Dorena-Hickman Ferry to remain closed through Aug. 4

July 31, 2020

The Dorena-Hickman Ferry will remain out of service through Tuesday, August 4, 2020.

Some additional parts required to finish out repairs to the engines did not arrive as scheduled. They are now expected to be available sometime Tuesday with the additional repair work expected to take much of the day, Tuesday.

This will keep the ferry out of service through the day Tuesday. It also means the ferry will initially not be available as an alternate route when the U.S. 51 Ohio River “Cairo” Bridge closes for 30 days starting at 6:30 a.m., CDT, Saturday, August 1.

The Dorena-Hickman Ferry will provide timely notice when service is able to resume.

The Dorena-Hickman Ferry connects KY 1354 at Hickman, Kentucky, with Missouri Route A and Route 77 near Dorena, Missouri. In addition to providing a critical transportation link between Kentucky and Missouri for daily commuters and farmers, the ferry serves as a tourist attraction for the region and provides a convenient route between Southeast Missouri and the popular fishing and recreation areas around nearby Reelfoot Lake in Northwest Tennessee.

The Dorena-Hickman Ferry Operates from the Hickman Landing with regular river crossings during daylight hours. Round trip passage for passenger vehicles is $14 with additional tolls for trucks, motor homes, and vehicles pulling trailers. There are discounts for vehicles making return crossings.

Missouri and Kentucky have the geographic distinction of being the only border states that are not directly connected by a road or bridge. The only direct route between the two states is the Dorena-Hickman Ferry.

The ferry is operated by the Mississippi County Port Authority with funding support from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Missouri Department of Transportation.

The Dorena-Hickman Ferry operates at Mississippi River navigation mile point 922.0.

Motorists may check on the ferry’s operating status by calling (731) 693-0210 or at https://www.facebook.com/DorenaHickmanFerry/.