My paddling and fishing dataset is unique and comprehensive — the first complete digital collection covering the entire Appalachian Mountain region, the Ozarks, and the Western mountains. It compiles over 40,000 river, creek, and lake segments, and includes data you will not find anywhere else. Approximately 35% of these segments are absent from any guidebooks, websites, government publications, or other maps.

What each segment contains

• Distance (miles): precise segment length measured along the flowline.

• Gradient (FPM): feet per mile — the average vertical drop per mile for the segment.

• Difficulty (where available): International Scale of River Difficulty (Class 1-6).

• Access points: personally visited field-verified entries for more than 20,000 access points. Every road–river interaction is rated 1–4 (1 = excellent, 4 = impossible). I document all river crossings, not only “official” access sites; approximately 70% of boater-used access is unofficial.

• Parking: estimated number of nearby parking spaces, typically roadside pull-offs adjacent to the access point.

• Catchment (river size in square miles): drainage area for each segment. Useful for assessing paddling viability and for correlating with USGS gauges to infer current stream conditions. Also, for Western streams the yearly precipitation for the catchment is computed.

• Dams, falls, and hazards: mapped obstacles that impede downstream passage. Major man-made and natural impediments are included where known. (Note: transient hazards such as downed trees, low bridges, and temporary obstructions can change year to year and are not displayable.)

Why this dataset matters

• Coverage: the only full digital catalog spanning three major U.S. mountain regions.

• Exclusivity: tens of thousands of segments and thousands of access points not documented elsewhere.

• Field-verified access data: on-the-ground assessments for access quality and parking make planning safer and more realistic.

• Hydrologic context: catchment area and gradient let you judge stream size and character, helping you decide when and where to paddle or fish.

• Safety and route planning: difficulty ratings and known obstacles support informed decisions for trip safety and logistics.

Limitations and caveats

• Dynamic conditions: temporary obstacles and local changes (fallen trees, new fences, washed-out roads) can occur after survey; use recent local observations and gauge data to confirm conditions.

• Not all segments have difficulty ratings; ratings are included where available.

• Parking counts are estimates of nearby roadside spaces and may change with local development or seasonal use.

Deliverables and formats

• Some maps are being put into an online format (ArcGIS Map Viewer)

• All maps may be downloaded to your computer for future viewing or printing.

• Some maps may be purchased as printed books (11” x 17” landscape)

• Pricing to be found on individual pages.