We packed our tiny, little red Nissan(see photo below). We had some doubts about being able to carry general supplies for traveling, camping, swimming, hiking and the three boats, but we soon came up with a system that works perfectly for our truck.

A layer of plastic containers that are the same height as the walls of the truck bed held everything we would need for several days travel. Once stacked in place, these formed a flat surface on which we strapped our three 10 foot kayaks. The two Pelicans were placed upside down and the Old Town was placed upright on top of the others. Across the bow and stern of the Old town, two ratchet straps secured everything so that we didn’t have to worry about anything shifting or falling out while driving at high speeds for over 5 hours.

The Cossatot River State Park is in Wickes, AR, which is around 5.5 hours from Jonesboro. We set out around 2pm with hopes of reaching the park by nightfall so that we could setup camp in one of the several primitive campsites at Cossatot Falls. We missed it by about half an hour though, both because of sight-seeing along the way and also because we didn’t anticipate how dark it would be in the river valley. The river bed itself was nicely lit by the bright moon overhead, but the campsites were pitch black underneath the thick trees that grow along the banks of the river.

Once camp was set up, we ventured down to the water’s edge to check out the scenery. We’d heard from friends how beautiful the area was and they were right. It really is breath-taking. The river curves in and out of the trees with small pools of water amongst the large rocks that form large rapids after a storm rolls through. The contrast of the grey stones against the tree-covered hillsides is gorgeous.

After a few photos and almost stepping on a Copperhead, we decided to crash for the night. It turns out camping at Cossatot Falls in July is not ideal if you are accustomed to air conditioned offices for the majority of the Summer months. It never dipped far below 90 degrees that night and the trees, while stunningly beautiful, block every ounce of breeze that might help with the heat. We were up very late just sitting in the tent…sweating. The heat eventually subsided and we all fell asleep. Morning arrived in a record amount of time, though. It was 6am before we knew it and it was time to get everything packed up so that we could head to the Visitor’s Center. We had a bit of time to spare so we walked down to the falls again to take some photos and soak in the scenery.

Once at the Visitor’s center we met our guide and Park Interpreter, Shelley Flanary. We also met Tim and Sybil. Tim helped with the kayak instruction and Sybil was our snorkeling guide. We also found out that not only would we be kayaking and snorkeling all day, we were also taking part in an American Canoe Association Level 1 Kayak Certification course. We hadn’t anticipated this, but it was a welcome surprise! Shelley explained that the certification we would receive would let kayak rental and shuttle service providers know what level of kayaking we were comfortable with, as well as qualify us for possible discounts with these providers and some outdoor outfitters.

After introductions to the twelve participants in the day’s activities, the first task of the day was to watch a couple of videos produced by the American Canoe Association. They contained your standard safety info for canoeing/kayaking. Shelley then quizzed us to make sure we were all paying attention. We passed with flying colors, of course.

Next up, we all loaded into a couple of trucks with a kayak trailer in tow and headed down to the river. The spot chosen for the training consisted of a small clubhouse which overlooked a set of falls with pools of shallow, clear water which was perfect for snorkeling and a large pool of water which was about 10 foot deep in which we would complete the kayak certification.

After some quick warm-up exercises and some paddling 101, we grabbed our kayaks and set off down the hill to hit the water. Eight of us would kayak while the other four snorkelled and we would then switch out after lunch.

The kayak certification consisted of several different tasks which Shelley and Tim demonstrated for us. As each task was demonstrated, a few of us would then give it a go with Shelley and Tim watching over us for possible corrections. Here’s the line-up of tasks, with descriptions:

