Today is another ‘hot’ one, the extended forecast is calling for a long hot summer, so hot in fact we could
pick any or every day to go
swimming. It’s also the first day of
summer, the longest day of the year, we feel obligated to get out and enjoy the
day. We’re going to Sand Hole, I
remember that I really liked Sand Hole two years ago, it’s pretty remote so probably not a lot of people,
I’ve got my fingers crossed. For our first visit to Sand Hole see: (61 Sand Hole).
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looking upriver at Sand Hole and beyond
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The drive in
is a lot better than remembered, Osbourne Road is now paved all the way to the
turn-off to Gilbert where we fork to the left, then a little further at the
next fork
we go right on Mercy Lane.
The next fork in the road is Sand Hole Road we veer left
staying on Mercy Lane for a little ‘side trip’ up to Red Bluff. It isn’t far maybe a quarter mile to the nice
parking spot off the road to the right up on a short hill. |
scenic view from Red Bluff
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The trail isn’t very far
maybe 60-70 feet and quite steep, naturally we didn’t bring any ‘proper’
footwear for hiking. We make our way
slowly and cautiously down to the two vista points. The right or west Red Bluff Vista has great
views upriver to Sand Hole and beyond, while left (east) Red Bluff Vista the views are downstream. The views are fabulous,
but we don’t stay long, it’s
just too hot to be hanging out on top the south facing bluff in the full sun. |
Red Bluff Vista
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Now on Sand Hole Road which heads down a pretty steep hill, is
where we are glad to have 4-wheel
drive, any car with decent ground
clearance can probably make it if you go slow. At the bottom of the hill the road gets a
little better then ends at the Sand Hole parking area. We gather our stuff and head down the well-worn
path about 50-60 feet to the gravel bar along Sand Hole. |
looking off the bluff into Red Bluff Hole
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Turning at the gravel bar we go
about 100 yards further till we find a nice shady spot to set-up camp. The beach does have quite a lot of sand but
not as much as you may expect with the name ‘Sand Hole’ my estimate would be
70% small gravel and 30% sand. I head
down to the water about 100 feet from our camp, first step in the shallows near
shore the water’s warm not quite bath water but warmer than expected. It cools down quick as I walk into deeper water, and
it feels great. |
a mix of sand and gravel
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Sand Hole, just upstream from
river mile 102 is a big hole, probably
a quarter mile long and in places up to 60 feet wide. I swim upstream about
thirty feet out from shore where the river is only 3-4 feet deep, all the
way up to the bend to the west. Then out
in deeper water near the bluff I float back downstream checking the depth here
and there as I go. Ten feet deep
is a good ‘average’ throughout the hole, of course ‘depth’ is always going to
be contingent on river level, shallower later in the summer as the river
‘dries’ up. |
low bluff across Sand Hole
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As I swim back towards shore two canoes float by, this is a young family,
mom and son in the lead then dad with daughter bringing up
the rear. When I ask how far they're
going, she isn’t sure but says ‘we’re looking for Red Bluff’ to which I reply, pointing straight down river ‘that’s Red Bluff right there’. Now they look a little relieved, maybe they
thought they we’re lost? |
the view from camp
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T
hey
camped last night around the bend about a mile upriver on a gravel bar
between here and the old railroad trestle piers, they don’t really know how
far they will get but plan to camp two more nights before leaving the
Buffalo and head back home to Missouri. This young family and one other canoe later
in the afternoon are the only boats we see all day, these ‘other’ floaters I
ask if it’s a ‘slow day for the canoe rental business’ since they're only the
second boat we’ve seen today. The man
in the back says ‘no, they’re doing a
bang-up business today at Tyler Bend, but everyone is taking out in Gilbert. |
Red Bluff is hidden up there in the trees
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Back in the shade we’re admiring the smooth bluffline
across the river, which slopes or ‘sinks’ towards the upstream end. Not a tall bluff maybe 40 feet high, but very scenic and quite interesting with swallows
or purple martins darting up and down the river catching bugs. Later I swim over to the
bluffline and find some big algae covered boulders to stand on and watch a school of bluegill. These fish are
smaller than my hand except two slabs, these two keep chasing away
all the little guys, but they always return. |
looking south upriver
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All in all,
it’s a great day, alternating between swimming then
kicking back in the shade, finally around 3:30 we pull ourselves away from
‘fantasy island’ and pack up camp. On
the way out we see another couple and a dog about 200 yards upriver from where
we were set up, we wave to each other and continue on our way up to the
parking area.
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sand and shade
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We definitely picked
the right swimming hole for today, hardly seeing anyone all day I’m rating popularity at 4 today, and 4 as well for amenities, easy access into
the water the pretty bluff and plenty of shade.
If the shade reached a little closer to water’s edge, I’d give it a
5. And finally, for accessibility let’s
say 3, Sand Hole Road is a little steep and rough in places, but overall the drive isn’t bad. Plus
including our side trip to Red Bluff Vista this definitely qualifies as a
‘special’ place, an impressive 11+ rating
for Sand Hole today.
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