State routes

Arkansas Rivers

Compare 41 tracked Arkansas paddle routes with route links, water-level context, difficulty, and access planning details.

40 routes support live scores. 1 planning-only routes provide trip details and source links without a live route score.

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41 routes9 rivers6 regions9 beginner routes

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Coverage snapshot

Explore supported Arkansas rivers

Scan the highlighted river network from above, then use the route guides and access markers to find a supported reach.

41 route markers6 multi-route rivers9 beginner routes

Supported riverSelected reachAccess-point connectionStrong conditionsGood conditionsWatch closelySkip

Ozark Highlands 15 Delta 9 Ozark Arkansas 6 Central Arkansas 5 Northwest Arkansas 3 Ouachita Mountains 3

Live conditions

Best Arkansas routes today

Loading current scores, gauge reads, and weather signals.

--Live

Delta

Bayou DeView

Apple Lake Access to Bank of Brinkley Access

Easy | About 4.3 mi | About 2.5 hr to 4 hr, longer if route-finding, wind, or wood slows the lower floodplain channels | Live score supported

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--Live

Delta

Bayou DeView

Benson Creek Access to Apple Lake Access

Easy | About 10.9 mi | About 5.5 hr to 8 hr, longer if route-finding, wood, or low water slows the floodplain travel | Live score supported

View trip details

--Live

Delta

Bayou DeView

Benson Creek Access to Bank of Brinkley Access

Moderate | About 15.2 mi | About 8 hr to 12 hr, potentially longer if route-finding, wind, wood, or a primitive overnight stop breaks up the full trail | Live score supported

View trip details

--Live

Delta

Bayou DeView

Benson Creek Access to Rock Island Road Access

Easy | About 9.4 mi | About 5 hr to 7 hr, longer if route-finding, wood, or low water slows the floodplain travel | Live score supported

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Current scores load here when available. You can still open the route links to check details and sources if this update fails.

Best route options

Good starting points in Arkansas

Ranked from route metadata, source support, difficulty, and logistics.

A rocky, wooded Arkansas river corridor with clear moving water.

Arkansas routeCentral ArkansasSaline RiverPeeler Bend to Lyle Park AccessLaunch at Peeler Bend and take out at Lyle Park for the short middle Benton Saline River split. The direct Benton gauge works well here because the rout...

Route facts

Easy | About 3.8 mi | About 2 hr to 3 hr, longer with low water, swimming, or fishing stops | Live score supportedofficial source support

Bayou DeView winds through a flooded bottomland forest in the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas.

Arkansas routeDeltaBayou DeViewApple Lake Access to Bank of Brinkley AccessLaunch at Apple Lake Access and take out at Bank of Brinkley Access for the lower Bayou DeView segment. Use the Brinkley gauge, verify Apple Lake season...

Route facts

Easy | About 4.3 mi | About 2.5 hr to 4 hr, longer if route-finding, wind, or wood slows the lower floodplain channels | Live score supportedofficial source support

Arkansas routeDeltaBayou DeViewBenson Creek Access to Apple Lake AccessShorter options: 1.5–9.4 miLaunch at Benson Creek Access and take out at Apple Lake Access for a longer upper-to-lower Bayou DeView day. This is still flatwater, but it is not a c...

Route facts

Easy | About 10.9 mi | About 5.5 hr to 8 hr, longer if route-finding, wood, or low water slows the floodplain travel | Live score supportedofficial source support

Arkansas routeDeltaBayou DeViewBenson Creek Access to Rock Island Road AccessShorter options: 2.1–7.3 miLaunch at Benson Creek Access and take out at Rock Island Road Access for a longer upper-to-middle Bayou DeView day. This is still flatwater, but it is...

