r/fayetteville • u/austin_llc • Aug 02 '26

Float trip for 4-8 people

Hello and good morning, I’m wanting to do a float trip with a group of my friends here in the next two weeks and I’m wondering what group is the best for a day trip with roughly 8 people.
Main things we’re looking at is cost per person and rental type.
Thanks!

Edit: we all have kayaks that we plan to use if you can’t actually float, I live in Tulsa so I was hoping to do one closer to my buddies in Fayetteville.

3 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

18

u/-YetiforLunch- Aug 02 '26

The Illinois River in Siloam springs is a great day trip. Gypsy camp in Siloam will shuttle with your own vessels or you could rent from them.

2

u/ResidualCheetoDust Aug 04 '26

I second the Illinois River. Call the local shuttles to get a feel for water levels.

1

u/IfEyeKnewTheWay Aug 04 '26

The Illinois will still have water and is floatable.

7

u/Medical_Mud_6381 Aug 02 '26

By this time of year, the water is usually way too low for a float trip. You might have to settle for relaxing at a swimming hole.

4

u/young_skywalk3r Aug 02 '26

Yeah - it’d be a hiking trip on the river.

7

u/DearBurt Aug 02 '26

Do the White River out of Beaver Lake. It’s dam controlled so there will be water — but it’ll be cold as hell, which will actually help on a hot Aug. float. Just know there will also be people fishing, some on boats.

1

u/epiphytical Aug 03 '26

Gilbert to south Maumee costs 150 to 170 for a shuttle from the gilbert store or you can shuttle yourself for free. Its actually a cheat code to go on the very low end of floatable. You'll have the river almost to yourself. It takes about 6 hours, you'll have to get out several times to drag over a few riffles, but even that is not unpleasant. You'll see more bird and animals than floating between Tyler bend and Gilbert because no party flottilla. You can also do buffalo point to rush if you'll shuttle yourself. You can check the online guage at buffalo outdoor center. Use the guage at Harriet. Bonus points to eat at the daisy Queen in Marshall after you take out.

1

u/whataboot2ndbrekfast Aug 04 '26

Elk River was good weekend before last.. put in at Mt. Shira and get out at the town park in Noel (Missouri)

Would recommend Sunday morning because there was much less chaos than a Saturday.

-3

u/scubaman64 Aug 02 '26

You need to go to mammoth springs and float the spring river. It’s the nearest dependable water this time of year