“The Illinois River is an overlooked recreational asset for the region.”
Northwest Arkansas will soon reach one million residents, all of whom will have an impact on the Illinois River Watershed in both Arkansas and Oklahoma. If we, as a region, hope to do the hard work necessary to protect and conserve the Illinois River Watershed throughout this growth period, then promoting responsible inclusive recreation opportunities must be an important part of our strategy. Through recreation, we will create opportunities for meaningful personal experiences on the river. These experiences lead to knowledge, which leads to connection, which leads to stewardship.
The Upper Illinois River Conservation Based Recreation Master Plan has been prepared with recommendations. We welcome feedback on this plan by emailing it to contact@irwp.org. Thank you!
Illinois River Water Trail
The Illinois River from Chamber Springs Access (in Arkansas) to WOKA Whitewater Park (in Oklahoma) is now an official Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) Water Trail.
This is the first Water Trail to cross state lines and only one of 21 designated Water Trails in the state of Arkansas. This water trail is a total of 15.5 miles with 3 access sites, and 2 outfitters.
Please see the map (and below) for more details on sections, mileage, and outfitter locations. Visit the AGFC Water Trails page linked here for more details on their program and for maps of other state water trails!
Water Trail Access Sites
Chamber Springs Access:
Location: Illinois River Bridge, Chamber Springs Rd, Siloam Springs, AR 72761
Siloam Springs Kayak Park:
Location: 19253 Fisher Ford Rd, Siloam Springs, AR 72761
Website: https://www.siloamspringskayakpark.com/
WOKA Whitewater Park:
Location:474986 Twin Falls Rd, Watts, OK 74964
Website: https://visitwoka.com/
Outfitters along the Water Trail
Gypsy Camp & Canoe:
Location: 20271 AR-59, Siloam Springs, AR 72761
Website: https://www.gypsycampcanoe.com/
Illinois River RV & Campground:
Location: 20466 AR-59, Siloam Springs, AR 72761
Website: https://illinoisrivercampground.com/
Click on a map below to download these free resources for the rest of the Illinois River (and Osage Creek)
The Illinois River has excellent recreation opportunities like the Siloam Springs Kayak Park and the WOKA Whitewater Park in Oklahoma!
These recreational destinations along the Illinois River offer families the chance to create lasting memories while connecting with the watershed, fostering a responsible river culture that is passed down through generations.
Tubing at the WOKA Whitewater Park.
FREE LIFE JACKETS to wear while visiting the Siloam Springs Kayak Park from April - September
Help save lives by encouraging ALL to wear a life jacket.
On April 5th, 2022, a group of 45 stakeholders met at the IRWP Learning Center in Cave Springs to envision the future of recreation on the Illinois River in Arkansas. To see river recreation managed in an effective way, the group agreed that it is imperative for diverse stakeholders to actively collaborate to foster a river recreation culture that:
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Watersheds are managed effectively when the innovative ideas and new partnerships come together to find solutions. We are committed to bringing these people, resources and ideas together.
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The land along the Illinois River is majority privately owned. Respecting the private property rights of landowners goes hand-in-hand with recreational use of the river.
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Creating opportunity for the voices of people with different ideas and backgrounds to be at the table will create more opportunities to connect with and use the river.
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The Illinois River and its tributaries offer unique places that hold untapped economic potential and cultural significance.
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We know what happens when we don’t get ahead of recreation in beautiful places. We don’t want to look back and wish we would have thought about that.
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With recreation on the water comes risk. We will support safe recreation.
Over the last two years, the public and stakeholders have contributed to the Upper Illinois River Conservation Based Recreation Master Plan. Datasets that went into assessing ecological sensitivity are available here.
We will building out online tools and invite participation through the Public Input Map or by emailing us at contact@irwp.org.