Route facts

Easy | About 9.4 mi | About 5 hr to 7 hr, longer if route-finding, wood, or low water slows the floodplain travel | Live score supportedofficial source support

Arkansas routeDeltaBayou DeViewHickson Lake Access to Apple Lake AccessShorter options: 1.5–2.9 miLaunch at Hickson Lake Access and take out at Apple Lake Access for a mid-length Bayou DeView continuation. This is still flatwater, but it is not a cas...

Route facts

Easy | About 4.4 mi | About 2.5 hr to 4 hr, longer if route-finding, wood, or low water slows the floodplain travel | Live score supportedofficial source support

Arkansas routeDeltaBayou DeViewHickson Lake Access to Bank of Brinkley AccessShorter options: 1.5–5.8 miLaunch at Hickson Lake Access and take out at Bank of Brinkley Access for a longer lower-half Bayou DeView route. Use the Brinkley gauge, verify Apple L...

Route facts

Easy | About 8.7 mi | About 5 hr to 7 hr, longer if route-finding, wind, or wood slows the lower floodplain channels | Live score supportedofficial source support

Beginner routes

Arkansas beginner routes

These routes are tagged easy in the route data. Today's water can still change the call.

Showing 8 of 9 beginner routes. Use the Easy difficulty filter below to see the full set.

Weekend planning

Routes with practical logistics

Use the live weekend board for score-based recommendations.

Bayou DeViewApple Lake Access to Bank of Brinkley AccessAbout 4.3 mi | About 2.5 hr to 4 hr, longer if route-finding, wind, or wood slows the lower floodplain channels Bayou DeViewBenson Creek Access to Apple Lake AccessAbout 10.9 mi | About 5.5 hr to 8 hr, longer if route-finding, wood, or low water slows the floodplain travel Bayou DeViewBenson Creek Access to Bank of Brinkley AccessAbout 15.2 mi | About 8 hr to 12 hr, potentially longer if route-finding, wind, wood, or a primitive overnight stop breaks up the full trail Bayou DeViewBenson Creek Access to Rock Island Road AccessAbout 9.4 mi | About 5 hr to 7 hr, longer if route-finding, wood, or low water slows the floodplain travel Bayou DeViewHickson Lake Access to Apple Lake AccessAbout 4.4 mi | About 2.5 hr to 4 hr, longer if route-finding, wood, or low water slows the floodplain travel Bayou DeViewHickson Lake Access to Bank of Brinkley AccessAbout 8.7 mi | About 5 hr to 7 hr, longer if route-finding, wind, or wood slows the lower floodplain channels

Browse coverage

Rivers and regions

Expand a river or region to browse its routes.

By river

Buffalo River13

Buffalo River hub Erbie to Hasty Erbie to Pruitt Kyle's Landing to Hasty Kyle's Landing to Pruitt Ponca to Erbie Ponca to Hasty Ponca to Kyle's Landing Ponca to Steel Creek Pruitt to Hasty Steel Creek to Erbie Steel Creek to Pruitt Tyler Bend to Gilbert Tyler Bend to Grinder's Ferry

Bayou DeView9

Bayou DeView hub Apple Lake Access to Bank of Brinkley Access Benson Creek Access to Apple Lake Access Benson Creek Access to Bank of Brinkley Access Benson Creek Access to Rock Island Road Access Hickson Lake Access to Apple Lake Access Hickson Lake Access to Bank of Brinkley Access Hickson Lake Access to Rock Island Road Access Rock Island Road Access to Apple Lake Access Rock Island Road Access to Bank of Brinkley Access

Crooked Creek6

Crooked Creek hub Lower Pyatt Access to Kelley's Slab Access Lower Pyatt Access to Mark Oliver Access Lower Pyatt Access to Snow Access Mark Oliver Access to Kelley's Slab Access Snow Access to Kelley's Slab Access Snow Access to Mark Oliver Access

Saline River5

Saline River hub Lyle Park Access to Saline Crossing Access Peeler Bend to Lyle Park Access Peeler Bend to Saline Crossing Access Tony Kelly Ford Access to Lyle Park Access Tony Kelly Ford Access to Saline Crossing Access

