Castor,

(Castor Shut-Ins) Amidon Conservation Area from CR 253 to CR 208 (1.4 miles)

Last Drop, medium low level

Last Drop, medium low level
Photo of Shredder on last drop of Castor River by Dan Cytron @ 1.8 (guess)

Gauge Information

River Description

This is a short run in a scenic mini-gorge (shut-in) for those who want multiple creek runs in one day. The four main drops can be scouted from a trail that parallels the river. The drops are named Crack in the Rock, C-Turn, Throat, and Rooster Tail. At meaty levels, be on the lookout for hard-to-see logs in inconvenient places.

The Castor River Shut-Ins has been a local teenage hangout known as Pink Rocks for generations. Fortunately, state ownership and oversight have cleaned up the trashy appearance of this naturally beautiful area.

A Canoeing & Kayaking Guide to the Ozarks (formerly Ozark Whitewater) by Tom Kennon (3rd edition, Menasha Ridge Press) has a good description of the run. MoCreekin' has some good info about this and other creek runs in Missouri.

History:
The Castor River Shut-Ins was first paddled in 1978 by Karl Koenig, Jo Ann Weber-Koenig, Herm Smith, John Ruprecht, and others. The Castor was the first "creek" run to be discovered in Missouri and followed 10-15 years of whitewater paddling on the nearby St. Francis River.