Rivers within about three hours · checked September 23, 2026
Float trips near Northwest Arkansas
Where to float from Fayetteville and Bentonville: the Buffalo National River's classic sections, plus the Kings, Mulberry, Elk and Illinois. River facts come from the National Park Service, the Forest Service and GRDA; rentals from each outfitter's own site. Drive times are our estimates.
Orange pins and badges are open this weekend, from each place's posted schedule.
The essentials
Buffalo National River
- When
- The season starts on the upper river in spring and moves downstream; it's largely rainfall-dependent. The upper river usually floats only in spring and early summer; the lower river is typically floatable year-round.
- Busiest
- April–August overall; Ponca to Pruitt peaks in April–May, the middle and lower river in June–July.
- Levels the NPS calls unsafe
- Ponca gauge 1,600 cfs · Pruitt 2,000 cfs · Hwy 65 (Grinder's Ferry) 8,000 cfs · Hwy 14 (Dillard's Ferry) 9,370 cfs. Check USGS gauge 07055660 (Ponca) before you drive.
- Fees
- No entry fee and no permit to float or to camp on gravel bars. Developed campgrounds $16–$50 a night, roughly mid-March to mid-November.
- Classic trips (NPS mileage)
- Ponca → Steel Creek 2.7 mi · Steel Creek → Kyles Landing 8.0 · Ponca → Kyles 10.7 · Kyles → Erbie 5.6 · Pruitt → Hasty 6.8 · Tyler Bend → Gilbert 5.4 · South Maumee → Dillard's Ferry 9.3. At about 2 mph, halve the miles for hours.
- Drive from Fayetteville (estimate)
- Ponca/Steel Creek about 1 hr 45 min · Tyler Bend about 2.5 hr · Buffalo Point about 3 hr
Source: nps.gov
Closer rivers
- Mulberry (Ozark National Forest)
- The Forest Service says the traditional season is late fall to June, with readings of 2.0–4.0 ideal and 4.5+ dangerous; Class I–II (the same page also says II/III). About 1 hour to Turner Bend on the Pig Trail (estimate).
- Kings River (Berryville/Eureka Springs)
- Class I per Kings River Outfitters, good for kids and beginners. USGS gauge 07050500. About 1 hr 20 min to Trigger Gap (estimate).
- Elk River (Noel/Pineville, MO)
- Class I–II per Elk River Floats, which posts its own gauge rules. About 1 hour (estimate).
- Illinois River (Tahlequah, OK)
- Oklahoma requires a scenic-river float permit for every boat: $1 a day or $10 a year (GRDA); many outfitters include it. Floating stops at 9'6" on the Tahlequah gauge. About 1 hr 15 min–1.5 hr (estimate).
- War Eagle Creek
- Class I; typically floatable spring and fall depending on rain (Withrow Springs State Park). We found no outfitter renting on it.
Buffalo River outfitters: upper river (Ponca, Jasper)
All authorized by the National Park Service. Rates as posted in September 2026 (most pages don't show a year).
Canoe, kayak & raft rental + shuttle
Buffalo Outdoor Center
Ponca, AR
- When:
- NPS-authorized, upper river
- Admission:
- Canoe $90 weekdays / $105 weekends · kayak $80/$95 · raft $45 a person
Canoe, kayak & raft rental + shuttle
Lost Valley Canoe & Lodging
Ponca, AR
- When:
- NPS-authorized, upper river
- Admission:
- Canoe $90/day · kayak $80/day · raft $55 a person
Canoe, kayak & raft rental + shuttle
Rio Buffalo Outfitter
Low Gap, Jasper, AR
- When:
- NPS-authorized, upper river. Office closed until March 1, 2027.
- Admission:
- Canoe $85 · solo kayak $75 · raft $170
Canoe & kayak rental + shuttle
Riverview Motel & Canoe
Jasper, AR
- When:
- NPS-authorized, upper river
- Admission:
- Canoe $80/day · kayak $70/day · shuttle $20 a person
Buffalo River outfitters: middle river (Gilbert, St. Joe, Tyler Bend)
Canoe, kayak & raft rental + shuttle
Buffalo River Outfitters
St. Joe, AR
- When:
- NPS-authorized, middle river
- Admission:
- Canoe $85 Mon–Thu / $95 Fri–Sun · kayak $80/$90 · vehicle shuttle $45
Canoe & kayak rental
Silver Hill Float Service
Hwy 65 by Tyler Bend, St. Joe, AR
- When:
- NPS-authorized, middle river
- Admission:
- Canoe $99.50 · kayak $85.50
Rentals + vehicle shuttles
Buffalo Camping & Canoeing (Gilbert General Store)
Gilbert, AR
- When:
- NPS-authorized, middle river
- Admission:
- Vehicle shuttles posted (e.g., Tyler Bend $60); boat rates by phone
Canoe, kayak & raft rental + shuttle
Crockett's Canoe Rental
Harriet, AR (lower end of the park)
- When:
- NPS-authorized. Closed for the season; reopens March 2027.
- Admission:
- Canoe $65/day · kayak $55 · raft $35 a person
Buffalo River outfitters: lower river (Yellville)
The lower Buffalo is the section that usually has water late in the year.
