Ozark National Scenic Riverways, in partnership with the Ozark Riverways Foundation and Current River State Park, will be offering free paddling clinics each Sunday, through Aug. 9. These free clinics are open to 10 participants per program and pre-registration is required. Participants will need to provide their own personal flotation device & lunch.
Paddlers will meet at Current River State Park at 10 a.m. for one hour of dry land basic skills, followed by instruction and paddling practice on the lower lake. Students will have the option to continue instruction on the river in the afternoon, paddling approximately four miles from Current River State Park to Round Spring.
Instructors for this clinic are certified by the American Canoe Association. Topics to be covered include canoe and kayak equipment, rescue techniques, basic paddle strokes and maneuvers, and river safety. Kayaks and paddles will be supplied by Current River State Park.
Significant natural and cultural points of interest will be discussed during the paddle from Current River State Park to Round Spring. Trees and plants along the river will be identified, as well as wildlife and signs of wildlife. Just downstream from Current River State Park, a spring and old home site on river left will provide an opportunity to learn about the Ozark culture. Further downstream, Merritt Rock will be on river right, and the trip will pause for a short presentation about caves in the Riverways. The guided float will also stop at Sinking Creek, which enters the Current River on river left one mile before the destination at Round Spring.
All participants are encouraged to practice safe social distancing and to wear appropriate face coverings if desired. Kayaks and paddles will be sanitized before and after the clinic in an effort to promote good hygiene. This is an open-air event.
For more information or to register for one of the sessions call the Round Spring Visitor Center at 573-323-8093. For more information about the Riverways and upcoming programs, call (573) 323-4236; visit the park’s Facebook page, or website at www.nps.gov/ozar.
Ozark National Scenic Riverways preserves the free-flowing Current and Jacks Fork Rivers, the surrounding resources, and the unique cultural heritage of the Ozark people.
Learn more at www.nps.gov/ozar. Find us on Facebook @ozarkriverways and on Instagram @ozarkriverwaysnps.
