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Arkansas | Central Arkansas
Saline RiverLyle Park Access to Saline Crossing Access
Lower Benton Saline River day from Lyle Park to Saline Crossing. AGFC documents the exact 4.2-mile route, both public accesses, the direct Benton gauge ladder, and the low-dam / low-bridge hazard package, so this route ships with explicit mandatory-portage caveats rather than casual flatwater framing.
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Route location
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Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch at Lyle Park and take out at Saline Crossing for the lower Benton Saline split. This route includes the Benton spillway / low-dam and low-water-bridge hazard package, so scout, portage conservatively, and do not treat it like a casual downstream float.
Access map
Put-in
Lyle Park AccessCherry Demuth Access is currently closed, so do not depend on it as a planned mid-route bailout or shuttle point.
Take-out
Saline Crossing AccessAGFC says the Benton Water Purification Plant spillway or low dam about 1.6 miles below Lyle Park can be hazardous and should be portaged when the river is below 4 ft.
Road shuttle
Stage the take-out at Saline Crossing, then drive back to Lyle Park. Inspect both ends before launching and decide in advance how the group will handle the spillway / low-dam portage below Lyle Park.
Additional access notes
- AGFC also warns the downstream low-water bridge loses clearance as the river rises; at 6 ft there is not enough air space to pass under it and portage becomes mandatory.
- Stay with the named public access points and avoid private banks, fences, signs, and purple-painted property lines along the corridor.
More route and safety guidance
- AGFC also warns the downstream low-water bridge becomes a tighter hazard as the river rises; at 6 ft there is not enough air space to pass under it and portage becomes mandatory.
- The Saline can rise quickly after rain, and fresh wood or strainers can turn this short lower segment into a much more consequential run.
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Conditions
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Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Saline River at Benton, AR. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
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Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
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Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Saline River at Benton, AR |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
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| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | 3.60 ft to 5.00 ft |
| Low threshold | 3.50 ft |
| High threshold | 5.00 ft |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Arkansas Game and Fish Saline River Water Trail gauge bands |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official route segmentLyle Park to Saline Crossing, 4.2 miles
AGFC identifies Lyle Park to Saline Crossing as a reviewed lower Saline route with 2 to 3 hour timing in the typical and optimum bands.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-06USGS 07363000
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
- Stage model3.5 / 3.6-5.0 / 5.0 ft
AGFC labels 3.5 ft and below as low, 3.6-4.0 ft as typical, 4.1-5.0 ft as optimum, and 5.1-5.5 ft as high experienced-only water. Paddle Today uses 3.6-5.0 ft as the broad audience band and treats water above 5.0 ft as outside the general recommendation.
- Endpoint coordinatesLyle Park Access 34.5873, -92.6051; Saline Crossing Access 34.54106, -92.60718
AGFC publishes both public lower-route accesses as named map-linked Saline River Water Trail points.
- Lower-route hazard rulesSpillway portage below 4 ft; low bridge mandatory at 6 ft
AGFC says the Benton Water Purification Plant spillway or low dam is hazardous and should be portaged when the river is below 4 ft, and that the downstream low-water bridge has insufficient clearance at 6 ft.
- Camping classificationnone
The reviewed AGFC route materials did not identify legal route camping for Lyle Park or Saline Crossing, and nearby banks should be treated as private.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Other routes nearby
More on Saline River
All 5Nearby routes within 75 miles
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