yeary farms

River
Yeary Farms has a half mile of Meramec waterfront for you to enjoy. There are several small easily accessible gravel bars and one large gravel bar that requires 100 yards of wading to access. There is no better antidote to the summer heat than a cool dip in this clear spring fed river. Hours of fun can be had in the form of floating up and down the river, fishing, get permit, small fire or bbq for a summer cookout, hanging a hammock and reading a book, and Milt’s personal favorite: placing your chair in the river, visiting with friends and family while sipping on your favorite cool beverage and soaking your feet.

Fishing 

There are fish in this river! Here is a fishing report. Strolling the river, finding the holes and stumps and springs, trying out different bait, what a way to spend some time. Catch your dinner!

Floating
If you’d like to take a float trip, for a nominal fee we can accommodate the transportation for you. Bring your kayak, canoe, or inner tube and we can take you upriver and you can float down to Yeary Farms.

Float Options to or from the Farm

• 1.) You can float from the bridge at Wesco which is about 3 miles upstream and is a 1.5 to 2 hour float. Disembark at Yeary Farms and continue your river fun on the gravel bar. We can deliver your cooler and equipment to the gravel bar for you if you’d like.
• 2.) You can float from Hwy M down to Yeary Farms, which is about 8 miles upstream and a 5-6 hour float depending on your speed. There is a small damn above Wesco you will have to portage over, as well as the bridge at Wesco, but this makes for a fun filled day on the river. The wide lazy portion above the damn makes an incredible fishing hole, who likes bass fishing?
• 3.) You can float from Yeary Farms downstream to Cedar Ford. This is another 3 mile float that lasts about 1.5 to 2 hours. You will have to transport yourself and your gear back to the Farm, but we can most likely assist with helping you drop off your car at your landing zone.
• 4.) For those of you who want to see more rivers or float on deeper water, there are several rivers in the immediate vicinity: the Huzzah and the Courtois, You will have to provide your own transportation to reach these, but it will be well worth it. You can even use a local outfitter who will provide everything you need.

Our location on the upper Meramec provides a privacy you will not see downriver. Steelville is known as the “Floating Capital of the Ozarks”. The rivers are very beautiful and easily accessible and outfitters have been entertaining floaters for decades. This can mean big crowds in the summer, which we never see. This is mostly due to the lower water level of the upper Meramec. There will be short, shallow rapids you have to navigate, this can mean getting out of your boat and pulling it to deeper water. Often in the spring and fall we rarely have to get out of our boat, but in the heat of summer, it will happen more often. Don’t let this discourage you, the privacy and beauty will make up for the inconvenience. We’ve floated this stretch of river hundreds of times and it gets into your DNA……something you will want to do time and again.

The conditions on the river change a lot through the year, especially after big rains. This part of the river usually flows at 20-50 CFS (cubic feet per second) but can spike to over 20,000 CFS during a big rain. This would be a major flood and makes the river inaccessible for recreation. This doesn’t happen very often. There is a great USGS website that has a flow meter installed at Cook Station, about 10 miles upstream. The stretch of water between Short Bend on Hwy 19 down to Cook Station can only be floated during a time of higher water, this makes for an exceptionally rare and beautiful journey but has to be timed with just the right flow rate.

River Safety and Comfort:

• Life Jackets
  The river is not deep, but there can be fast moving rapids and unexpected
  obstacles, especially important for little ones
• River Shoes
  These are very helpful; old sneakers, keens, tevas, aquasox, etc.
  The gravel is hard to walk on with bare feet
• Sunscreen
  You can burn quickly on the river, reapply after swimming
• Water
  It’s easy to spend several hours on the river, and hydration in a must
•  Snakes
  We’ve never experienced a snakebite, but there are water moccasins in this
  area and are something to be mindful of
•  Illegal Activities
  We discourage any illegal activities anywhere, carry your fishing
  license, and make good choices. The river is a public thoroughfare but most
  property on each side is privately owned, be respectful of our good neighbors.