Caddo River
Norman to Glenwood
Arkansas 
April 6, 2022
by Kent Walters

Caddo River Pictures

We met at the Norman River access at 10:00 and unloaded, ran the shuttle, prepped and got on the water at 11:08.  It should be noted that there were several options which depended on the gage at 8:00 am.  The gage was above 6.5, so the shuttle was supposed to go from Norman to Caddo Gap – about 7 minutes one-way for a 6-mile paddle.  Brock got his towns mixed up and continued on to Glenwood, so we changed our destination on-the-fly to make it a 17-mile paddle.  It’s all good. 

 

Sam and Brock shortly after launch

 

It was overcast when we started out, and the water was moving right along.  We headed downriver in the clean, clear water.  The hardwoods were just barely starting to leaf out.  We paddled downstream, watching all the rocks in the water and along the shore.  We passed under the “Swinging Bridge” about 12:30. This is where we were supposed to take out at Caddo Gap per the original trip plan.

 

The “Swinging Bridge” at Caddo Gap (the original plan was to take out here)

 

We stopped for lunch on a gravel bar a few minutes past the swinging bridge and enjoyed the way the day was shaping up for us. 

The water stayed lively into our next segment, and the clouds started to clear off.  There were lots of rocks to dodge and ledges to negotiate.

 

 

While watching for rocks (and there were a lot of them) we were blessed to see eagles, turtles (Cooters, red ears and softshells), Kingfishers, hawks, ducks, a tri-color heron, and what looked like an owl.

We also saw the bottom of Sam’s boat twice on this trip from rocks redirecting him where he didn’t intend to go.

 2:41 PM as Sam was finishing up from his second baptism

We continued downriver, dodging rocks and sliding over ledges.

 

A quick reverse shuttle, boat and gear transfer, and we were done – on our way home by about 4:30.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The author, Kent Walters