• Forward Stroke
  • This is the main stroke you will use to propel your craft. The thing to remember is to use your torso. Using your arms is less efficient and more tiring. An easy way to remember this is to follow the stroke with your eyes. If you watch the stroke, your body will follow.
• Reverse Stroke
  • Forward stroke, but in reverse. Remember to use your upper body, not just your arms.
• Forward Sweep
  • Very similar to the forward stroke, but place your paddle out and away from the kayak and make a wide, round stroke. As if you are sweeping the water out and away from you. This stroke allows you to turn your kayak to the left of right with ease. Combine a forward seep with a reverse sweep to make a 360 degree turn without making a wide turn.
• Stern Rudder
  • If you need to turn to the left or right very quickly, “stick” your paddle toward the stern of the boat on the side you want to turn to. For example, if you need to quickly turn to the right, firmly place your paddle in the water next to your right rear and hold it in place. Your kayak’s bow will immediately pull to this side.
• Draw Stroke
  • Best described as pulling and slicing the water, this stroke allows you to “parallel park” your kayak. Once you find your sweet spot on your kayak, you can pull yourself in a straight line to the left or right. This is perfect for paddling up to a bank to exit the kayak.
• Sculling Draw
  • A bit more challenging than the draw stroke, the sculling stroke allows you to draw yourself to the left or right by scooping the top of the water. You achieve the same effect as a draw stroke, but with much more finesse.
• Solo Rescue
  • For the solo rescue, we learned how to recover our kayak after being tipped over . With paddle and kayak in hand, backstroke it to the nearest shore, drain the water from your boat and re-enter.
• Two-man Rescue
  • The two-man rescue allows you to re-enter your kayak in open water with the help of a friend. Once you have given the universal “I’m okay” sign (fist upon your head), hand your paddle to your partner. You can then work in tandem to pull your boat (while capsized) onto the bow of their kayak, drain it by rocking, flip the kayak back over and into the water and finally re-enter your kayak while it is stabilized against your partner’s kayak using the BBL (belly, then bottom, then legs) method.

The complete course took about two hours to complete and everyone did really well. The two-man rescues were probably the most challenging for everyone. At this point, we were really glad that we brought our own kayaks along with us. As well as learning how to rescue each other, we were able to rescue each other using our own equipment, which was slightly different than the Heritage Featherlite kayaks which the park supplied. Our boats were a bit heavier and a harder to pull up and over each other as they don’t have the flat bottoms like that of the Heritage kayaks.

We were also able to learn an alternate way of getting back into our kayaks if we are attempting a two-man rescue with Daniel. He’s doesn’t have the upper body strength to hold a boat while someone rolls over the side using the BBL method. While he stabilizes our kayak beside his own, we were able to straddle the bow of our boat and crawl up and into the cockpit.

After a quick lunch, we took to the falls with snorkel equipment in hand. We had never snorkeled before and we really enjoyed it. You get to see fish very up close. We even had a couple Red Darters and Leopard Darters that would come up and peck on the lenses of our goggles. As if they were just curious about what we were and why we were there. We will definitely continue snorkeling whenever possible.

We wrapped up the day by heading back to the Visitor’s Center, exchanging contact info with other participants, changing into dry clothes, packing the truck up for the drive to DeGray Lake Resort and picking up a few things at the gift shop. Cossatot River is an absolutely amazing & beautiful place and we’ll be back for sure.

More:

Photo gallery from our trip to the Cossatot River State Park
Cossatot River State Park Website
Cossatot Calendar of Events
View Larger Map

Once we put it on South Fork we headed downstream to High Falls. This is one of our favorite spots to chill out for a while. The scenery is beautiful, the sound of the falls blends everything into the background and the water here, which originates at Mammoth Spring State Park, is noticeably cooler than the water on South Fork. There is a small cove to the left of High Falls which has easy access for portage over the falls. You can also head all the way to the right of the falls for portage. I prefer using the cove on the left, because there are ample places to stick your kayak while you swim and play around for a while. Daniel likes to collect shells in the cove and try to hang on to the rocks just above the falls as the strong current flows over him; activities which kept my siblings and I busy for hours every Summer of our childhood. It’s awesome to be able to share this exact same experience with my son years later.

