Let’s face it: sometimes, the Natural State can get downright hot. Perhaps even worse, it gets super humid, too, which definitely doesn’t help things to feel any better. To us, though, that’s all the more reasons to start planning some water activities! Here at Only In Your State, we fully support chasing waterfalls in addition to floating along the state’s lakes and streams. Take a tube or canoe down one of these float trips in Arkansas to ease you into warmer days.

1. Spring River
The Freedom Of Speech Channel USA/Google Maps
You will certainly not be breaking a sweat during your Spring River trip. The calm waters and constantly crisp 58° water temperature make this a perfect float for those hot, muggy days. One of our favorite put-ins along the Spring River is at the Many Islands Camp & Canoe Rental. They offer a rather unique vessel: the Paddiyak. It's that green tube on the right in the picture above.

Address: 2988 Many Islands Road, Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, 72554
2. Caddo River
Arkansas Welcome Center at El Dorado/Facebook
The Caddo is a stand-out for family-friendly float trips. The 40-mile long stream has plenty of put-ins for a variety of trips, but we love the Caddo Gap-to-Glenwood portion. It's about 6 miles long, and it balances anot-too-fast pace with a not-too-slow pace. A good campground at this access point is at Arrowhead Cabin & Canoe Rental as well.

Address: 69 Arrowhead Drive, Caddo Gap, Arkansas, 71935
3. Saline River
J. Stephen Conn/Flickr
The quiet waters of the Saline are perfect for a relaxing tube float or even some water-based yoga! Another top pick river for family adventures, the Saline features peaceful forests and serene farmland. If you're not wanting to spend the full day on the water, take Peeler Bend to Lyle Park for a shorter (under four hours) float. For rentals and SUP yoga, head to Saline River Canoe!

Address: 1 River Crest Circle, Benton, Arkansas, 72019.

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4. Big Piney Creek
Moore Outdoors/Facebook
Big Piney features an unforgettable cruise through the forest. This stream has a variety of water adventures from swift rapids near Limestone to a much more relaxing pace through Long Pool. The Long Pool to Twin Banks is our favorite for family floats. It's about five miles long with just enough Class I rapids to keep it exciting. Moore Outdoors can outfit and shuttle your family to the Twin Banks Campground nearby as well!

Address: 53 Old Highway 7, Dover, Arkansas, 72837
5. Little Maumelle River
Arkansas Watertrails Partnership/Facebook
If you'd prefer more scenery than the typical open-river float, try a pleasant paddle on the Little Maumelle. The giant cypress trees in the bayou make for a one-of-a-kind river adventure. It's also one of the few streams to have a floating platform for true, on-the-water camping. Pinnacle Mountain State Park routinely offers guided tours along the Little Maumelle, too.

Address: 11901 Pinnacle Valley Road, Roland, Arkansas, 72135
6. Ouachita River
Diana Smith/Google Maps
The Ouachita River has options for thrilling canoe excursiouns as well as laid-back lazy floats. One section that highlights the latter of the options is from Remmel to Rock Port. The route does have a few Class I rapids, but nothing that would displace your cooler's tube. The end of this route is at the Ouachita River Whitewater Park. The park has plenty of spaces for picnics and games, as well as waters perfect for paddling practice.

Address: 904 Riverview Drive, Malvern, Arkansas, 72104
7. Buffalo National River
Buffalo Outdoor Center/Flickr
A whole article (or two) could easily be dedicated to the multitude of adventure along the Buffalo. The entire river offers numerous spots for whitewater paddles and lazy floats. One of the most beloved sections is from Ponca to Kyle's Landing, which takes about 5-6 hours to complete. The Buffalo Outdoor Center can help outfit your floating needs, they have day- and overnight-trip itineraries as well.

Address: 4699 AR-43, Ponca, Arkansas, 72670

Which stream is your favorite for a relaxing float? Share your favorite spots with us in the comments! We would also love to see your float photos in our Facebook Group, Arkansas Nature Lovers. You should join for your chance to be featured and to discover why there’s nothing better than Arkansas’ stunning landscapes.

One more river adventure to add to your Arkansas itinerary is this camp and float!

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More to Explore

Float Trips in Arkansas

Tori Jane | April 30, 2021

Where are the most popular places to swim in Arkansas?

Arkansas is home to tons of awesome natural pools, lakes, quarries, and swimming holes - you just need to know where to look! Some of the most popular spots among locals are the Kings River Falls Natural Area in Witter and Lake Bennett at Woody Hollow State Park. Other beloved swimming spots include Lake Sylvia, Blanchard Springs, and Little Missouri Falls. Each area is absolutely beautiful in its own way, and we feel like we’re pretty lucky to live in such a beautiful place. Need a list of ideas to start with? Read this article for more! 

What is summer in Arkansas like? 

In one word? Sticky. In a few words, it does tend to get hot here, and the high humidity doesn’t necessarily help. However, we’ve got lots of swimming holes, and it rains a lot, so we’re never terribly far away from relief from the heat! We seem to trade the hot summers for mild winters, though, so there’s that. It may be hot and sticky for part of the year, but the rest of the year is gorgeous. 

What are some things to do in Arkansas?

Anything you can do anywhere else, you can do here! We’re lucky to live in a place where the possibilities seem endless; you’ve got your more traditional activities like hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping, sure, but you’ve also got more non-traditional things to do, too, like rock climbing or cliff diving. Arkansas is home to not one, not two, not three, but eight National Parks, and we also boast more than 50 state parks. It would take you a long time to explore every one of them, and boy, do we ever encourage you to do so! If you’re looking for history, you’ll find it here, too - Arkansas was founded in the 1830s, which means we’ve got plenty of rich and interesting history to examine. No matter what it is you hope to do, you can probably find it here.

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Featured Addresses
69 Arrowhead Dr, Caddo Gap, AR 71935, USA
1 Rivercrest Cir, Benton, AR 72019, USA
53 Old Hwy 7, Dover, AR 72837, USA
11901 Pinnacle Valley Rd, Roland, AR 72135, USA
904 Riverview Dr, Malvern, AR 72104, USA
4699 AR-43, Ponca, AR 72670, USA