Finley & James River Co.

04/02/2026

Join the River Crew 🛶⛺🚌

We’re gearing up for the season at Finley & James River Co. and looking for great people to join the team.

If you love the outdoors, good people, and being part of something growing.. this might be for you.

👉 Apply here:

The best place to make memories with your family and friends!

03/30/2026

We’re out here working on the new parking lot!

This spot was picked for easy access, keeping that river view wide open, and giving floaters and day visitors a safe place to park.

It’s coming along! We'll keep the updates coming.

03/26/2026

We’re not just working on a campground..
We’re building a place for weekends with family, evenings by the fire, and days on the river.
We can’t wait to welcome you all out here soon!

03/18/2026

Another big step forward this week at Finley & James River Co.
Utilities are going in for all 54 RV sites, bringing us one step closer to opening for the 2026 season.
We’re excited to create a family friendly place where people can float the river, relax, and enjoy the Ozarks.
We will keep the progress updates coming!

03/16/2026

Hello from our family to yours!
We cant wait to share our progress and meet you all very soon!⛺️🛶

03/12/2026

Are you ready for this?
We sure are!

We’re getting closer every week to opening Finley & James River Co. for the 2026 season.

03/04/2026

To the Hootentown community,

We are incredibly honored (and still pinching ourselves a little!) to introduce our family as the new stewards of this special place — now known as Finley & James River Co.

First, we want to say how deeply we respect the Newman family and the legacy they built here. Hootentown has been a place of memories, traditions, and river stories for generations, and we don’t take lightly the trust placed in us to carry that forward.

A little about us — we are a family who loves the outdoors, loves community, and believes some of the best moments in life happen outside… around a campfire, on a gravel bar, or drifting down the river with people you love. We have children of our own, and we understand just how meaningful these simple adventures can be.

Our vision for Finley & James River Co. is simple:

• Preserve what makes this place special
• Create a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere
• Invest thoughtfully in improvements that enhance your experience
• Build a community where guests feel like friends

You can expect the same beautiful river access you’ve always loved — along with fresh energy, thoughtful updates, and a heart for hospitality.

We are excited to meet you, hear your stories, and welcome both familiar faces and first-time visitors. Whether you’ve been coming here for decades or are planning your first float, we can’t wait to be part of your river memories.

Here’s to new beginnings and many sunrises on the water.

With gratitude,
Finley & James River Co.

02/24/2026

To our wonderful Hootentown community,

For years, Hootentown Canoe Rental, Campground and Store has been more than just a business to us—it has been our home, our passion, and the place where we’ve shared countless sunrises and river runs with all of you.

As many of you know, this journey has been filled with incredible memories, but it has also been a time of transition for our family since the passing of our mother in 2024. The property was listed for sale before she passed, and today, we are sharing the news that we have officially sold the business.

To our customers: Thank you. Thank you for choosing us for your weekend escapes, your family reunions, and your quiet mornings on the water. You made Hootentown what it is today, and we are move-to-tears grateful for the support you’ve shown us through the seasons.

The Future of Hootentown:
While this is a bittersweet goodbye for the Newman family, we couldn't be more excited about where Hootentown is headed. We are thrilled to announce that we are transitioning the business to another wonderful family who shares our love for this land and this community. We know they will treat this place with the same heart and dedication that we always strove to provide.

We’re walking away with full hearts and a lifetime of memories. We look forward to seeing Hootentown thrive under its new stewardship and perhaps even seeing you out on the river from the other side of the counter!

With gratitude,
The Newman Family

10/25/2025

Hello everyone!

While the weather is not ideal for the trunk or treat, we are still doing it for those that still want to come!
We will have the store open at 1:00p as well and have our new HT branded merch available.

We will hand out small goodie bags for the kids and will still have a few fires and free s'mores kits.

We hope to see you all there!