#kayaking
Norman to Caddo Gap on the Caddo River
The 2021 Spring has been a crazy float season in Arkansas so far. The rain has been even more unpredictable than usual. I’ve cancelled more floats this year than ever due to water being either too high or too low because of the crazy rain. We’ve even had some cold weather all the way into mid-May! This can be frustrating, but it also presents opportunities to float sections of rivers that are rarely floatable. One of those sections I finally got to float this Spring was Norman to Caddo Gap on the Caddo River. I have made countless Caddo floats from Caddo Gap down to Glenwood.. And it’s till my favorite float on the Caddo so far. But I like to float as many different sections of rivers as I can. So when Norman to Caddo Gap on the Caddo River was finally floatable on a day ...
Floating Kyle’s Landing to Ozark on the Buffalo River
Spring is here and it’s time to float the upper portion of your favorite rivers. This year, my first float trip was Kyle’s Landing to Ozark on the Buffalo River. I usually make it a point to float Ponca to Kyle’s Landing every year. But I’m on a mission to float all the sections of the Buffalo I haven’t done yet, along with some new rivers. So floating this section on the Upper Buffalo was a top priority. It will likely be too low to float by mid-June, so you’ve got to get it while you can! We had a perfect Saturday for floating the last weekend of March. The area had gotten some good rain that week and the river was really high that Friday. But the Upper Buffalo drains off quickly, and by Saturday the water level was just right. Combine that with a sunn...
Wolf Pen to Byrd’s on the Mulberry River
Folks, we have had some really good (and rare) late-summer floating opportunities this year. I have written several times about taking advantage of the prime floating conditions of Spring and early Summer. One of the spots this really applies to is the run from Wolf Pen to Byrd’s on the Mulberry River. I missed my chance early in the summer. But thanks to all the rain from the hurricanes, I got a rare late-summer chance to float this section of river on Labor Day weekend. I have stated in a previous article that High Bank to Byrd’s was one of my favorite floats in the state. Well, I’m adding 4 miles to that run and saying Wolf Pen to Byrd’s is now one of my favorites! Not only did we catch it when it was runnable – it was actually high. If you’re lucky e...
Floating and Fishing on the Upper Ouachita
For the past two summers, I have joined up with my paddling friends in Hot Springs to go floating and fishing on the Upper Ouachita River. I have written about floating the Lower Ouachita before. Even though this is the same river, it’s an entirely different float. What I call the Lower Ouachita runs from out of Lake Catherine down to Malvern and beyond. But what I call the Upper Ouachita is the western portion of that same river, running into Lake Ouachita. The Upper Ouachita is very different from the Lower because it is not fed by a lake. So the water level gets pretty low. I really don’t recommend this river in mid-summer for anyone looking for a fun float with good flow. But I DO recommend it for anyone looking for a place to float and fish. It is great river to catch some...
Woolum to Baker Ford Float on the Buffalo
The Woolum to Baker Ford float is one of those Buffalo River sections that can easily get overlooked. It sits between several more talked-about stretches, yet it has plenty to offer in its own right. At around 11 miles, it makes for a nice, quiet day on the water with a good mix of scenery, long gravel bars, and a more peaceful feel than some of the busier sections of the river. If the water is there, it is a float that is well worth considering. This section can be a little hit or miss by mid-summer because the river level in this area can drop quickly. The Buffalo is known for going dry in places along this reach when water levels get low, so checking conditions before you go is important. The National Park Service notes that this stretch can even become a dry riverbed in spots during lo...
Floating the Little Missouri from the Narrows Dam
We have reached that part of the Summer where floatable rivers can be a little hard to find. Outside of the lower Buffalo and a few others, most of the popular rivers get too low without any rain. That leaves us with the spring-fed rivers of northern AR and southern MO, and several dam-fed rivers flowing from lakes. Examples of these would be the Little Red, lower Caddo and lower Ouachita, which I have written about. And last weekend, I learned all about floating the Little Missouri from the Narrows Dam at Lake Greeson. Floatable rivers may be a little hard to find this time of year, and whitewater is even harder. But when the Narrows Dam starts releasing water into the Little Missouri River, buckle up and hang on! No, I don’t mean crazy rafting whitewater like you might see in Color...
