The record drought in Oklahoma has kept most river to low for
paddling. Luckily, good water management has kept the
state's two most popular kayaking spots running most weekends. Head
to Tahlequah, Oklahoma or Broken Bow, Oklahoma to find flowing water
in the Sooner State.
Bookmark this page for help in planning canoe and kayak
adventures in and around the Oklahoma Area.
The
Illinois River -
Classic Family Float Trips in NE Oklahoma.
Tahlequah, Oklahoma is home to this river that serves as the
introduction to float trips for most Okies. Easy paddling, loads
of public access points and many canoe and kayak rental options
make the Illinois River a local favorite.
(Trip Report,
Current River Level)
The
Mountain Fork River - from trout fishing to canoeing and
kayaking in SE Oklahoma.
This is the Beavers Bend area and
it is loaded with privately owned luxury cabins, trout fishing
streams and beautiful lake country. Great Class II paddling on
the Lower Mt. Fork River. Enjoy remote forest and big rapids
that are rainfall dependant on the Upper Mountain Fork River.
The
Kiamichi River
- Rustic camping fishing and floating in SE
Oklahoma near Antlers. It is so remote that there is only one outfitter
on the Kiamichi River, whenever I paddle there I use K-River
Campground for lodging, shuttling and river advice.
The
White River- Arkansas cold water paddling in the heat
of summer! The scenic White River connects to the Buffalo
River, paddle both for the scenery.
The
Elk River - Just across the Missouri border is a wide and
scenic river perfect for family floating.
Eureka Springs, Arkansas - Just across the border from
Oklahoma, you can paddle Kings River and/or the
White River or
Table Rock Lake using local outfitters. Check out the Flat Creek
paddlers resort on Table Rock Lake in nearby Cape Fair, MO.
Okmulgee, Oklahoma
- the area I live in - Offers some great paddling and camping spots nearby. Heck, you might even see Dianne and I on
one of the waterways listed on our Okmulgee page.
Eastern Oklahoma's Lake Eufaula - Like an inland sea, so large it crosses
many different counties and microclimates. Do we paddle it?
Heck, ya! Surfing the boat wakes on the big lake
at Gentry Creek is a fun way to spend a hot day. Sometimes we
kayak from Graves Creek down to
the lake, too!
Paddle Texas - I've been putting together a page about
kayaking spots in the parts of Texas that are close to Oklahoma.
Hey, those Dallas boys paddle the LMF more than most Okies
do. We should paddle their waters with equal vigor!
Caddo Lake is only a few hours south of Oklahoma and offers some
of the best flatwater paddling that I have ever seen.
The
Spring River - Paddle from Kansas to Oklahoma! This
Spring River is loaded with great camping spots, a canoe outfitter and
numerous 'honey-holes' for fishing. You can put-in at a park in
Baxter Springs KS and kayak down to Twin Bridges State Park in
NE Oklahoma in a couple of days or just take a day trip down to
Quapaw, Oklahoma.
Arkansas also offers a
Spring River, but it is a different river. The Spring
River in Arkansas offers good waterflow from Mammoth Spring,
even during the dry season when few river can be floated.
Dianne Paddling Broken Bow, Oklahoma's Lower Mt. Fork
River
Fun Fact: Oklahoma is one of about 8 states out of
50 that require canoes/kayaks to be registered.
Oklahoma Float Trips - Paddle Down a Scenic River Today!
Whether you call it canoeing, kayaking, rafting or
paddle sports...the citizens of Oklahoma have learned to love paddling about in people-powered, personal watercraft. This part of OklahomaRoadTrips.com is dedicated to everyone interested in the healthy and exciting family fun activity of Oklahoma area Float Trips.
We can't rent you a canoe, or provide you with lodging but we hope to help you
get a big headstart on your float trip planning.
To aid your
Oklahoma Adventure travel efforts, check-out our:
River levels
for some popular rivers in the area listed below.
Camping and lodging resources for
Oklahoma and Ozarks area canoe & kayak trips.
Float trip
reviews for Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Kansas and Missouri family float trips can be found
on our Kayak Oklahoma Blog. It is also a great way to link up with other
Oklahoma area paddlers.
You can even pop over to Flickr and have a look at our
Flickr
Map. Most of the photos on our Flickr map are pictures of Oklahoma
kayaking spots. Find one near you and hit the water!
The
Oklahoma Water Atlas is available for FREE online and the OWRB
offers printed copies of the Oklahoma Water Atlas.
Check out the Satellite View on these Google Maps.
The river access points
are usually at the road crossings.
Oklahoma Tourism Creates Jobs
Build a business that will build your local economy for decades to come.
Rural Oklahoma small businesses now are encouraged to apply for the Small
Employer Quality Jobs Program, which offers cash incentives for companies in
communities with fewer than 7,000 residents. The incentives, however, are tied
directly to the creation of new jobs. There must be five new jobs for
communities of 3,500 or fewer residents.
