In the middle of June, 2002, some friends and I floated the lower stretch of the Dearborn River, from the Highway 287 bridge to the confluence with the Missouri, a distance of about 19 miles. It was a gorgeous sunny day, with a threat of afternoon thundershowers. I've been wanting to float the Dearborn for quite a while, and conditions were perfect. It was running a muddy 1,800 cfs, with a lot of runoff from a recent spring snow.

There were quite a few vehicles at the put-in; apparently everyone was thinking like we were. You have to lift the boats over a fence at the put-in, but it is pretty easy. There were seven of us, all in canoes except for me in my kayak: Land and Janet, Dudley, Phil, Bill and Carol, and me. Here's Land and Dudley dealing with Dudley's canoe.

The country reminded me of the Smith River, only there are fewer buildings along it until the last five miles.

Here's Bill and Carol, and Dudley:

Here's Land and Janet, and Phil:

Another shot of Land and Janet, and Dudley:

We stopped for lunch about half way down. The sky darkened for a bit and Thor growled at us, but we never did get really rained on.

A few of our party stopped to scout one of the more difficult rapids, and sneaked another one.

A few parting shots to remember it by: