{{Short description|River in central Missouri, United States}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}}

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The '''Gasconade River''' is about {{convert|280|mi}} long<ref name=NHD>U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329155652/http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ |date=2012-03-29 }}, accessed May 31, 2011</ref> and is located in central and south-central Missouri.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://reference.allrefer.com/gazetteer/G/G00936-gasconade-river.html |title=AllRefer.com - Gasconade River, Missouri (MO) (Wright County) - (River) - Facts and Information |access-date=2005-12-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051117084021/http://reference.allrefer.com/gazetteer/G/G00936-gasconade-river.html |archive-date=2005-11-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="southwestpaddler.com">{{cite web |url=http://southwestpaddler.com/docs/missouri6b.html |title = Gasconade River, Missouri}}</ref>

The Gasconade River begins in the Ozarks southwest of Hartville in Wright County and flows generally north-northeastwardly through Wright, Laclede, Pulaski, Phelps, Maries, Osage and Gasconade counties, through portions of the Mark Twain National Forest. It flows into the Missouri River near the town of Gasconade in Gasconade County.<ref>{{Cite GNIS|750029|Gasconade River}}<!--replaced URL--></ref><ref name="southwestpaddler.com"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.missouricanoe.org/river-maps/gasconade.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060810024454/http://www.missouricanoe.org/river-maps/gasconade.html |archive-date=2006-08-10 |title=Missouri's Gasconade River}}</ref> At Rich Fountain, the river has a mean annual discharge of 3,097 cubic feet per second.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/annual/?format=sites_selection_links&search_site_no=06934000&agency_cd=USGS&amp;referred_module=sw |title = USGS Surface Water data for Missouri: USGS Surface-Water Annual Statistics}}</ref>

==Name== The name Gasconade is derived from "Gascon", an inhabitant of the French region of Gascony.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_gasconade.html |title=Gasconade County Place Names, 1928–1945 (archived) |publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri |access-date=2 October 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418052819/http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_gasconade.html |archive-date=18 April 2016 }}</ref> The people of that province were noted for their boastfulness. It was applied by the early French to the Indians living on its banks who bragged about their exploits. The name means to boast or brag, and thus the river received its name. The waters of the river are boisterous and boastful and the name is also descriptive.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RfAuAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA168 | title=How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named (in public domain)| publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri | author=Eaton, David Wolfe | year=1916 | pages=168–169}}</ref>

==River course== The headwaters of the Gasconade are in the southeastern corner of Webster County northeast of Seymour, Missouri where it drains the eastern margin of the Springfield Plateau at approximately {{coord|37|11|54|N|92|41|44|W|display=inline}}.<ref>USGS Mansfield NW 7.5 min. Quadrangle [http://www.topoquest.com/map.php?lat=37.19834&lon=-92.69565&datum=nad27&zoom=8&map=auto&coord=dms&mode=pan&size=m Topoquest]</ref> The river joins the Missouri River at the city of Gasconade at {{coord|38|40|28|N|91|32|55|W|display=inline,title}}.<ref name=Gasconade>[http://www.topoquest.com/map.php?lat=38.67459&lon=-91.54862&datum=nad27&zoom=16&map=auto&coord=dms&mode=pan&size=m USGS Gasconade 7.5 min. Quad]</ref> The river follows a meandering course through the Ordovician age dolomite and sandstone bedrock of the Ozark Salem Plateau creating spectacular bluffs and incised meanders along the way.<ref>A. G. Unklesbay, Jerry D. Vineyard. Missouri Geology — Three Billion Years of Volcanoes, Seas, Sediments, and Erosion, University of Missouri Press, 1992. {{ISBN|0-8262-0836-3}}</ref> Numerous springs and caves occur within the drainage area and along the river course. Significant tributaries include the Osage Fork of Webster and Laclede counties and Roubidoux Creek and Big Piney River of Texas and Pulaski counties. The Roubidoux and Big Piney flow respectively along the west and east boundaries of Fort Leonard Wood which lies a short distance south and east of the Gasconade.

The plateau surface near the midpoint is {{Convert|300|ft|m|abbr=off}} above the river bottom near the river midpoint northeast of Waynesville creating scenic river bluffs.<ref>USGS Dixon 7.5 min. Quad</ref> At the junction with the Missouri the river bottom is about {{convert|400|ft}} lower in elevation than the old plateau surface above the river.<ref name=Gasconade/> The elevation of the plateau rim at the headwaters is at or above {{convert|1600|ft}} with local hilltops at over {{convert|1700|ft}} (second highest elevation in Missouri near Cedar Gap). The elevation at the confluence with the Missouri is {{convert|500|ft}} giving an overall drainage basin relief of {{convert|1200|ft}}.

The Gasconade River is the longest river completely within the boundary of Missouri. It has been called one of the world's crookedest rivers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://southwestpaddler.com/docs/missouri6b.html |title=Gasconade River, Missouri |publisher=Southwestpaddler.com |access-date=2012-08-17}}</ref>

==Recreational use== It is ranked with a difficulty of I and II (seldom) by those who canoe, kayak and float.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.missouricanoe.org/river-maps/gasconade.html |title=Missouri's Gasconade River |publisher=Missouricanoe.org |access-date=2012-08-17 |archive-date=2011-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927233635/http://www.missouricanoe.org/river-maps/gasconade.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is considered a good float stream because there's typically not a heavy congestion of boats. It is common to go for many miles without seeing another boat.<ref name=fish>{{cite web |url= http://www.canoemissouri.com/fishing.html |title= Great fishing on the Gasconade River |publisher= Gasconade Hills Resort |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120118131505/http://www.canoemissouri.com/fishing.html |archive-date= 2012-01-18}}</ref>

There are caves and an abundance of wildlife along the river and is considered a popular place by anglers for its largemouth bass and smallmouth bass.<ref name=fish/>

==See also== {{portal|Rivers|Missouri}} *List of Missouri rivers *Gasconade Bridge train disaster

==References== {{reflist|22em}}

==Sources== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20051117084021/http://reference.allrefer.com/gazetteer/G/G00936-gasconade-river.html Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry] *DeLorme (2002). ''Missouri Atlas & Gazetteer''. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. {{ISBN|0-89933-353-2}}. *{{Gnis|750029}} *[http://www.missouricanoe.org/river-maps/gasconade.html Missouri Canoe - an electronic reprint of a Missouri Department of Conservation document] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927233635/http://www.missouricanoe.org/river-maps/gasconade.html |date=2011-09-27 }} *[http://southwestpaddler.com/docs/missouri6b.html Southwest Paddler] *[http://www.canoemissouri.com/ Canoe Missouri]

==External links== {{commons category-inline|Gasconade River}}

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Category:Rivers of Missouri Category:Rivers of Gasconade County, Missouri Category:Rivers of Laclede County, Missouri Category:Rivers of Maries County, Missouri Category:Rivers of Osage County, Missouri Category:Rivers of Phelps County, Missouri Category:Rivers of Pulaski County, Missouri Category:Rivers of Wright County, Missouri Category:Bodies of water of the Ozarks Category:Tributaries of the Missouri River