One of my favorite things about doing a new hike, bike, or float is the surprise element. And the best surprise is when I finish it and have a new favorite. Floating North Sylamore Creek from Blanchard Springs to the White River was one of those occasions. I’m not saying it is my number one favorite, but it definitely lands securely in my top five. I knew it would be pretty good, but I had no idea of what this river really had in store for us. To say that I was pleasantly surprised would be a massive understatement.
Floating North Sylamore Creek has been on my to-do list for quite some time. The problem is that it’s not an easy float to plan for. This creek drains really fast, so you have to hit it at just the right time to have a good float. Since I mostly have to float on the weekends, it’s rare that this window of opportunity is open when I can go. But in May, 2022, the planets aligned. The whole state got several days of rain midweek. So on a Saturday when all the rivers in Arkansas were near flood stage, the Sylamore was prime! Thankfully my floating buddy, David, is down for just about any float. As we looked at all the river levels, the Sylamore became a no-brainer. Off to Mountain View!
Quick Glance
Distance: Approximately 6 miles
Difficulty: Class I-II
Blanchard Put-in: 35.968557, -92.171719
White River Take-out : 35.941622, -92.114443
Gunner Pool Put-in (10 mile float): 35.994552, -92.211014
Barkshed Put-in (12.5 mile float): 36.018820, -92.250492
Waterfall: 35.955390, -92.130799
(Copy/Paste Coordinates into GPS or Google Maps search bar)
Directions
From Mountain View, head 5.7 miles north on Hwy 5 to the Sylamore Creek bridge. At the end of the bridge, turn right, into the parking lot for the White River access. This is the take-out. To reach the Blanchard put-in, go back to Hwy 5 and cross the bridge. Head west on AR-14 for 6.6 miles. Turn right onto Co Rd 54/Blanchard Rd. In 2.6 miles, Turn left onto Blanchard Rd. In 0.3 miles, turn right to cross the bridge and park in the circle lot by the restroom. This is the put in. All the coordinates for put-in and take-out points are listed above, including Gunner Pool and Barkshed access points.
What to Expect
The Float
If you can catch the North Sylamore when it’s above 3 feet on the gauge, you’re in for a real treat. We were able to catch it at 3.1 feet. At this level, you’ll see plenty of Class I to Class II rapids. And they are one after another after another. There is a great flow to the creek with no flat water to paddle, just constant movement. All you have to do is steer! To me, it’s the perfect float. The rapids are just big enough to be fun, but nothing to avoid or be afraid of. You may flip or take on a little water, but there are plenty of gravel bars to recover on. And many of the rapids are avoidable if you wish.
There are several options for floating North Sylamore Creek. From Barkshed Rec Area, it is a 12.5-mile float to the White River. From Gunner Pool Rec Area, it is a 10-mile float. And from Blanchard Springs, it is around 6 miles. I wasn’t sure if the water level would be good up around Barkshed (it was), or how long that float would take. So we chose to put in at Blanchard Springs. We finished the float in around 4 hours. Because of the great flow, we could have done it much faster. But we knew it would go fast, so we took our time and stopped quite a bit.
Scenic Beauty
I was blown away by the scenic beauty, crystal clear water, and overall float conditions of North Sylamore. There are lots of beautiful bluffs, rock formations, and mountain views on this creek. But the best feature to me was the water itself. It was probably the clearest water I’ve ever floated. As you can see in the video below, I just couldn’t get over how clear it was. It’s pretty awesome seeing the river bed move beneath you for most of the float. The combination of the clear water, constant flow, rapids, and scenery are what make this float one of my top 5 favorites . (Along with Ponca to Kyle’s Landing on the Buffalo, and Wolfpen to Byrd’s on the Mulberry.)
Within the last couple of miles of this float, there is a waterfall on the left (river left) . The coordinates are listed up above. If there has been recent rain to make the Sylamore floatable then there’s good chance this waterfall is running. If so, you’ll hear it before you see it. It’s a decent sized waterfall. It’s less than 30 yards off the river with a clear path, and worth a stop. You can see this in the video below.
Plan Your Trip
When To Go
As I mentioned, floating North Sylamore Creek at a good level takes some planning and luck. You don’t get to decide when you want to float it – the weather decides it for you. You just have to be ready to go when the river says you can go. The ideal minimum is at 3 ft. North Sylamore Creek drains really fast. So to float it at 3 feet or more, you must catch it within a few days of a good rain. It might be floatable at 2.5 ft, but I suspect you’ll drag quite a bit. Keep a close eye on the river level on the RiverApp or at American Whitewater. If the section is in green on their site, you’re good to go.
Accommodations
So far I have not found any outfitters that provide rentals or shuttle service for Sylamore Creek. So you’ll need at least one float buddy to self-shuttle. But the good news is, it’s a super easy shuttle to do. At least from Blanchard Springs Campground. That one is all pavement. From Gunner Pool, it’s a good 5 miles of gravel road. But it’s a smooth gravel road that any vehicle can handle. I have not been to Barkshed yet so I can’t speak to that. But once I do that float, I’ll do a new blog post with those details. If anyone has info on outfitters or shuttling to Barkshed, please drop a comment below!
As for places to stay, there are plenty of hotels, cabins, and vacation rentals in the area. There are also three campgrounds along North Sylamore Creek. Blanchard Springs State Park campground is the nicest and has full hook-up camper sites, tent sites, water, electric, bathrooms, and showers. Gunner Pool Rec Area is more primitive, with tent sites only and some pit-toilet restrooms. And from what I understand, Barkshed Rec Area is even more primitive than that. But you can camp there. For food, there are several restaurants around the White River resorts and even more in nearby Mountain View.
Other Tidbits
There is no cell service around the Barkshed and Gunner Pool areas. Then service gets spotty closer to Blanchard, and stronger as you get closer to Hwy 5. Dogs are allowed on the river and in the parks. Allow yourself 3-4 hours on the river for this float, depending on how much you want to stop and hang out. Be sure to bring food and drinks for the river and remember – NO GLASS! If you are a new paddler, please read our Paddling page and be sure to check out the Paddling Tips and Gear List there. Remember your PFD and trash bag, and please do your part to leave no trace. Seriously, this is one of the most beautiful floats in Arkansas – DO NOT trash it up!!!! Be safe out there and enjoy the float.
