Anybody ever float the Green through Mammoth Cave??

Ever float the Green through Mammoth from Munfordville to Houchin's ferry?
How long did it take and was there any trouble finding a sand/gravel bar to camp on?

Thanks.

I floated Munfordville to Dennison ferry last summer on one trip and Green river ferry to Houchins on another. I think the total mileage would be around 40 miles to go from Munfordville to Houchins. Munfordville to Dennison is around 20 miles and there are excellent sand bars for camping just inside the park boundaries which is just a few miles from Dennison. Also from Green river ferry down there were good islands/bars for camping. I don't think you would have much trouble finding a place to camp unless the water is up. As for how long that depends on your pace. You could do the whole thing in two full days on the water but that is not leaving much time for fun. It could be leisurely at 2 1/2 or 3 days. I find that 12 to 15 miles per day on the water is a nice pace. Again a lot of that is how fast of a pace you are comfortable with and how much current is in the river. The stretch from Munfordville down is especially beautiful and I prefer it in that it has riffles and flows better where as when you get into the park it is all one big pool with no riffles. Either end it is a nice float.

kc

[quote=kc;317389]I floated Munfordville to Dennison ferry last summer on one trip and Green river ferry to Houchins on another. I think the total mileage would be around 40 miles to go from Munfordville to Houchins. Munfordville to Dennison is around 20 miles and there are excellent sand bars for camping just inside the park boundaries which is just a few miles from Dennison. Also from Green river ferry down there were good islands/bars for camping. I don't think you would have much trouble finding a place to camp unless the water is up. As for how long that depends on your pace. You could do the whole thing in two full days on the water but that is not leaving much time for fun. It could be leisurely at 2 1/2 or 3 days. I find that 12 to 15 miles per day on the water is a nice pace. Again a lot of that is how fast of a pace you are comfortable with and how much current is in the river. The stretch from Munfordville down is especially beautiful and I prefer it in that it has riffles and flows better where as when you get into the park it is all one big pool with no riffles. Either end it is a nice float.

kc[/quote]

Did you do any fishing on that trip? I'm thinking of taking a similar trip with my kayak this spring and I'd like to do some fishing and at least one night camping.

we do it in a canoe, in the summer with current, easy trip, we camp about a
3-4 hour drift to the 1st ferry the next morning, I dont think Id do the trip for the fishing, we would catch bluegill off the island we camped, for a nights meal, but they were so small we would just keep them all and eventully have a mess. You'll see a few trout lines when the water is stable in the summer, and some jugs

so with a fast enough drift we basicly guide the canoe, and camped. in a boat you'd be at the first ferry in an easy days time.

we do it all the time on the cumberland river down to burkesville from the dam, in a boat its 35 plus miles

As the others stated, it is a very enjoyable trip. Easy camping -you need a permit but they are free. The fishing is not spectacular, we normaly catch a lot of dink bass. It's still a fun trip. Just don't try to do too much, 5 - 10 miles a day and you have plety of time at your campsite, no sense in feeling rushed when you're out there to have a good, relaxing time.

We fished a little but on one trip we had two canoes and wives and on the other trip I had a bunch of canoes with scouts / parents so I the only fishing on that trip was when we stopped. I have also canoed above Munfordville several times (from 31E at Rio to Mville -- about 11 miles, nice day trip) and I fished a little more on those trips. I haven't done spectacular on these trips but I have caught fish. I don't think I have fished it enough to really get to know how to catch fish on the river. Essentially I stuck a couple of ultra-light rods and small crank baits for fun fishing and we caught panfish and small bass. The river has a lot of spots (KY bass) and there are smallmouth in the river. I hear from the locals that they catch some walleyes and occasionally a muskie. I would think this to be a good fishery if one can take the time to learn it. I know it is a beautiful, peaceful river to float.

kc