The Arkansas River was designated as a National Water Trail by the National Park Service in 2016. There are over twenty, legal, access sites along the river which are open to the public.
Arkansas River Water Trail
work details

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Arkansas River Water Trail
About
Using the River
Our Work
Get Involved
Contact
About
Only three rivers in Kansas are legally navigable and open to public recreation: the Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri rivers.
192-miles of the Arkansas River, stretching from Great Bend to the Oklahoma border, were added to the National Water Trails system in 2016.

More information on the Arkansas River National Water Trail:
- Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks– Rivers & Streams Information
- National Recreational Trails Database – Arkansas River Water Trail
Using the River
Know Before Your Go
- Paddling Guide by Vince Marshall (updated 7/2020) – a great tool identifying landmarks, tributaries, and access points along the Arkansas River National Water Trail developed by the Arkansas River Coalition.
- Trip Planning – planning a float trip? How far do you want to go? Below are resources that will help you decide:
Resources for learning more about the Arkansas River:
There are numerous webpages with information on where to paddle and new resources are always popping up!
- Arkansas River Coalition
- KDWP – Paddling Resources
- The Pathfinder – Where to Paddle
- TravelKS – Canoe&Kayak
Books:
Our Work
Access Signage Project – 2020-2023
The Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams was awarded a Recreational Trails Grant from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks to improve the access-point signage along the 192-miles of the Arkansas River National Water Trail.
During Fall 2020, a small Work Group of key partners will prioritize the access points, prepare for the graphic design work, and finalize a project timeline. In spring 2021, a graphic designer was chosen to produce the signs.
Watch for sign kiosks to be built and installed by the Evergy Green Team from winter 2021 through completion of the project.
KAWS will be requesting community involvement through out the project.
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams, 626 N. Main, Suite A, Newton, KS, 67114, https://www.kaws.org. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Network for Good.

Future Projects
KAWS has plans for several additional projects along the Arkansas River National Water Trail, as grant funding and sponsorships become available. Some concepts include:
- Trash Traps on the tributaries of the Ark River
- Official Riverkeeper/Waterkeeper position for the Arkansas River
Photo Credit: Vince Marshall
Get Involved
*this information is not representative of all the efforts along the river corridor – check with your local community to learn about other activities, clean ups, and festivals taking place
Communities and neighborhoods are passionate about their connection to their local rivers and streams.
Here are a few opportunities to get involved:
Know of other on-going projects along the Arkansas River?
Please CONTACT US to have it added.
Contact
Kansas Alliance for Wetlands & Streams
arkriver@kaws.org
Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks
Arkansas River Coalition
http://www.arkrivercoalition.org/contact-us.html
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Who owns the Water? In Kansas, water is not considered property unless you have a legal property right to it. Want to know more about water law? The Kansas Department of Agriculture is a great place to start learning more about water rights in Kansas.
- Who owns/controls the land next to the River? Riparian rights are a type of water rights awarded to landowners whose property is located along flowing bodies of water, such as rivers or streams. In the event the water is a non-navigable waterway, the landowner generally owns the land beneath the water to the exact center of the waterway. However, if the water is designated as “navigable” (like the Arkansas River):
- Navigable Waters of the United States: There are 3 “Navigable” rivers in Kansas, the Arkansas, Kansas (Kaw) and the Missouri. Navigable waters of the United States are “those waters that are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide and/or are presently used, or have been used in the past, or may be susceptible for use to transport interstate or foreign commerce. A determination of navigability, once made, applies laterally over the entire surface of the waterbody, and is not extinguished by later actions or events which impede or destroy navigable capacity.” Navigability of a water body is a determination made by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
- What’s all that mean? Well, it means that, you have the legal right to be between the “ordinary high water mark” on either side of the river, as long as you are accessing the river from a public access point, and you do not venture above that “high water mark” onto privately owned land. Unlike the other streams in Kansas, the area between those “high water marks” are not private property – the landowner on either side ONLY owns the land down to the “high water mark.”
- Ordinary High water mark? Interpreting high water mark isn’t always easy. Basically, it means, if there are signs of permanent vegetation at a certain spot on the bank, that’s probably the highest the river has been in awhile and most people would see that as an “ordinary high water mark.”
Photo Credit: Vince Marshall
Photo Credit: Vince Marshall
Photo Credit: Ryan Waters