Print it. Bag it. Bring it.Phones die, screens crack, and most of this water has no signal. Print this map, fold it into a zip-top bag or dry bag with your license, and you have a backup your electronics can’t give you. Every marker is numbered so you can say exactly where you are.
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highway 76 bridge MO 76 | Bridge crossing | 36.98414, -92.16694 | Upper crossing; the river above Topaz is small and seasonal. |
| 2 | Topaz Spring | Spring | 36.94678, -92.20224 | Spring and the old Topaz mill. |
| 3 | Osborn Ford low-water bridge County road | Access / boat ramp | 36.90651, -92.19236 | Low-water crossing; informal put-in in good water. |
| 4 | Hale Ford Bridge Access County road | Access / boat ramp | 36.88211, -92.18719 | Landing at Hale Ford. |
| 5 | Hebron Access MDC | Access / boat ramp | 36.85046, -92.18724 | Public access with primitive camping; a common upper put-in. |
| 6 | Twin Bridges Upper Landing Highway 14/181 | Access / boat ramp | 36.81128, -92.14894 | Landing above the twin bridges. |
| 7 | Twin Bridges (Highways 14 and 181) MO 14 / MO 181 | Bridge crossing | 36.81110, -92.14948 | The crossing that names this stretch. |
| 8 | Twin Bridges Canoe & Campground Private u00b7 canoe rental and camping | Campsite | 36.81024, -92.14838 | Rentals, shuttles and camping at the bridges. |
| 9 | Twin Bridges Access Public | Access / boat ramp | 36.80456, -92.15124 | Landing below the bridges. |
| 10 | Hicks Spring | Spring | 36.79593, -92.14814 | Spring on the reach below Twin Bridges. |
| 11 | Highway CC bridge at Hammond Camp MO CC | Bridge crossing | 36.75972, -92.15333 | Crossing at Hammond Camp. |
| 12 | Hammond Camp Access MDC | Access / boat ramp | 36.75910, -92.15360 | Public access below the Highway CC bridge. |
| 13 | North Fork Recreation Area Campground Mark Twain National Forest | Campsite | 36.75459, -92.15246 | Forest Service campground with river access. |
| 14 | Blue Spring | Spring | 36.75122, -92.14895 | Spring below the North Fork campground. |
| 15 | Devils Backbone Wilderness Mark Twain National Forest | Park / conservation area | 36.73634, -92.15253 | Wilderness on the west bank; McGarr Spring trail to the river. |
| 16 | North Fork Spring | Spring | 36.72448, -92.18725 | Spring just above Rainbow Spring. |
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Blue Ribbon Trout Area u2014 upper limit Upper outlet of Rainbow Spring | Regulation section limit | 36.72109, -92.18702 | MDC's Blue Ribbon Trout Area runs 8.6 miles from here to Patrick Bridge. Check the MDC regulations for methods and limits. |
| 18 | Rainbow Spring | Spring | 36.71965, -92.18744 | Big spring on private land that turns the North Fork into a year-round trout river. |
| 19 | River of Life Farm Landing Private u00b7 River of Life Farm | Access / boat ramp | 36.68514, -92.20043 | Lodge and outfitter landing on the Blue Ribbon reach. |
| 20 | Highway KK bridge MO KK | Bridge crossing | 36.65859, -92.22954 | Crossing at Blair Bridge. |
| 21 | Blair Bridge Access MDC | Access / boat ramp | 36.65403, -92.22959 | Public access and park below the Highway KK bridge. |
| 22 | Sunburst Ranch Private u00b7 camping and floats | Campsite | 36.65446, -92.21771 | Campground and rentals with its own landing. |
| 23 | Patrick Bridge Access Campground MDC u00b7 primitive | Campsite | 36.64353, -92.22200 | Primitive camping at Patrick Bridge. |
| 24 | Patrick Bridge (Highway H) MO H | Bridge crossing | 36.64312, -92.22512 | The Blue Ribbon Trout Area ends here and the Red Ribbon Trout Area begins. |
| 25 | Red Ribbon Trout Area u2014 Patrick Bridge to Norfork Lake 7.0 miles | Regulation section limit | 36.64312, -92.22581 | Red Ribbon regulations apply from Patrick Bridge down to the lake. Check the MDC regulations. |
| 26 | Patrick Bridge Access MDC | Access / boat ramp | 36.64312, -92.22581 | Public access at the bridge; the usual take-out for the Blue Ribbon float. |
| 27 | Althea Spring | Spring | 36.64226, -92.22716 | Spring just below Patrick Bridge. |
| 28 | USGS 07057500 North Fork River near Tecumseh | USGS gauge | 36.62303, -92.24814 | The gauge behind the live flow on this page. |
| 29 | Highway PP bridge MO PP | Bridge crossing | 36.61600, -92.26240 | Crossing above Dawt Mill. |
| 30 | Dawt Mill dam Low-head mill dam u00b7 portage | Dam / hazard | 36.61006, -92.27849 | Old mill dam at Dawt; portage on the right. Dawt Mill offers rentals, lodging and camping. |
| 31 | Highway 160 bridge at Tecumseh US 160 | Bridge crossing | 36.58759, -92.28888 | The Tecumseh crossing at the head of Norfork Lake. |
| 32 | Udall Landing Norfork Lake u00b7 ramp | Access / boat ramp | 36.54312, -92.28905 | Lake ramp below Tecumseh; the Red Ribbon area ends where the river meets the lake. |
Gauge: USGS 07057500 — North Fork River near Tecumseh, MO. Live flow on the web page.
Species: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass
Regulations: mdc.mo.gov/fishing/regulations
Emergency: call 911 and give the number of the nearest point on this map plus its coordinates.
Topaz and Hebron: upper river canoe accesses in smallmouth water.
Twin Bridges (Highway 14): concrete ramp, campground, canoe rental, start of the lower river.
Hammond Camp: county access between Twin Bridges and Blair Bridge.
Blair Bridge (Highway H): MDC access and ramp at the top of the best trout water.
Patrick Bridge (Highway PP): MDC access below Rainbow Spring, 6 miles below Blair Bridge.
Dawt Mill: private resort access with a ramp, the usual takeout for drift boats; Tecumseh Access sits at the lake.
March through May: the best big brown trout months, highest flows, streamer fishing from a boat.
June: caddis and stonefly activity, warm days, still good flow.
July through August: warm and busy on weekends but the springs keep the lower river fishable; go early.
October and November: spawning browns, low clear water, the river at its prettiest; winter fishing is open and quiet.