Blanchette Landing to Columbia Bottoms Landing
Total River Miles: 23
Time: 6 - 8 hours
Shuttle: 1 hour
Food Service Option: Brunch, Picnic Lunch, Sunset Dinner
Outfitting and Rental Option: Day Trip Packing List gear and clothing
Trip Options: Two Day One Night Expedition, St. Charles to Sioux Passage Park

(River Mile 26) Blanchette Access, cement boat ramp, easy access, parking lot
(River Mile 25) Bryan’s Island, back channel opportunity,
(River Mile 16) Pelican Island and Commerce Chute, picnic camp, back channel opportunity
(River Mile 11) Little Pelican Chute, back channel opportunity
(River Mile 10) Sioux Passage Park Access, cement boat ramp, easy access
(River Mile 6) Fort Bellefontaine - Climb the staircase for the view.
(River Mile 3) Columbia Bottoms Access - cement boat ramp, easy access, parking lot

St. Charles to the Columbia Bottoms is a magnificent day trip on the “Big Muddy” Missouri River, one of the great rivers of the world. The stretch of river through this region is historic and beautiful. St. Charles, MO, our launch site was founded in 1765 and settled by a small group of French traders and adventurers. It was Lewis and Clark’s send off point and became the first Missouri state capitol. There are a variety of interesting, small shops, antique stores, bed and breakfast inns and restaurants on the historic Main St. Most of the buildings are originals. We can drive through on our way to the launch site. Some of BMA’s food options reflect the original French style from which the city was born.

Of course, this entire route is part of the Lewis and Clark Water Trail, offering you the excitement of traveling upon the same river that the undaunted Corps of Discovery did over 200 years ago. This area is also the ancestral region for a number of First Nations, the Osage, the Fox, and early civilizations such as the Cahokians. After the initial homesteaders came to the area in 1790-1820, settlement along the Lower Missouri turned the fertile bottom lands and valleys into farms. As river trade grew quickly in the 1800’s, this area became a busy thoroughfare. Most of the native trees were cut for fuel. Only a handful of trees remain from before the 20th century. The sunken steamboat Montana rests just across from the put in at Blanchette Landing. It emerged from the murky bottom a few years ago during a drought period but is most likely completely submerged once again. Nonetheless, the lore of steamboat travel is connected to its sunken hull.

There are a couple of great islands between St. Charles and the Confluence Bottoms. Bryan Island is located just a mile below the Blanchette Landing. The entrance to the back channel is only accessible in high waters. A series of wing dikes create a barrier to the channel and produces very large and powerful boils and whirlpools. The back channel is long, windy and often swept by flood waters. This is a fine river island habitat. There is sure to be a lot of activity in the air and on the water. About two hours (10 miles downstream), we come upon the top end of Pelican Island, a St. Louis County Conservation Area. Most times of the year, it has a great set of sand bars on the river channel side. The back channel is a great habitat passing along the rising limestone and shale bluffs on one side and the island forest on the other. It is 4 miles to the boat ramp at Sioux Passage Park. We often stop at the top end of Pelican Island and have a river rat picnic. Relax, do some exploring or swimming if you dare.

The main channel portion of the trip will be time for floating and being mesmerized by the tranquility of the flowing mocha water. There is opportunity for a stop at Fort Bellefontaine. Climb the great staircase and view the river as the soldiers would have 200 years ago. From the Fort, we are one bend away from our take out at the Columbia Bottoms Conservation Area Boat Ramp. The Columbia Bottoms is a wondrous 4300 acres of restoring wetlands and bottom land forest. There are miles of bike and hike trails and a well maintained system of roads and lookouts for wildlife and habitat viewing. Our takeout is at the Columbia Bottoms Boat Ramp. A large parking lot and restroom facilities are available. If timeThere is even a canoe and kayak access five miles downstream, through the confluence and at the bottom of Duck Island on the Mississippi River.