Cossatot River - Cossatot Falls to Hwy 278/Visitor Center - Canoe/Kayak Trips on Waymarking.com

This is a scenic Class III-IV whitewater run in extreme western Arkansas. It takes quite a bit of rain in just the right places to make it run, but when it does it attracts boaters from 200+ miles away. It is a fast 3 mile float that starts with six back to back drops collectivly known as the Cossatot Falls. At levels above five feet this becomes more than just semantics as the drops combine into one continuous calss V rapid.

Many boaters use this 1/4 mile stretch as a "park-n-play" spot, running some or all of the falls and then making the portage back to the top to do it again. While not the most difficult stretch of river in the state, it is perhaps the best known and in many ways constitues a right of passage for local whitewater enthusists.

One mile further down you drop into another cluster of big rapids ranging in the class IV range, though more spread out than the Falls.

Details, water-level descriptions, and links to gauages are availble at the American Whitewater page.

Parking/put-in/launching information: Parking for perhaps a dozen cars near the launching area, large parking area a short walk from the take-out at the Cossatot State Park visitor center. Paddling conditions to be expected: Class III-IV Whitewater. Difficulty of the trip: Experienced paddlers only. The falls are close together and anyone without a solid combat roll and/or good self-rescue skills will be putting themselves at risk of swimming through some fairly beefy rapids. Length of trip: 3.5 miles Portages: none, unless you chose to make the 1/4 mile clamber back up around the falls to run it more than once. Permits required: none. However, on all Arkansas waterways is it illegal to bring any glass beverage containers, all beverage containers or food muct be in a latched closed cooler (or the one you are drinking must have a floating coozie), and all trash must be secured in a study bag attached to the craft. Also all persons must have a PFD in the boat, and minors must be wearing theirs. Type of trip: Short shuttle over well maintained gravel roads. Take-out Coordinates: N 34° 17.754 W 094° 10.564 Other information: Not listed

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