Cadron Creek.
Cadron Creek is central Arkansas’s creek - the one Conway and Little Rock paddlers watch when a winter front comes through. It rises in the hills of Cleburne and Van Buren Counties, gathers its forks near Guy, and runs southwest across Faulkner County to the Arkansas River at Cadron Settlement Park west of Conway. Above Greenbrier it is a quiet stream meandering through farm country; through Cadron Gap it cuts a bluff-lined corridor that feels like the Ozarks proper.
The classic run is the one American Whitewater documents: Hwy 124 down through the Gap to Pinnacle Springs, about 13 miles of Class I with a few Class II riffles and play waves, past Dark Hollow (a shaded shoal under a long bluff) and the little waterfall AW calls BBB Falls. Our Hwy 285 to Shaw Bridge trip covers essentially that reach from the public AGFC ramps.
Be honest with yourself about the water. Cadron is spring-fed in places but essentially intermittent: the Guy gauge’s 71-year record puts the typical July-October flow at single-digit CFS, and even the December-May window only clears 145 CFS about three days in four. American Whitewater calls it runnable from 2.0 to 6.0 feet on that gauge; our 145-1000 CFS band (2.0-3.8 ft) is the casual-float slice of that - above it the Gap gets pushy and wood-choked for an open boat.
There is no outfitter. Pinnacle Springs is a private fee take-out; everything else is AGFC ramps and highway rights-of-way, which keeps the Cadron a locals’ creek. From NWA it is under three hours, and a natural stop on the way to the Little Red River.
Paddling Cadron Creek from Conway, Greenbrier and Little Rock.
The creek runs north of Conway along the Hwy 65 corridor, about 2 hours 50 minutes from NWA and 45 minutes from Little Rock.
- From Conway (~15-25 min). The college town on I-40 - closest to the Hwy 64 take-out and the Shaw Bridge reach.
- From Greenbrier (~10 min). The Hwy 65 town right between the Hwy 65 and Hwy 285 ramps - and home to Woolly Hollow State Park.
- From Little Rock (~45 min). Central Arkansas’s go-to creek when it rains.
- From Heber Springs (~30 min). Pair a Cadron rain day with the Little Red River trout tailwater.
- From NWA (~2h 50m). I-49 and I-40 to Conway - the gateway to the eastern edge of the catchment.
No outfitter serves Cadron Creek - it is a self-shuttle float off the AGFC ramps. Hwy 65 and the county roads make shuttles short.
Where to put in.
Four public launches, all from the AGFC Public Use Facilities inventory: the Hwy 65 ramp at Guy (beside the USGS gauge), the AGFC Hwy 285 ramp, the Shaw Bridge right-of-way ramp below the Gap, and the Hwy 64 right-of-way ramp west of Conway. Pinnacle Springs, the traditional Gap take-out, is a private campground with a day-use fee.
Hwy 65 Access to Hwy 285 Access Rain window
About 10.1 winding miles of upper creek from the Guy gauge bridge down to the AGFC Hwy 285 ramp - meanders, farm bluffs and gravel bars. Only after solid rain.
Hwy 285 Access to Shaw Bridge The Gap
About 14.2 miles - the Cadron Gap reach: long bluffs, Dark Hollow, small Class II play waves and the waterfall American Whitewater writes up. A full day at good flows.
Shaw Bridge to Hwy 64 Access Lower creek
About 9.3 miles of slower lower creek to the Hwy 64 right-of-way ramp west of Conway - gentle, pastoral, and the last public access before the Arkansas River.
No outfitter, no rental, no shuttle service - the Cadron is entirely DIY. Bring your own boat, leave a car at the take-out, and read the Guy gauge the morning of.
Where to camp.
The state park on Lake Bennett between the Hwy 65 and Hwy 285 reaches - campsites, swimming and a flatwater fallback when the creek is low.
The private campground and traditional Gap take-out - camping and a day-use launch fee.
Corps day-use park where the creek meets the Arkansas River - history trail, no camping, but a scenic end-of-creek stop.
Cabins, lodges and rooms nearby.
Full chain-hotel range along I-40, 20 minutes from the creek.
State-park cabins minutes from the upper ramps.
Small-town motels right on Hwy 65 between the two upper accesses.
Where to base from, where to eat.
