The Jacks Fork is a great Class I-II whitewater river with a moderate gradient and typical Ozark abundance in gorgeous rock formations and plantlife that accentuates it. The Jacks Fork could be a Norman Rockwell painting of Americana. It offers runs of several distances, from short trips to multiple day expeditions that tour the river from The Prongs to the confluence of the Current River east of Eminence. The rapids are not too technical or difficult for moderately experienced paddlers, and for the most part, the rapids can be avoided by those will lesser skills or who chose not to get wet.
The river is serviced by a large number of outfitters and liveries catering to canoeists, kayakers and tubers with everything from boat rentals and shuttles to campsites, RV parks with hookups, cabins and cottages, restaurants, general stores and just about everything else you need for a pleasant river trip. The Jacks Fork offers sixty-seven species of fish (including several species of gamefish such as chain pickerel, shadow bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and warmouth), 19 species of mussels and 5 species of crayfish for anglers. The surrounding terrain is 78% forested and only 22% grass/crop growth, and the river flows through bluffs and cliffs overlooking it from one or both sides much of the time.
Considering the ease of paddling the river, the availability of outfitters and liveries, the sheer beauty of the river and its surroundings and the variety of trip lengths on many sections, it is easy to recommend the Jacks Fork River to anybody wanting a great river trip in the Missouri Ozarks. The ONLY drawback I can find is its remoteness and the driving distance getting there from just about anywhere
