Oklahoma Atlas & Gazetteer
is our number one tool in planning our Oklahoma Road Trips.
In addition to topographic maps with unbeatable detail, it is loaded with information on great places to go and things to do in Oklahoma.
The Arkansas Atlas & Gazetteer - Awesome resource for finding paddling spots in the Ozarks
Each Page Covers 35.1 miles x 44 miles.
GPS Grids & tick marks
Index of place names & map features (lakes, rivers, mountains, etc.)
The Texas Atlas & Gazetteer - Finding paddling spots in the Lone Star State
Includes: attractions, historic sites, hiking trails, mountain biking trails, unique natural features and more.
The Missouri Atlas & Gazetteer - Missouri offers some great kayaking rivers.
There are hundreds of winding dirt roads and trails in rural Missouri, and this atlas identifies almost all of them.
Great index of campgrounds, state parks, and fishing locations!
Illinois River Safety Guidelines
Visit the Paddlers Supply Store
Oklahoma Book Bargains!
A Canoeing & Kayaking Guide to the Ozarks,
Oklahoma Sportfishing: A Complete Sportsman's Guide (Backcountry Guides)
Paddlers Supply Store Links:
Kayaking Gifts
Paddling Magazines
Buzz-Off Clothing
Kayak Paddler Shirts
Paddling PFD
Kayak Gloves
Spray Skirts
Kayak DVD's
Kayak Books
Buy a Kayak
River Hats
River Shoes
Paddles
DrySuits
Wetsuits
Portage Gear
Kayak Fishing
GPS
Kayak Photography
Camping Food
Generators
Free Illinois River Paddler Information Resources
Download 2006 Floater's Guide (PDF)
Upper Illinois River Recreation Weather Forecast
Kayaks for Oklahoma
Dianne paddles a Heritage Angler 9.5 we bought a Academy Sports in Tulsa.
Tom paddles a Perception Swifty 9.5. it is a great first kayak. We picked up our Swifty at Bass Pro Shop in OKC.
Kayak Paddlers Supply Store
Illinois River Canoe & Kayak Rentals and
Campgrounds List
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| All-American
Floats Kayak & Canoe Rental Waterslide, Camping (918)-456-6949 (Tested and Approved)
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Arrowhead
Camp Cabins, Camping, RV (918) 456-1140 (800) 749-1140
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| Diamondhead
Resort Camping, Bunkhouse Motel, RV, Kayaks (918) 456-4545 (800) 722-2411 |
Eagle
Bluff Resort Cabins, Lodge, RV Camping (918) 456-3031 (800) 657-4837 (Tested and Approved) |
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Elephant
Rock Nature Park Yurts, Canoes, Kayaks, Camping, Fishing, Swimming, Shuttle Service 918-456-4215 (Tested and Approved) |
Falcon
Floats |
| Peyton's
Place Lodge ,Cabins Camping, Rafts (918) 456-3847 (800) 359-0866 |
Sparrow
Hawk Camp |
| War
Eagle Float Resort Float Trips, Camping Bunkhouse, Motel (918) 456-6272 (800) 722-3834 (Tested and Approved) |
Cedar Valley Camp (No answer when we tried to call in May 2008) |
| Hanging Rock Camp RV, Motel, Camping (918) 456-3088 (800) 375-3088
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Green River Floats Inner tube/raft rentals showers, shuttle service (918)-456-4867 (No answer when we tried to call in May 2008) |
| Riverside Camp Camping, Lodge Cabins, RV, Kayaks (918) 456-4787 (800) 749-2267 (Tested and Approved) |
Spencer Ridge Resort Campgrounds, RVs Cabins, Supplies Shuttle, Showers. (800)-964-6670 (918)-597-2269
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| Thunderbird Resort Camping, Lodge, House (918) 456-4747 (800) 749-4700 |
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Trip Report -
5/25/05 The Illinois RiverThe Illinois River provides the introduction to paddling given to most every Oklahoma boys. We floated it twice on the same weekend as the Buffalo River Trip via Falcon Floats and All American Floats. Both outfitters are right on the river, but the take out point for Falcon Floats is a little tough to find due to some fallen timber. In fact, we paddled right past it!
Illinois
River Float Trip Tip: Although Ziplock bags are better than
nothing, they are NOT waterproof! Smart
paddlers get Dry Bags
The folks at the next take out (All American) were real nice and helpful and had such a well marked take out point, we took another short float via their Sit-On-Top Kayaks.
It was our first time on any kind of kayak and we found them to be great fun. They are supposed to be faster than canoes, but since Dianne and I tandem canoe, the one man kayaks didn't seem much faster. We were passing loads of canoes and rafts, but that isn't unusual. We are certainly eager to
try out some
Tandem Kayaks
one of these days.
-- Tom & Di
Trip Report - 5/15/06 The Illinois River
Take This Boat...and Shuttle It
With so much new rain in our part of the world, we had to
think hard to decide where to dip our paddles this weekend. I
wanted to rent a cabin. Since it was also Mother's Day, it
didn't seem right to make the long-suffering mother of my
cherished son sleep in a tent. Finally, we both decided that we
would like to take the opportunity to paddle the Illinois River
again before the Memorial Day rush.