Now that you are above the falls, you can join the crowd of people who are escaping the heat by soaking in the swift, cold waters or head out to the edge of the falls to watch people go over the falls. It is guaranteed to be entertaining. At the height of Summer, about every third canoe that goes over tends to flip; often followed by the familiar sound of “ohhhh, my beeeeer”. If you decide to try your luck on High Falls, aim just to the right of the small gathering of rocks and trees in the middle of the falls. There is a deep, gradual grade here versus the quick drop-off across the rest of the falls. There are normally people hanging out around the falls that will point you to the exact right spot. Crystal, Hershel (Crystal’s father) and I have all successfully gone over in kayaks several times.

If you head upstream from here, you will soon reach V Falls, named after the split that occurs here. Directly in front of you, you’ll find a small line of falls (see map #6) with portage to the right over a rocky shoal which leads up to the edge of V Falls (see map #7), an excellent spot to hang out and swim. From here (if you want to head back downstream as we did), you can either head back over the small falls and back to High Falls or you can put in below V Falls and follow the fork back down to the main river. Both routes lead you to another small set of falls about 500 feet downstream (see map #2, #3). Here you will need to decide if you would like to go left or right. To the right is a bit steeper drop and you will have to contend with a group of people who think they own this portion of the river and won’t hesitate to yell at you for “going down the wrong side”. You’ll also notice a large white sign with an arrow to the left that says “canoes and kayaks”. This is the route we took. The current speeds up a bit as you go over this section. Crystal and Hershel sped right on through. Daniel got turned about at first after hitting a rock, but straightened back up and glided right through. DJ & I, however, went a bit too far to the left and got hung on some rocks. After a little pushing with my oar, we were able to get free, but then proceeded to go down backwards. While a little hairy for DJ and I, it was very entertaining for the family hanging out on the small shoal to the right of this area. Hey, I’m always up to the task of providing smiles for any on-lookers.

For the rest of the trip it’s flat, smooth sailing. Several bridges and a small set of falls (see map #4) later, you’ll come around a small bend to land at Hardy Beach Access (see map #5). The park here doesn’t provide much shade and the picnic tables that are available are usually taken. We were ready to cool off, so we headed back to our family’s lot for some lunch and a quick swim before we continue exploring South Fork. The trip from High Falls, up to V falls and back down to Hardy Beach is around three miles and took us about 2.5 hours with several stops for swimming.

After lunch and some relaxing in the shade, we put back in at the lot and headed upstream for some exploring of South Fork. Not far upstream there is a large gravel island with a small set of falls to the right (see map #8). If the water had been a bit deeper, I think we might have been able to paddle right over them. The island provides easy portage around the falls. This is the last obstruction for a good while and the current isn’t very strong at all. At times, you can easily forget that you are paddling upstream.

The evidence of a recent flood which caused the waters to rise around 10 feet is still very easy to see. We saw several docks, fishing boats and even a pontoon boat washed up on the banks amongst the trees. It’s amazing to think how much water passed through the area. Even more amazing are the number of homes which are right on the banks of the river. Over a year later, you can see some homeowners are still working on repairing the damage to their properties.

After about a mile or so, we decided it was now too hot to continue on. We turned back for the lot and once again dove in for a refreshing swim before loading up for the day.

All in all, it was an awesome day. I’ve been coming to South Fork and High Falls since I was in diapers and they’ve never disappointed. It was awesome to experience the same area in a kayak versus an inner tube or inflatable raft. A kayak affords you the ability to explore the river at leisure and you are able to move along quietly so that you can observe the river wildlife including several species of snakes, River Cooters, Soft Shells, Blue Herons, Cooper’s Hawks, swallows, squirrels and the occasional fish leaping into the air.

Daniel and I highly suggest everyone plan a visit to South Fork and Spring River whenever you can.

If you’re in the mood for a multiple day trip on South Fork, among the many places to put in on South Fork is an access Saddle, AR. This trip consists of just over 18 miles of remote river which winds and curves through the Ozark foothills. This is on our list of trips once the temperatures deep a little in the Fall.