Tyler Bend to Gilbert Float on the Buffalo River
I have seen a lot of requests lately asking what is the best float for beginners. I have seen this asked in various social media groups and been asked several times directly. There are a lot of great floats in our state that are great for beginners. And maybe one day I’ll devote a whole article to that list. But there’s one float that comes to mind that I recommend more than any other. The Tyler Bend to Gilbert float on the Buffalo River is, in my opinion, the best float for a first time or novice paddler. Why is that? I’m glad you asked. It’s a combination of several reasons. First, it’s an easy float that is safe for beginners. But it also has beautiful scenery, and enough swift water to make it fun. Next, it’s location makes it the quickest on the Buf...
Floating Byrd’s to Turner Bend on the Mulberry River
There is a general rule of thumb for floating the Mulberry. The deeper we get into summer, the further downriver we have to start our float. Occasionally we will get enough rain to change that rule. But for the most part it pretty much stands true. By mid-June, floating Byrd’s to Turner Bend on the Mulberry River is a popular choice for many paddlers. When the water level is above 3 feet, floating Byrd’s to Turner Bend on the Mulberry River is a really great float. At 2-3 feet, you’ll drag in a few spots and have to paddle more, but still have a run float. At 2 feet, you’ll probably have to start at Redding Campground. So for me, 3-4 feet is the sweet spot for this part of the river. I have been able to do this float a few times when most other rivers were dried up....
Floating High Bank to Byrd’s on the Mulberry River
For those seeking a fast and fun paddling adventure in the Arkansas Ozarks, a float trip on the Mulberry River is a must. Floating High Bank to Byrd’s on the Mulberry River is one of my favorite sections of river in the state. I love it because the steady flow and swift rapids make this river so much fun. And this particular section has some of the best rapids. At only 4.7 miles long, this short float is loaded with lots of fun action. It is a great option for a quick and exciting half-day float. Or combine it with Wolf Pen, or maybe float on down to Redding for a longer, full-day float. The great thing about the Mulberry – there are so many options for different float combinations. Combine all that with the natural beauty of the area, and the Mulberry River is easily one of th...
Floating Ponca to Kyle’s Landing on the Buffalo River
Floating Ponca to Kyle’s Landing on the Buffalo River is one of the classic day floats in Arkansas. This stretch of the Upper Buffalo has almost everything people hope for when they plan a Buffalo River trip: fast-moving water, emerald pools, towering bluffs, rocky shoals, and some of the most iconic scenery in the state. This is also one of the most water-dependent floats on the Buffalo. When the level is right, it is hard to beat. When it is too low, it quickly turns into a long day of dragging. So while Ponca to Kyle’s Landing should be high on the list for anyone wanting to float the Upper Buffalo, the river level needs to make the final decision. At a Glance Distance: 10.1 miles Difficulty: Moderate Ponca Access: 36.021230, -93.354789 Roark Bluff: 36.043796, -93.343878 Ste...
Floating the Lower Ouachita River
As the mid-Summer sun beats the Arkansas paddling rivers down to an unfloatable trickle, finding a place to paddle becomes a challenge. This is when it becomes necessary to turn to spring-fed options like the Eleven Point River, or dam-fed options like the Little Red or Little Missouri Rivers. For many in Central and South Arkansas, floating the Lower Ouachita River from Lake Catherine to Malvern is the go-to option. I had never floated this river until 2014. But I was pleasantly surprised by it and have made many return trips since then. I really like this float for so many reasons. Aside from being a short drive, the put-in and take-outs are also really easy to access. It’s a float that you can do fairly quick, or you can make it last all day. And best of all, the river almost alwa...
Floating the Caddo River – Caddo Gap to Glenwood
The Caddo River is the premier floating river in the Ouachita region for casual paddlers. For those that don’t have the whitewater paddling skill to tackle the Cossatot or Little Missouri Rivers, the Caddo is the place to be. A good argument can be made for the Ouachita River, which has some very scenic stretches. But it doesn’t tend to keep a good flow for as long as the Caddo does. A good reliable flow is why floating the Caddo River from Caddo Gap to Glenwood is one of the most popular floats in the area. As someone that mostly floated the Buffalo and Mulberry Rivers for the longest time, I was late to the party on floating the Caddo. But once I finally floated it in 2013, I was pleasantly surprised at what a great float it is. In fact, it’s regular trip for me nearly ...
