississippi River and provide paddlers the best opportunities to access convenience stores, restaurants, lodging, and equipment repairs.
There are some structures, such as wing dikes and chevrons, around shorelines or islands, which direct the main flow of water into the channel and/or improve aquatic habitat.
Built in 1873, the Louisiana Railroad Swingspan Bridge is 2,150 feet long.
Lock and dam 24 provides an average lift of 15 feet. The Dam is 1,340 feet long with 15 tainter gates and one lock chamber.
The highest point on the Mississippi River is located in Clarksville, Missouri, and is known as "The Pinnacle". It sits more than 900' above sea level and has a panoramic view of Pools 24 and 25.
In early settlement times salt was produced at salt springs north of Clarksville and transported downstream by canoe to be sold in St. Louis.
The City of Clarksville sits along the Mississippi River and provides paddlers the best opportunity to access convenience stores, restaurants, lodging, and equipment repair.
Locks and Dam 25 provides an average lift of 15 feet.
The Dam is 1,296 feet long with 13 tainter gates, 3 roller gates and one lock chamber. The first day of operation was May 18, 1939.
There are some structures, such as wing dikes and chevrons, around shorelines or islands, which direct the main flow of water into the channel and/or improve aquatic habitat.
Mississippi River Flyway hosts approximately 40% of the nation's migratory birds through the spring and fall migrations.