Until next weekend, keep paddling and stay safe!

Kayaking Arkansas Trip Map

Arkansas Tourism Spring River Info & Float Map

For this trip, we had our friend Khara with us and this was her first time in a kayak. With this in mind, and the fact that we wanted to have time to swim later, we opted for the Dam #3 option. We parked Khara’s truck at the dam and soon after we were in the water at the park.

Access at the park is off to the side of the parking lot through some trees and across a small creek which is very easy to get across with your kayak over your shoulder.  Additionally, the spot at which you put your boat in the water is solid ground and level with the river. All three of us were able to get in the water and push off within minutes. The aqua, blue water is not only breath-taking in beauty, but also in temperature. Around 56 degrees, it’s not what you would call a swimming hole.

Once in the water, we quickly noticed that the thing to watch for in this part of the river are rocks; huge rocks just beneath the surface of the water are a constant for the first half of the trip. Since the current here is moderately slow, we were able to easily navigate around the rocks as we came upon them. Once around the first bend, you have the option of going to the left or right around a small island of trees. We chose to take the right side since it looked to be the smoothest of the two. Daniel and Khara slipped on through, however, I was riding a bit lower in the water due to my…big bones. So, I had to get out 4-5 times and pull my boat over the rocks and vegetation.

One thing that surprised us was the amount of development along the river banks. We were expecting to round the bend after the park and feel as though we were all alone with the river. This wasn’t the case. There are homes, boat docks, people mowing their lawns, fishing sheds and lots of people fishing from the decks along both sides of the banks. It wasn’t until we reached Cold Spring Access, in the last half of the trip, that the houses faded into the distance.

Between the first bend and Cold Spring access you will encounter several spots with a lot of vegetation and rocks just beneath the water. The water is deep enough to continue, but the amount of obstructions in the water requires you to keep an eye out. You can easily get hung on a gathering of rocks and get turned sideways before you know it. Not that you are ever in danger of rolling over, but with a little planning you can avoid the need to push yourself along with your paddle.

Cold Spring access is easily recognizable from a distance due to a large stone bridge connecting one side of the river to the other. With large arches filled with bird nests, it’s a good place to stop and take some photos. As you approach the bridge the birds flee their nests and swirl into the sky above you. Once you are a safe distance away, they then begin to swoop back under the bridge into their mud-built nests.

This, I might add, is where we SHOULD HAVE gotten out of the river. More on that later.

After Cold Spring Access, the water is noticeable deeper and much calmer. We immediately noticed the buildup of pollen and leaves on top of the water and a rise in the temperature of the surface of the water. Up to this point, the river has been pushing you along at a decent speed, but the momentum from here to Dam #3 is controlled by you. You can chill out and go with the slow flow of the river or you can race to the finish line; depends on your energy level at this point. We decided to float along slowly since we were finally surrounded by trees.

After about 30 minutes or so and another bend to the left, the large warning signs atop Dam #3 come into view. We aimed for the gravel bar to the left as instructed by the staff at the park earlier in the day. This is where the trip turned a bit sour for us. We quickly noticed that the vegetation was really thick and the gravel bar was more or a “large jagged rocks bar” than a gravel bar. After what is akin to crawling through the vegetation, we came upon a small gap in the bank where the gravel bar was accessible. However, tt was very hard to get out of the boat and up the side of the gravel bar. Once we were all up on the gravel bar, it was a bit tricky to carry the kayaks around 100 yards to the paved drive and keep your footing on the large chunks of rock. On the hottest day so far in 2009, this was quite a task. By the time we got everything back to the truck and got loaded, we were all on our last legs.  Even on a cool day, this would be a task for us…borderline dangerous.

My suggestion to anyone who asks will be to take out at Cold Spring Access. Much safer and a much more relaxed ending for your trip.

More about Mammoth Spring State Park:
http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/mammothspring/

More about Jim Hinkle Spring River State Fish Hatchery:
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2539