(All photos courtesy of Arkansas Dept. of Parks & Tourism)
Those of you who enjoy year-round day trips in the outdoors should consider renting or buying a kayak and exploring some of the state’s many beautiful lakes and streams. For a relatively small investment, you can enjoy fishing, floating or just immersing yourself in a truly peaceful on-the-water experience. With no rumbling of a motor—no sound at all except that of your paddle slicing through the water—you can relax and enjoy seeing more of the nature you’re looking for. The compact size of a ‘yak will leave you free to explore every cove, creek, island and backwater, and when you encounter deer, eagles, herons, foxes and other wild animals, you can stop paddling and drift for a closer view. If you fish from your kayak, the decreased noise and increased access to more remote areas will improve your catches.
All you need now are some places to explore this month. Here are three Arkansas locations where kayaks provide an ideal means to enjoy an unforgettable one-day outdoor adventure away from home.
Siloam Springs Kayak Park
Completed in spring of 2014, this park just south of the city of Siloam Springs (19253 Fisher Ford Road) has rapidly become a hotspot for whitewater paddlers throughout the region. The City of Siloam Springs was awarded a grant from the Walton Family Foundation to purchase riverfront property adjacent to Fisher Ford Road and construct this city park on the Illinois River. The flow of the river has been engineered to create a series of whitewater rapids and standing waves for kayakers. Life jackets, helmets and close-toed shoes are highly recommended. Other park amenities include a swimming area, climbing boulder, accessible walking trails, picnic tables, changing station and two rain gardens.
Unless the waters reach an unsafe level, the park is open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Most of the year, the Kayak Park is free to all users. However, between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, the parking fee is $10 per car on the weekends. This is to reduce overcrowding and increase safety for park visitors. All the information you’ll need to plan a visit can be found at www.siloamspringskayakpark.com.
Cane Creek State Park Kayak Trail
If you’re just learning how to kayak, Cane Creek State Park near Star City is the perfect place to visit. The park rents solo or tandem kayaks to its guests for a very reasonable rate, and offers guided kayak tours and kayaking lessons for the whole family. The tours are available during the afternoon, at sunset and even at night under a bright full moon.
The park encompasses two bodies of water—Cane Creek Lake and Bayou Bartholomew—where a kayak is the perfect vehicle for seeing and photographing local wildlife and plants. You’ll see beautiful cypress trees, gorgeous water lilies and animals that range from majestic eagles and white-tailed deer to waterfowl, woodpeckers, beavers and songbirds. Go solo and enjoy some quiet fishing time for bass, bream, crappie and catfish if you like. Or join a guided adventure with park interpreters who will share their knowledge of the outdoors.
What makes the park really special is the 2.5-mile-long kayak trail on the lake. Marked with yellow blazes on the trees and yellow buoys in open-water areas, it takes visitors right through the heart of this aquatic wonderland where they can see portions of both the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and the Gulf Coastal Plain. For more detailed information, visit www.arkansasstateparks.com/canecreek.
Cossatot River State Park and Natural Area
If you love the outdoors, there are many fun things to do in 5,400-acre Cossatot River State Park and Natural Area south of Mena in western Arkansas. Enjoy a hike on the 14-mile River Corridor Trail or the 3.5-mile Harris Creek Trail. Join park interpreters for a special snorkeling tour or walk with them to learn about the local flora, fauna and geology. Go bird watching, camp out or cast a lure for the river’s plentiful fish.
When the Cossatot gets high, though, many of the visitors who arrive are experienced kayakers and canoeists who have come with one thought in mind: to challenge the river’s Class II, IV and V rapids. This is not something beginners should even consider. It’s dangerous to say the least. But for hardcore adventure sports enthusiasts, testing the 12 miles of park waters that are part of this National Wild and Scenic River provides unforgettable thrills.
In the Cossatot Falls area with its distinct ledges and rugged canyon, the river drops 33 feet in elevation within just a third of a mile. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it “is the most difficult whitewater stream in the state of Arkansas.” Early Indians simply called it Cossatot, their word for “skull crusher.” Paddlers are encouraged to use helmets, life-jackets, and proper clothing to guard against hypothermia. For more information, visit www.arkansasstateparks.com/cossatotriver/.
