I had the opportunity to take a 3,500 feet ride (that's half way across) on top of the Spillway structure out to where the oaks are. We rode on a small rail car that rides directly over the very swollen Mississippi River on one side and the rushing water of the opened locks on the other side. The thundering roar of the water, accompanied by the wind, made for a daring ride.
And, yes, I was terribly afraid. Notice the grip on the railing.
I was happy to have gotten a closer look at the mature live oak trees. Hopefully, they will survive this Spillway opening as well as they did in previous years.