Kayaking on the Arkansas River – Kayaking in Arkansas – The Gifted Gabber

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was provided a discount in exchange for an honest review of my experience kayaking the Arkansas River with Rock Town River Outfitters.

On the last weekend of spring break, I surprised the Hubs with an adventure of kayaking the Arkansas River.

But here’s the thing –

I don’t do outside activities.

Like ever.

I’m a total inside kind of gal.

To this day, I have no idea what possessed me to call Samuel at Rock Town River Outfitters and arrange a morning tour with him on his kayaks. All I know, is my friend Lori from Lori Sparkman Photogaphy raved about him in a post on Facebook, and I was immediately intrigued. This Arkansas River kayaking adventure seemed the perfect activity to surprise the Hubs with since I knew he would never in a million years guess that I had planned a morning on kayaks.

A) We had the unusual luxury of childcare for several days since the girls had gone to stay with my parents for part of spring break.

B) I’m full of adventure, despite what all the naysayers will tell you.

After I made arrangements with Samuel, I told the Hubs to keep Saturday morning free but told him nothing more.

Did I mention that Samuel also happened to be the fiddler for our wedding and his parents own the amazing Magnolia Hill venue where the Hubs and I got married? It truly is such a small world!

When the Hubs saw the kayaks at Rockwater Marina, he was in disbelief that I had scheduled such an adventure. No doubt, once he realized I had scheduled this Arkansas River kayaking adventure, he figured that the two kayaks he saw were for him and Samuel. He assumed I was not going in the water.

Nope. This gal was going to do a little Arkansas River kayaking! 

Kayaking in Arkansas – Arkansas River Kayaking

We learned some important kayaking for beginners type kayaking tips – like seating positions are really important as leg/knee placement is an important factor in keeping your kayak from tipping over.

Samuel, who previously worked in water adventures like kayaking in Colorado for several years, joined us in the water in his own kayak. His canoe is decorated with memorabilia from his travels and fun times over the years.

Keep in mind that I have never been in a kayak and have not even been in a canoe or any type of small boat since I was a kid. And I think it might have only been once. Like I said – inside girl.

The wind kept the water pretty choppy at 9:30ish near the marina. I had a bit of trouble getting my paddle to work in my favor in the choppy waters.

Samuel gave me some simple kayak for beginners type instructions for how to hold the paddle and how to place it in the water. This gal needed all the kayak lessons and kayaking tips she could get! He assured me that once we got further away from the marina, the water would become more calm. And it did.

Once we were just a few minutes in, I felt quite calm and secure in my kayak. I never felt like I was going to fall out or tip over beyond the first couple of minutes. Of course, most of those initial feelings were simply from trying something new and different.

Across the main body, we completed our Arkansas River kayaking tour. Who would have ever thought I would be kayaking Arkansas River all by myself, crossing under a railroad bridge, the new Broadway Bridge, the Main Street Bridge, and the I-30 Bridge?!

It. Was. So. Cool.

We also passed the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum which is a historic submarine parked in the Arkansas River.

In total, we completed a two-mile paddle, ending near where we had parked our car earlier in the day at a parking area near I-30. I was having so much fun kayaking the Arkansas River that I didn’t want the tour to be over!

Check out our video to see more of us kayaking in Arkansas on the Arkansas River!

Going on an Adventure with Rock Town River Outfitters

Samuel offers different kayak tours. I’m really intrigued by his sunrise and sunset tours that he offers occasionally.

For someone like me who is not overly adventurous and is a true beginner at nearly everything outdoorsy, an Arkansas River kayak tour with Rock Town River Outfitters was the perfect experience. Samuel is very patient and gives simple kayak instruction on what to do and what not to do. He is nearby in his own kayak and seems to have a great knowledge of the Arkansas River.

For someone like the Hubs, who has a lot of experience outdoors and on water, this is still a great opportunity to do something enjoyable and familiar but in a new territory. A lot of us don’t have much close-up experience with the Arkansas River. Not many can say they have gone kayaking the Arkansas River.

If you are interested in some of the best kayaking in Arkansas, check out Rock Town River Outfitters on Facebook. If you are simply interested in kayak rental in Arkansas, Rock Town River Outfitters is also your place. Get out there and do a little kayaking in Arkansas this year! There are lots of kayak tours to explore – such as tandem kayak rentals, sunset kayaking tours, and standup paddle tours. 

Before you go, be sure to check out some of our other Arkansas adventures: Family Farm, Treehouse Cabins in Eureka Springs, Garvan Gardens Christmas Lights, Guess and Company Christmas Warehouse, Wye Mountain Daffodil Festival, and the P. Allen Smith House.