Current River Thru-Paddle: 10-Day Canoe Journey

A 10-day, 191-mile canoe journey from Tan Vat Access in Missouri down the Current River and into Arkansas, finishing on the Black River in Pocahontas. More than a standard weekend float trip or casual kayak run, this full thru-paddle follows the river from shallow Ozark headwaters to wide southern lowlands. Along the way, the Current River changes dramatically—from shallow, technical Ozark headwaters and clear springs to broad lowlands, solitude, rain, headwinds, and the final miles toward the Current River–Black River confluence. As the river changes, so does the journey: what begins as a demanding paddle through the upper Ozarks gradually becomes a slower exploration of the landscape, the river, and the places we find along the way. CHAPTERS 00:00 Day 1: Sketchy Start & Finding the Rhythm – 15 miles 05:16 Day 2: Solitude & Springs – 26 miles 10:10 Day 3: 300-Foot Abyss – 29 miles 14:55 Day 4: Crossing Boundaries – 23 miles 18:03 Day 5: River Magic – 23 miles 24:20 Day 6: Rainy Grind – 21 miles 28:30 Day 7: Into the Flatlands – 20 miles 33:10 Day 8: Lowland Drift – 14 miles 35:51 Day 9: Sand & Turtle Tracks – 12 miles 40:18 Day 10: Confluence – 8 miles TRIP SUMMARY & CREDITS April 30 – May 9, 2026 10 days 191 miles (309 km) by GPS Route: Tan Vat Access, Missouri → Current River → Arkansas → Black River → Pocahontas THANK YOU TO… “Bandanas” (Sandy), I am honored to have paddled this river beside you! John, Marian, & Sadie for your love, transportation & support. The generous “river angels” who gave us beers and shared their kindness. The National Park Service for taking care of this beautiful river. INSPIRATION We were inspired to think bigger about canoe tripping by the adventures of: Frank Wolf —    / @frankwolf70   Lost Lakes —    / @lostlakes   Northern Scavenger —    / @northernscavenger   David & Leah Jackson —    / @snowshoeandpaddle   Canoe The North —    / @canoethenorth   Explore The Backcountry —    / @explorethebackcountry   FILMING & EDITING Filmed and edited by Moons and Mountains Camera Gear: • Canon PowerShot SX740 HS • GoPro Hero 12 Black • Pixel 4a smartphone camera • DJI Mini 5 Pro Drone Post-Production: Adobe Premiere Aerial drone footage was captured exclusively outside National Park Service boundaries in full compliance with FAA and local regulations. MUSIC Original music generated by Moons and Mountains using Suno AI under a paid subscription license. All visual footage and other audio in this film were captured or recorded during the actual journey; AI was used only to create the original music. Moons and Mountains on Suno: https://suno.com/@moons_and_mountains Full soundtrack playlist: https://suno.com/playlist/213a2083-c8... BOOK EXCERPT Reading from The Complete Wilderness Paddler by James West Davidson and John Rugge. #CurrentRiver #CanoeTrip #MissouriOzarks