River guideArkansas

Crooked Creek

Compare trips by distance, difficulty and current conditions. Open a trip for its map, directions and planning tools.

6trips

6with daily scores

5.2–18.5 midistance range

Moderatedifficulty

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Your tripLower Pyatt Access to Kelley's Slab AccessAbout 18.5 mi for the full corridor; choose a shorter segment in the access planner · About 7–10 hr · moderate

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River overview

Crooked Creek paddle planning

What to verify before you commit.

Water levels

These Crooked Creek routes use Crooked Creek at Kelly Crossing at Yellville, AR as the main gauge reference.

Route options

Compare 6 routes (6 scored · 0 planning) across Ozark Arkansas. Open a route page for put-in, take-out, distance, data reliability, and access notes.

Difficulty

Crooked Creek routes here are marked moderate, so choose the stretch that fits your group and conditions.

AGFC water trail · Marion County, Arkansas

Choose a section on the Crooked Creek Water Trail

Start with the three published legs from Lower Pyatt through Snow and Mark Oliver to Kelley’s Slab. Longer trip options remain selectable in the trip cards.

The three legs total about 18.5 miles to Kelley’s Slab. The route cards also include a Lower Pyatt-to-Mark Oliver day and other endpoint choices; each retains its own distance, shuttle, and access notes.

Rain, gauge, and private land

AGFC describes Crooked Creek as rainfall dependent and warns that it can rise quickly. Its 12–12.5 ft reading at the Kelly Crossing gauge is a moderate floating band, not a complete high-water safety ladder. Check the live USGS 07055607 gauge, recent rain, and the observation time; scout conditions before launching. AGFC flags Kelley’s Slab as hazardous under some conditions.

Almost all creekside property is private. Use the named public accesses; primitive camping is available at Snow and Brooksher Preserve, while Fred Berry requires the center manager’s permission. Camping is limited to one night per campsite. Brooksher has no road access, so plan around its river-only location.

Check AGFC’s Crooked Creek Water Trail access, mileage, conditions, and camping guidance before choosing a trip.

Quick answers

Crooked Creek paddling FAQ

Where can I paddle the Crooked Creek?

Paddle Today tracks 6 Crooked Creek routes across Ozark Arkansas. Compare the route cards on this page, then open an individual route for put-in, take-out, distance, and access notes.

How should I check Crooked Creek water levels?

Check the gauge notes for your stretch and its live score where available. This hub uses Crooked Creek at Kelly Crossing at Yellville, AR. Planning routes have no live score; check their source guidance and current access notices.

Which Crooked Creek route is best today?

Compare current scores where available, along with water level, recent trend, weather, access, and route difficulty. Planning-only cards provide trip information without a live paddling recommendation.