Big River - Mile-By-Mile Description

0.0 Put-in at mouth of Turkey Creek on county road running north from Bonne Terre, parallel to Missouri Illinois R.R. tracks.
Bootleg Access Bootleg Access is marked with a cantilever sign 10 miles south of Potosi on Highway 21.  This forest area with old fields offers access to Big River. Facilities/ features: primitive camping and viewing deck. fishing/canoeing/hiking/hunting  - map
Kingston Access - map
Leadwood Access - MDC Leadwood Access is east of Leadwood on Highway 8. 
birdwatching/canoeing/fishing - map
St. Francois State Park
1.8 Hwy. E Bridge. Access difficult due to steep slope.
6.9 Three Hill Creek on left.
9.1 Coles Landing. Ford, reached from north side. Local swimming hole with good gravel bar. Access and campsite. Private.
10.6 Spring on right about 20 feet from river and 2 feet above river level.
12.0 MDC Jeremiah Blackwell Access on right. No camping.
12.2 Mill Creek on left.
12.8 Blackwell Bridge. No public access.
15.6 Missouri Pacific R.R. Bridge.
15.7 Vineland Road Bridge. No public access.
16.9 State Hwy. 21 Bridge. No access.
20.0 Campground at Washington State Park on left with good access at one place. Park is noted for its Indian petroglyphs, located about 0.5 mile up road to left of dining room facility near campground.
20.7 Bridge on Big River Heights Road northeast of state park boundary. Private access.
21.8 Mineral Fork enters on left. This creek is considered, by reptile collectors, to be a good locality for cottonmouth water moccasins. It is often floatable and has a general gradient of about 9.
23.3 Mammoth Bridge. MDC access on southwest side. No camping.Mammoth Access - Desoto ,Mo. Mammoth Access is west of De Soto on Route H, then 1.5 miles south on Mammoth Road. Boat Ramp/Parking Lot   Fishing(bass/catfish/crappie/sunfish/goggle eye/suckers) - map
28.5 Old Hwy. H Bridge. No access.
28.7 MDC Merrill Horse Access. No camping. New Hwy. H Bridge. Fletcher 2 miles west. Merrill Horse Access is 5 miles west of De Soto on Route H. Fishing(bass/crappie/sunfish/goggle eye/catfish/) Birdwatching and canoeing , concrete boat ramp , parking lot , restrooms - map
30.7 Calico Creek on left.
34.0 Brown's Ford Bridge. MDC access on left below bridge (under development).
Brown's Ford Access - Canoeing , Fishing(bass/catfish/sunfish/crappie/suckers) , parking lot , boat ramp , restrooms. Southwest of Cedar Hill, take Highway 30 west to Route Y, turn south, then west on Brown's Ford Road. Jefferson County Parks Department owns and maintains all facilities and grounds on this area. - map
38.6 Engleford Road. No public access.
43.4 Private access, camping.
45.0 Pine Ford (Hwy. Y) Bridge. No access.
50.7 Dry Creek on right.
52.3 MDC Morse Mill Access on right bank. No camping. Ball Memorial Park on left bank upstream of bridge. Located Hwy B west of Hillsboro / boat ramp / parking lot / fishing
52.4 Morse Mill Dam. Portage right. Break in dam at left near foundation of old mill is dangerous but a concrete sluice just right of this may be used to slide canoes down when the water is low enough to stand on the dam.
52.5 Hwy. B Bridge.
54.0 Cabins on left.
55.0 Klondike Road Bridge.
55.7 Jones Creek on left.
62.4 Hwy. BB along river on right.
63.2 MDC Cedar Hill Access. No camping. Cedar Hill Bridge and mill dam. Portage left. This is also the best take-out in this area. Mill, on right, still operates but has not used water power since about 1960.
63.5 State Hwy. 30 Bridge.
68.9 Private Dam. Portage right.
69.0 Byrnesville Bridge.
73.0 Hwy. W Bridge. MDC House Springs Access. No camping.Rockford Beach Park - Jefferson County Parks - Fishing/swimming/picnicing.
74.6 Byrnes Mill Dam. Private. Portage right.
80.9 Hoene Spring (cottage development) on left.
82.8 Twin River Bridge. Private access on right.
83.2 Meramec River.

Mineral Fork (Big River tributary)

0.0 Put-in at Hwy. F Bridge. Private land. Parking difficult.
3.0 Arnault Creek on right.
Kingston Access - On County Road 317, 1 mile west of Washington State Park off Highway 21.  This forest area offers access to Mineral Fork. birdwatching/fishing/hiking/ hunting - map
6.2 Sycamore Creek on left.
8.7 Site of old Hwy. 47 Bridge. Private access and camping.
10.2 Private slab bridge across creek.
13.8 Big River. Next take-out at Mammoth Bridge.