Canoe, kayak, raft & tube rental + shuttle
Buffalo River Float Service
Hwy 14 S, Yellville, AR
- When:
- NPS-authorized, lower river
- Admission:
- Canoe $65 · kayak $60 · shuttle $9 a person
Canoe, kayak, raft & tube rental + shuttle
Dirst Canoe Rental
Yellville, AR
- When:
- NPS-authorized, lower river
- Admission:
- Canoe $65 · kayak $60 · tubes $10 · shuttle $9 a person
Canoe, kayak, raft & tube rental + shuttle
Wild Bill's Outfitter
Yellville, AR
- When:
- NPS-authorized, lower river (rates labeled from Jan 1, 2025)
- Admission:
- Canoe $65 · kayak $60 · raft $150 (1–4 people) · shuttle $9 a person
Open this year, but the details above aren't all posted for 2026. Check their site before you drive.
Outfitters on the closer rivers
- Family-friendly
Canoe & kayak rental, shuttles, cabins
Kings River Outfitters
Trigger Gap, near Eureka Springs, AR
- When:
- Kings River; floats from 4.7 to 15.7 miles
- Admission:
- $80 per canoe or kayak a day · $100 tandem kayak · $5 access fee at two accesses
Canoe, kayak & raft rental + shuttle
Turner Bend Outfitter
Hwy 23 (the Pig Trail), Ozark, AR
- When:
- Mulberry River; operates under a Forest Service permit. Posts its own river-level scale.
- Admission:
- Deposits for the 4-mile Redding trip: canoe $85 · kayak $70 · raft $160
Canoe, kayak & raft rental + shuttle
Byrd's Adventure Center
Cass, near Ozark, AR
- When:
- Mulberry River; trips from 4 to 40 miles
- Admission:
- Byrd's → Redding (4 mi): tandem $60 · solo $55 · kayak $50
- Family-friendly
Kayak, canoe, raft & tube rental
Gypsy Camp & Canoe
Siloam Springs, AR
- When:
- Upper Illinois River in Arkansas; 2026 season rates posted
- Admission:
- Single kayak $35 · canoe $80 · 4-person raft $180 (about a 4-mile trip)
Raft, kayak, canoe & tube rental + shuttle
Elk River Floats
Noel, MO
- When:
- Elk River; 6- and 12-mile trips
- Admission:
- Kayaks $60–$100 · canoes $110–$120 · tubes $45–$50
Canoe, kayak, raft & tube rental
River Ranch Resort
Noel, MO
- When:
- Elk River; 1- to 8-mile floats
- Admission:
- Canoe $70 weekday / $90 weekend · kayak $50
Canoe, kayak, raft & tube rental + shuttle
Big Elk Floats & Camping
Pineville, MO
- When:
- Elk River
- Admission:
- Canoe $80 · single kayak $50 · vehicle shuttle $40
Canoe, raft & kayak rental
Peyton's Place Resort
Tahlequah, OK
- When:
- Illinois River (OK); booking the 2026 season
- Admission:
- About 6 mi $34 a person · about 11 mi $39
Raft & kayak rental
War Eagle Resort
Tahlequah, OK
- When:
- Illinois River (OK); the state float permit is included
- Admission:
- Short trip $32 weekdays / $34 weekends · long $36/$38
On the calendar
Verified events for the season, updated every night.
- Fri, Oct 96PM
Sunset Kayak Tour
Live Music:Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area· Rogers
Free - Tue, Oct 206:30PM
Moonlight Kayak Tour
Live Music:Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area· Rogers
- Fri, Oct 239AM
Morning Kayak Tour
Live Music:Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area· Rogers
Call ahead
These come up in older roundups, but nothing official confirms a 2026 season yet.
- Big Piney Creek. A beautiful Forest Service river (Class I–III), best at 3.0–5.0 feet, but we couldn't find a working outfitter; bring your own boat and shuttle.
- More Illinois River outfitters. Illinois River Outfitters, Diamondhead, Arrowhead, Eagle Bluff and Riverbend Floats all post rates; GRDA's river guide lists every licensed operator.
Quick answers
- What's the best time to float the Buffalo River?
- Spring on the upper river (Ponca to Pruitt peaks in April–May); June–July on the middle and lower river. The lower Buffalo is typically floatable year-round. It all depends on rain, so check the Ponca gauge before driving.
- Do you need a permit to float the Buffalo River?
- No. The National Park Service charges no entry fee and needs no permit to float or camp on gravel bars. Developed campgrounds cost $16–$50 a night in season.
- How long is the float from Ponca to Kyles Landing?
- 10.7 miles per the NPS mileage chart, or Steel Creek to Kyles at 8.0. At about 2 mph, plan roughly 4–5 hours on the water plus stops.
- What's the closest float trip to Fayetteville?
- The Mulberry at Turner Bend (about an hour down the Pig Trail) and the Elk River at Noel, MO (about an hour), both our estimates. The Kings River near Eureka Springs is about 80 minutes.
- Do you need a permit to float the Illinois River in Oklahoma?
- Yes: a $1 day or $10 annual scenic-river permit for each boat, per GRDA. Most Tahlequah outfitters include it in the rental.
Dates, hours and prices are as each business posted them on September 23, 2026, and they change. Spot something out of date, or run one we missed? Tell us.
Nobody paid to be on this list. Inclusion is editorial.