Arkansas is a very unique place to live and recreate in, especially with respect to whitewater paddling. Home to more than 1000 miles of navigable waterways, Arkansas is definitely a place for all paddlers. Most of the whitewater paddling exists in two out of the five main physiographic regions of Arkansas. The Ozark Plateau and the Ouachita Mountains, both offer great whitewater, but the characteristics are very different. All paddlers in Arkansas will tell you that it is a special day when you get to hit the creeks. This is mainly because Arkansas whitewater is completely rain dependent. In times of draught, time is spent scouting, hiking, and cleaning creeks. Then when it does finally rain, the telephones ring, plans are made, and usually some drive time is involved to get to where the water fell. There is no true "paddling season" in Arkansas, which makes it hard to plan a visit to Arkansas just to paddle. For locals, this means no lines at play holes and surf waves and small groups on rivers and creeks. What does that mean for people visiting the area? If you're a boater and just so happen to be here when it rains, you'll definitely be welcome to join us and guaranteed a good time.

The Cossatot is probably the premier whitewater run in Arkansas. S1 consists of mostly class II rapids and is suitable for boaters with a little experience on whitewater.

There are really too many creeks and rivers in Arkansas to name all of them, but below is a list of the "classics" and they range in difficulty from class II to class V (depending on water levels)

Arkansas Organizations
Arkansas has some great learning centers and retail support for our sport.