Conway Hub
A college town (UCA, Hendrix) with a real food scene - the post-float meal is easy.
Greenbrier Upper creek
Diners, barbecue and gas on Hwy 65 minutes from the ramps.
Guy Put-in
A crossroads with a gas station - last stop before the Hwy 65 ramp.
Other things to do
- Woolly Hollow State Park. Lake Bennett swimming, trails and a CCC-era dam ten minutes from the creek.
- Cadron Settlement Park. The 1800s settlement site and Trail of Tears interpretive trail where the creek meets the Arkansas River.
- Little Red River. The Greers Ferry trout tailwater 30 minutes north - the obvious pairing for a rain-day weekend.
Plan a safe trip.
Seasons
- Winter to spring (Dec-May). The season. Frontal rains bring the Guy gauge into the 145-1000 CFS window for days at a time.
- Summer and fall. Almost always too low - single-digit CFS is normal from July through October. Swim Lake Bennett instead.
- After hard rain. The Gap gets fast, pushy and full of wood above 1,000 CFS; American Whitewater paddlers run it higher, open boats should not.
- The window is short. Cadron drops back out of range within a few days of a crest - go while it is up.
Hazards & safety
- Rain-only flow. No reliable baseflow; read USGS 07261000 the morning of. Below 2.0 ft (about 145 CFS) you will drag.
- Wood and strainers. A narrow creek collects downed trees - the 2017 floods left several; scout blind bends and portage.
- Private land. Banks are private between the public ramps; Pinnacle Springs charges a fee - do not block gates or use private landings without permission.
- Cold water. The best flows are winter and spring; dress for immersion.
- Low-water crossings. Rural slab and bridge crossings can become dangerous horizon lines at high water - scout every one.
Before you go
Our live badge is a summary, not a substitute for judgment. Cross-check the raw gauge record on USGS station 07261000, 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 an Ozarks couple 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 Cadron Creek with that same confidence. Every access point, outfitter, and hazard in this guide is researched and hand-checked, and the levels come straight from USGS gauges. Read the story behind Float NWA - and if anything here looks wrong, tell us and we will fix it.
Frequently asked.
Can I navigate the Cadron Creek with no cell signal?
Yes. Cell service is unreliable on Ozark rivers - it can drop out under bluffs and in the hollows even on stretches that run close to town - so set up before you launch. While you still have wifi or signal, open Float Mode and it saves the Cadron Creek map to your phone. On the water it runs fully offline, using your phone's GPS to show your live position on the river, the distance to your next take-out, and how far along your float you are. It is free, runs in your browser, and needs no app-store download or account.
Where is the Cadron Creek gauge?
USGS 07261000, Cadron Creek near Guy, at the Hwy 65 bridge - our upper put-in. Both the Float NWA window (145-1000 CFS, about 2.0-3.8 ft) and American Whitewater’s runnable range (2.0-6.0 ft) read off this gauge.
When can you float Cadron Creek?
December through May, within a few days of a good rain. The creek is essentially dry in late summer and fall - the median July-October flow at Guy is under 10 CFS.
What is the Cadron Gap run?
The bluff-lined reach between Hwy 124 and Pinnacle Springs that American Whitewater documents as about 13 miles of Class I(II), with Dark Hollow and a small waterfall along the way. Our Hwy 285 to Shaw Bridge trip covers that reach from public AGFC ramps.
Is there an outfitter on Cadron Creek?
No. It is a bring-your-own-boat, self-shuttle float from AGFC ramps and highway rights-of-way. Pinnacle Springs is a private campground with a day-use fee for its landing.
How far is Cadron Creek from NWA?
About 2 hours 50 minutes from Fayetteville via I-49 and I-40 to Conway, then north on Hwy 65.
Float the Cadron Creek with live GPS, even with no signal.
Cell service is unreliable on Ozark rivers - it can drop out under bluffs and in the hollows even on stretches that run close to town. Float Mode uses your phone's GPS to show your live position moving down the river, how far to your next take-out, and your trip progress · even with zero bars.
Before you launch (while you still have signal or wifi), save the Cadron Creek map to your phone. On the water it loads fully offline: pick your put-in and take-out for an estimated distance and a live percent-complete as you float. It is free, runs in your browser, and needs no app store download or account. Open Float Mode for the Cadron Creek →