Helton’s Farm to Long Pool on Big Piney Creek

A lot of people know about the extreme paddling of the Cossatot River in the Ouachita Mountains of western Arkansas. But did you know you can go whitewater rafting in the Ozarks? It may not be the extreme whitewater rafting you see in Colorado or the Grand Canyon. But when the water is right, floating Helton’s Farm to Long Pool on Big Piney Creek can be some pretty intense paddling. I had a chance to run this stretch with some buddies last summer, and man what a ride! NOTICE – This is NOT a float for beginners! There is one outfitter here, and they will not rent to or shuttle novice paddlers for this float. And for good reason.

Floating Helton’s Farm to Long Pool on Big Piney Creek is another one of those floats that you have to catch when the water level is right. Just like the upper Buffalo and upper Mulberry, you have to float this section when the river says you can. Unless you have the flexibility to go immediately after a rain, the window for consistent floating starts to close around early-to-mid June.

Directions

This is a float that I recommend getting shuttled by Moore’s because it’s a long way to self-shuttle. Even though the Google Map below says it is a 35 minute drive, it is really more like 45 minutes each way. It is a gravel road that goes up and down mountains, and winds through the Big Piney Forest. And once you get to Helton’s, you have to know what you are looking for and where to leave money for river access.

I personally will not be self-shuttling for this float. I will only do the Helton’s run when I can get shuttled by Moore’s. But for anyone that doesn’t mind the drive, and can make it back after the float, here is a map to the access points.

There is a fee to enter the Helton’s Farm property and access the river. I don’t remember if it was $5 per boat or $5 per person. To be safe, make sure everyone in your party has $5 for access.

What to Expect

The Drive

First off, the drive to Helton’s is beautiful! I don’t usually write about the drive, but this is the best drive to a river access I’ve been on. It is a very remote and scenic area. The drive takes you by the Dover Lights overlook point. Here you can see way out into the hills and valleys of Big Piney Forest, and the Big Piney Creek river gorge far below. It takes you by an old abandoned post office that used to serve a rural community that is now a virtual ghost town. There are a few homes along the way that look like they have off-grid living perfected. Even though it’s a long drive, it’s also very interesting.

The River

As I mentioned, this is not a float for beginners. If this section is floatable, you will encounter class III rapids. We floated it at 4.5 feet and saw some huge waves. Moore’s will not rent when the level is above 5 feet. Since half of my crew was renting, Moore’s suggested a raft for them. I debated floating in my kayak. But since mine does not have a spray skirt, Moore’s convinced me it would be best to join my friends in the raft. Maybe at 3 feet, it would have been fine, but at 4.5 feet, they were right. There were several rapids that probably would have sank my kayak that day. Yeah, I probably could have avoided them and made it. But some of the rapids didn’t have much room to get around them. And besides, that would not have been as much fun!

Here is some footage from some of the rapids. You can tell it’s fast and intense. But neither the video or the pics down below really show the full size and speed of these rapids. I didn’t have a good surface to mount my camera, so I held it for filming. Unfortunately I dropped it during the best set of rapids. Sorry!

Floating Helton’s Farm to Long Pool on Big Piney Creek is about a 9-mile float. We finished this section in about 4.5 hours, and we made several lengthy stops. When the river is flowing like this, it could easily be done in less time. Along the way, we saw some really beautiful and remote back-country scenery. This section of river is scattered with lots of huge boulders and interesting rock formations. There are a few spots that look like something you would expect to see out west in Colorado or Idaho. And of course, there’s the pretty emerald waters that most rivers in the Ozarks are known for. If you’re looking to truly disconnect for a day in a beautiful remote wilderness, then this is the float for you.

Plan Your Trip

River Levels

First and foremost, this float is dependent on the water level. This section of the river can get low pretty quick. So you’ll need to continuously check the river level at American Whitewater. If the section is in green on their site, you’re good to go. It is also a good idea to talk to the good folks at Moore Outdoor* to get their feedback on the river conditions. IF you must plan this float weeks in advance, it’s a good idea to have a plan B. Long Pool to Twin Bridges (Moore’s) is shorter and easier, but still a great float. Otherwise have a backup plan for another river nearby, like the Buffalo, Mulberry, or Illinois Bayou.

Accommodations

The Big Piney is great place to spend a whole weekend. There are two camping areas. I usually stay at Long Pool Recreation Area. They have awesome campsites and decent bathroom/showers. They also have RV campsites with full hookups. Another option is Moore Outdoor’s campsite close to their takeout. I have not stayed there yet, but plan to as soon as possible.

Shuttling and Floating

If you plan to kayak this float, you will need a spray skirt. I personally would recommend a raft over a canoe for this float. A highly-skilled canoeist could do it. But even that person will take on a lot of water, and might have to portage in a few spots. And I don’t like doing that. I want to hit those spots!!! As for shuttling – again, I recommend reserving a shuttle with Moore’s when they are available. If you can’t wait and want to self-shuttle, you’ll need to plan carefully. There is no cell signal out there to navigate you from point to point. So you’ll have to download the Google map.

Anyone floating Helton’s to Long Pool probably already knows what gear they need. If not, you can refer to our gear list here. Please be prepared to pack out any trash you have. And remember – NO GLASS containers of ANY kind!!!! We must all do our part to leave no trace. Respect the private property(s) that you’ll have to cross in order to do this float. Don’t get them shut down for the rest of us. Be safe and enjoy the float!