12 Best Rivers For An Epic Arkansas Float Trip
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J.B. VanDyke
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Whether you’re a canoe enthusiast, a kayak aficionado, a fan of big rafts, or just someone who loves to hang out on an inner tube, float trips are a staple for those who love the outdoors in the Natural State. Arkansas’s rivers and creeks are a great way to see the best of our gorgeous state. Here are 12 places where you can have epic adventures on the water:
Floating the Cossatot requires a stream depth of three feet, so wet weather is your best bet for a successful float. Cossatot translates to "skull crusher," but the rapids in some sections of the river are classified as medium difficulty. Most of the Cossatot is difficult, very difficult, or exceedingly difficult, however, so know which sections you’ll encounter before you plan your trip. You don’t want to be a novice on exceedingly difficult rapids.
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The Buffalo National River is one of the most popular rivers in the state, and for good reason. It's federally protected, so it's well-preserved. The views of the Ozarks are spectacular, and the bluffs along the river are breathtaking. The entirety of the Buffalo is rated either easy or medium.
If you’re looking for a little one-on-one time with nature, you’ll love the Eleven Point River. Its banks aren’t overdeveloped, so traffic is low. All sections of the Eleven Point River are rated as easy to medium in difficulty.
The Caddo River is another easy to medium difficulty river offering spectacular views of the Ozarks. It’s best floated from March through June. In the heat of the summer, the river may become too low to float.
The rapids on the Mulberry rate from easy to difficult, so make sure and match the section you’ll be floating with your skill level. During the spring, the Mulberry River becomes one of the wildest rivers in the state. The best months to float this river run from late fall through June.
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The Little Red River is another that ranges in difficulty from easy to difficult. It can be floated year round, but due to the upstream dam with its powerhouse, the water is usually higher on weekdays when the demand for electricity is also high.
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The Spring River flows from Mammoth Spring, which means it can be floated year round— but beware if you don't want to float on cold water, because it also means the river is pretty chilly. The river is rated as easy to medium difficulty.
Rated as easy to medium, the upper section of the White River can only be floated seasonally. The lower White River, however, below Bull Shoals Dam, can be floated year-round. Fishing is especially good here in the winter.
If you’re looking at this name and thinking about slow, lazy water, you’ll be in for an unpleasant surprise. It might be the only bayou in the world with difficult whitewater. There are four streams to choose from, and the bayou is rated from easy to difficult. It is only floatable during rainy seasons.
Best floated from April to June or during fall rains, the Kings River is rated from easy to medium. The Kings River begins in the Boston Mountains, the highest part of the Ozarks, and the scenery there is unmatched.
The Little Missouri ranges from easy to very difficult, so do be careful when you choose which section to float. Also be careful which season you choose, as the Little Missouri is only floatable after periods of heavy rainfall. For the best chances of finding the river navigable, try it in the springtime.
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No, Big Piney Creek is not a river, but it is one of the best places to float in the Natural State. Floating usually begins in late fall and lasts through June. It ranges in difficulty from easy to difficult. The third section of Big Piney has rapids with nicknames like "Roller Coaster," "Surfing Hole," and "Cascades of Extinction.
For safety tips and details about the difficulty ratings listed here, try this Floater’s Guide. For more places to float and access points to the rivers on this list, go here and click on the name of the river you’re interested in.
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