Strawberry River.
The Strawberry winds through pasture and low Ozark foothills around Evening Shade, and it is best known to anglers: this is one of Arkansas's storied smallmouth bass streams. As a float it is gentle Class I to II water through genuinely quiet country, with a chain of AGFC accesses spacing out day trips.
Its USGS gauge at Poughkeepsie stopped reporting flow, which makes the Strawberry the poster child for our radar approach: Creek Watch estimates its state purely from NOAA rainfall over the watershed. With 473 square miles of drainage it holds water a bit longer than the small creeks after a good rain.
Strawberry River float trips.
Tap any two access points on the map to build a float and see the distance between them. The trip list below is the no-map fallback.
Rather paddle your own boat? Our Ozark boat guide matches you to the right canoe or kayak, and local shops like Pack Rat Outdoor Center in Fayetteville, Ozark Mountain Trading Co. near Beaver Lake, and Ozark Kayak Store in Bentonville know Ozark water and will get you fitted right.
Where to camp.
Developed campgrounds are sparse on the Strawberry itself; most floats are day trips from Evening Shade or Cave City. Gravel bar camping exists but land along the river is largely private, so ask before you camp.
While you are here.
The headline act. Bring ultralight gear or a fly rod; the Strawberry is managed with special attention as a premier smallmouth stream.
The tiny namesake town of the 90s sitcom, and the gateway to the best float water.
Timing a rain-fed creek.
Strawberry River only floats after real rain, and drops out within a day or two. Our Creek Watch tracks NOAA radar rainfall over this creek's watershed and flags when a float window is likely opening. Never launch on rising water, and confirm access locally before you drive.
Before you go
Our live badge is a summary, not a substitute for judgment. Cross-check and see the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for regulations, fishing licenses, and access updates. Conditions change fast out here - when in doubt, call a local outfitter.
Written by lifelong Ozark floaters.
Float NWA is built by Brian and Laralee, Ozarks locals whose first dates were overnight gravel-bar floats on the Buffalo. We made this site because a river stops being intimidating the moment you know the put-ins, the miles, and the water level - and we want you to float the Strawberry River with that same confidence. Access points, outfitters, and float miles in this guide are compiled from public agency data, mapping sources, and paddler reports, and reviewed before they go up; levels come straight from USGS gauges. Hazards are reported by other floaters and are not verified by us - and the absence of a hazard never means a stretch is clear. Read the story behind Float NWA - and if anything here looks wrong, tell us and we will fix it.
Frequently asked.
Is there a working gauge on the Strawberry River?
Not for flow. The USGS station near Poughkeepsie still reports temperature and rainfall but stopped reporting discharge. Our Creek Watch estimates floatability from NOAA radar rainfall over the river's watershed instead, and labels it clearly as an estimate.
How good is the smallmouth fishing?
Among the best in the Ozarks. The Strawberry is a storied Arkansas smallmouth stream, and the float sections around Evening Shade put you over the best of it. Handle and release the big river fish gently.
How long are the floats?
Hwy 167 to Simstown is 4.7 miles, Simstown to Barnes Bridge 6 miles, Barnes Bridge to Hulett 7.6, and Hulett to Hwy 58 another 2.3. Chain them for anything from a lazy half day to a long full day.
Access points and mileages: American Whitewater reach data and the AGFC access layer (Simstown, Peebles Bluff, Ransom W Smith, Horseshoe Bend, Riverview School). Creek Watch statuses are radar-based estimates, not gauge readings.