Lower Bow Overnight Float Trip: Islands.

[PMDun]

Several of us are planning to do our annual overnight fly fishing float trip on the Lower Bow later on this summer. Come late afternoon, we pitch our tents, have an early supper in hopes of catching the perfect evening caddis hatch. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it don't. Don't matter, we always have a great time...rain or shine. We leave no trace and pack our garbage out every trip. My question to this forum is "Does anyone know if the islands along the Lower Bow are actually owned or can actually anyone pitch a tent on them?" We have noticed more landowners letting their cattle graze on these islands now that some of the side channels are bone dry. Waiting for you replies.

 

[WaderGal]

This is a good question, you are allowed to camp anywhere below the high-water line. That includes islands with low flow channels that historically where cut off from the main land and are now filled up with gravel.

[PMDun]

WaderGal,

Thanks for the clarification. You couldn't of explained it any better.

Eventhough there's a very slim chance we'd ever be questioned by a landowner, it's good to know that we are good to go as long as we stay below the high water mark. Don't mind sharing the site with a few cows.

We've been asking ourselves the same question since we started our overnight float trips decades ago. Makes for some good campfire talk. Prior to the devastating floods, we had no problems finding camping spots on the islands.

Nowadays, Google Earth view offers great views from way above but when we set foot on the ground, we soon find out that most of these islands are littered with boulders, ruts, bumps and holes.

Next time we do a day float, we'll keep looking for those good high & dry campsites with even ground and mark them on our gps. Tough to find when we've got to pitch several tents.