Shuttle Skuttlebutt
More Illinois River outfitters were open this weekend than were
open on our last
journey down this river. However, this weekend we insisted
on bringing our own kayaks. We had a fun trip as usual. We saw
the Eagle again, but didn't manage to capture a
good picture like last time.
I spoke to several outfitters on the phone and time after time
they told me that they didn't want my business. I have heard
that there are insurance problems with hauling non-outfitter
owned boats, but that sounds like a lame excuse to me. I wonder
if there is any enterprising folks running a taxi service in the
area? Ultimately, I just needed a ride back to the put-in where
we left the family car and kayak trailer. (Warning: unqualified
opinion ahead!)
Paddling outfitters beware, the growing trend of not shuttling
private boats and passengers divides you from some of your most
avid supporters and proponents. Tourism is a business that only
thrives in the midst of strong support business networks. You
don't build a strong network by isolating the largest nodes. The
current strategy appears to be based on hoping I'm willing to
wait in line to rent their leaky boats. Better cell phone signal
quality, more campsites with Wifi access and
respecting the need for and value of services like shuttling
private boats would gather much more of my coin than the current
strategy.
Green River Floats is an exception to the rule. We called them
on my cell phone from our take-out at War Eagle Landing. They
arrived quickly and were happy to take us AND our two kayaks to
our put-in at Riverside Resort. We gladly payed $20 for the
service. Riverside Resort provided us with a decent cabin, but
the lack of services for my boats means I may not choose their campground next time.
Can Your Hear Me Now...Good!
Although everywhere else I tried my cell phone on the Illinois
River was a deadspot, I had full signal at War Eagle / Green
River Landing. If I find out they have WIFI internet available
there, I may have to come back and camp near there.
Speaking of wireless internet camping, I got word from Tom,
at K-River Campground on the Kiamichi River, that you can
now get Wifi access to compliment the camping at his paddle
resort. Stop by KRiver.com for details.
One of the things I really love about the Buffalo River in
nearby Gilbert, Arkansas is that my cell phone worked well
everywhere I checked both on and off the river. IMHO, this now
represents and important safety and commerce infrastructure need
for Oklahoma's scenic rivers.
Trip Report - 4/30/06 The Illinois River
Memorial Day kicks off the official paddling season on the Illinois River, but so much warm weather has the outfitters opening up on weekends. With this weekend's rain The Illinois River rose to a high, but safe, level with excellent current. When Sunday's forecast called for plenty of sun, we dashed east with little more than our camera and some sunscreen.Of course, you don't need much more than that to have a great time on Oklahoma's most popular paddling river. Outfitters line the road on scenic Hwy 10 from just outside of Tahlequah to Kansas, Oklahoma. You can rent canoes, kayaks or rafts and take float trips in a wide variety of sizes. No water falls or significant rapids are there to worry the novices, so most Okies paddle this river at some point. In fact, during the heat of the summer vacation the river can be downright crowded.
War Eagle Floats was the first outfitter that we found open for business. Two kayaks and shuttling cost us around $40. Since the amount of paddlers was so small, the shuttle was immediately ready to put us on the water. This was unexpected. We normally sit around waiting for 20 to 30 minutes for an outfitters shuttle bus.
In fact, their speed was such a surprise that I rushed through gathering up my cargo and changing my clothes. When I started to step into my kayak, now miles from our car, I realized that I had forgotten to leave my dry shorts and wallet in the car. Even worse, I had left with one river shoe on and one street shoe on. My shoes didn't match and I am wearing both a swimsuit and shorts! Oh well, I figured that if I kept my butt in the boat, few people should notice.
The two Old Town Otter kayaks we rented were pretty beat up and mine leaked a lot, but it was worth it to be able to get on and off the water quickly with no planning. Since we arrived right after the biggest rain shower of the year, the river was as swift as the shuttle bus. You could literally float down the river, paddling only to steer.
The
usual cranes, squirrels and turtles were abundant, but we didn't
see as much fish action as on our
last trip down the Spring
River. I assumed this was due to the high water, but my Dad said
that the Mayflies were hatching the day we paddled the Spring
River. The one day feast makes the fish go crazy. You can see
pictures from both trips on my Flickr Pics page.This Sunday, we were blessed to have the Illinois River to ourselves. Instead of seeing wild living, we enjoyed wildlife like I have never seen on that river. Dianne and I spent about 20 minutes watching and taking pictures of a Bald Eagle! It was the first one I had gotten to observe in person, and it seemed proud to give us a long look. I think all raptors possess a uniquely fierce beauty, but that Bald Eagle just left me speechless. You could practically hear the National Anthem in the background when he chose to fly away.
As usual, we paddled about 10 miles and got some good sunshine and exercise. About halfway along the trip we had to stop and dump the water out of my kayak and I was reminded why we decided to buy our own boats.
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