Illinois River3

Illinois River hub Chamber Springs Access to Siloam Springs Kayak Park Chamber Springs Access to WOKA Whitewater Park Siloam Springs Kayak Park to WOKA Whitewater Park

Ouachita River2

Ouachita River hub Dragover Day Use west access to east access Remmel Dam to Ouachita River Whitewater Park

Cossatot River1

Ed Banks Access to Highway 278 Access

Kings River1

Rockhouse Access to Trigger Gap

Mulberry River1

Redding Recreation Area to Turner Bend

By region

Central Arkansas5

Saline River: Lyle Park Access to Saline Crossing Access Saline River: Peeler Bend to Lyle Park Access Saline River: Peeler Bend to Saline Crossing Access Saline River: Tony Kelly Ford Access to Lyle Park Access Saline River: Tony Kelly Ford Access to Saline Crossing Access

Delta9

Bayou DeView: Apple Lake Access to Bank of Brinkley Access Bayou DeView: Benson Creek Access to Apple Lake Access Bayou DeView: Benson Creek Access to Bank of Brinkley Access Bayou DeView: Benson Creek Access to Rock Island Road Access Bayou DeView: Hickson Lake Access to Apple Lake Access Bayou DeView: Hickson Lake Access to Bank of Brinkley Access Bayou DeView: Hickson Lake Access to Rock Island Road Access Bayou DeView: Rock Island Road Access to Apple Lake Access Bayou DeView: Rock Island Road Access to Bank of Brinkley Access

Northwest Arkansas3

Illinois River: Chamber Springs Access to Siloam Springs Kayak Park Illinois River: Chamber Springs Access to WOKA Whitewater Park Illinois River: Siloam Springs Kayak Park to WOKA Whitewater Park

Ouachita Mountains3

Cossatot River: Ed Banks Access to Highway 278 Access Ouachita River: Dragover Day Use west access to east access Ouachita River: Remmel Dam to Ouachita River Whitewater Park

Ozark Arkansas6

Crooked Creek: Lower Pyatt Access to Kelley's Slab Access Crooked Creek: Lower Pyatt Access to Mark Oliver Access Crooked Creek: Lower Pyatt Access to Snow Access Crooked Creek: Mark Oliver Access to Kelley's Slab Access Crooked Creek: Snow Access to Kelley's Slab Access Crooked Creek: Snow Access to Mark Oliver Access

Ozark Highlands15

Buffalo River: Erbie to Hasty Buffalo River: Erbie to Pruitt Buffalo River: Kyle's Landing to Hasty Buffalo River: Kyle's Landing to Pruitt Buffalo River: Ponca to Erbie Buffalo River: Ponca to Hasty Buffalo River: Ponca to Kyle's Landing Buffalo River: Ponca to Steel Creek Buffalo River: Pruitt to Hasty Buffalo River: Steel Creek to Erbie Buffalo River: Steel Creek to Pruitt Buffalo River: Tyler Bend to Gilbert Buffalo River: Tyler Bend to Grinder's Ferry Kings River: Rockhouse Access to Trigger Gap Mulberry River: Redding Recreation Area to Turner Bend

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All tracked routes

Every Arkansas route on Paddle Today

41 routes with condition and access details.

Showing all 41 routes.

Quick answers

Arkansas paddling FAQ

How does Paddle Today choose Arkansas paddle routes?

Paddle Today lists source-backed routes with reviewed access and trip information. This page includes 40 routes with live-score support and 1 planning-only routes across 9 rivers. Planning-only routes do not have a live route score.

Are these Arkansas river conditions live?

Scored routes show the latest available conditions, subject to data availability. Planning-only routes provide trip information and source links without a live route score. Check update times and missing-data notices, and verify conditions with the linked managers before leaving.

Can I request another Arkansas route?

Yes. Use the request form to send the river, reach, access points, and any source links. Requests help prioritize useful additions with verified public access and route evidence.