#OuachitaRiver
Floating Oden to the Cave On the Ouachita River
Floating Oden to the Cave on the Upper Ouachita River is an easy six-mile trip through the Ouachita Mountains. It is a good choice for kids, beginners, fishermen, or anyone looking for a laid-back day on the water. The river has enough current and small shoals to keep the trip interesting. However, it never becomes technical or intimidating. This is not a float for thrill seekers searching for big rapids and nonstop splashy water. Instead, expect long pools, steady paddling, several good swim holes, and short sections of fast-moving water. It reminded me of our previous float on the Upper Ouachita River. However, the pools on this section are not quite as long or flat. The scenery also improves considerably during the second half of the trip. Quick Glance Distance: 6 miles Difficulty: Easy...
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...
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...
