27-05-2025
Galena outfitters and campgrounds closed due to severe flooding
GALENA, Mo. — Many campers in Galena had to cancel their plans today due to multiple outfitters and campgrounds being shut down from heavy flooding.
James River Outfitters is one of these affected places, which is now closed due to water being at dangerously high levels.
'I think it peaked at about 24 foot around that area.' says Hayley Dy, a staff member at James River Outfitters, 'So it'll probably take us a week or two of cleanup, but hopefully it will be in operation again soon.'
She adds that this is one of the worst flooding incidents James River has experienced.
'We're looking at, you know, quite a bit of debris. 2017, you know, was the worst for us, I'd say,' says Dy. 'But this one, I mean, debris wise for the campground, it will be the most cleanup we've had in a while.'
Y Bridge Canoe & Outfitters was also closed off due to flooding. In a statement given to Ozarks First, they say that they 'would rather lose some business than risk someone getting hurt'.
Some areas were less affected than others, with Kurt Rhodes, owner of Bridge Walker RV Campground, saying the flooding 'really didn't affect us' and has been operating at full capacity.
He does add, however, that there will be a long cleanup process due to large amounts of debris.
'We do have a large mess down at the bottom to clean up. That came from other campgrounds.' says Rhodes, 'That'll be probably what we'll concentrate on this week as soon as it dries up, try to get all the trash picked up so it doesn't go down the river.'
Rhodes is also an advocate for the City of Galena Save our Bridge Campaign, which calls for the repairing of the historic Y-Bridge, an iconic landmark in Galena, which is near his campground.
To learn more about the campaign, you can visit their official Facebook page.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
