Is the water on? Greers Ferry Dam generation outlook.
This is a dam-controlled tailwater: when Greers Ferry Dam generates, the river rises fast and turns cold and powerful, and it is wadeable when the units are off. Always confirm generation before you wade or launch. The chart above is the day-ahead SWPA generation schedule so you can see what is coming; the live status in the header is the USGS gauge downstream (USGS 07076517), which lags the dam by several hours.
Little Red River.
The Little Red River below Greers Ferry Dam is the quieter sibling of the White River tailwaters - about 30 miles of cold, spring-clear trout water winding east from Heber Springs through Cleburne and White Counties. When the dam closed off the river in 1962 it turned a warm Ozark stream into a year-round trout fishery, and in 1992 the Little Red gave up a 40-pound brown trout that stood as the world record for years. Rainbows are stocked from the Greers Ferry National Fish Hatchery below the dam; big browns are the draw.
This is a dam-controlled river, not a rain-fed one. Its “flow” is Greers Ferry power generation: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Little Rock District) runs the dam and the Southwestern Power Administration schedules the two turbines. With both units off the river drops to a few hundred CFS of hatchery and tributary flow and the shoals are wadeable; one unit pushes roughly 3,000 CFS of cold, strong current; two units run above 6,000 CFS and the river is a serious, fast drift. The live number on this page is the USGS gauge at Dewey (Hwy 305), about 25 river miles below the dam - so it lags the dam by several hours and never reads zero.
The paddling is mostly drift-and-fish: kayaks, canoes and jon boats launched at the AGFC and Corps ramps between JFK Park and Ramsey, floating the shoal-and-pool rhythm past Cow Shoals, Winkley Bridge, Libby Shoals, Lobo Landing and Pangburn. Several reaches carry special trout regulations (catch-and-release and slot limits) - check the current AGFC trout guide before you fish.
Heber Springs is the base: a real lake-and-river town with trout docks, guide services, cabins and restaurants, and Greers Ferry Lake right above the dam when you want flatwater instead.
Floating & fishing the Little Red from Heber Springs and Conway.
The tailwater runs along the Cleburne / White County line, about 3.5 hours from NWA and an hour north of Little Rock.
- From Heber Springs (~5-10 min). The hub - JFK Park, the dam, the hatchery and the first ramps are minutes from town.
- From Pangburn (0 min). The lower-river town at the Pangburn bridge; Dripping Springs and Ramsey ramps are close.
- From Conway (~45-60 min). The nearest I-40 city - and the gateway from NWA via I-49 and I-40.
- From Searcy (~25 min). Handy to the lowest ramps where the trout water fades into warm-water river.
- From NWA (~3.5h). A long day or an easy weekend; pair it with Greers Ferry Lake or the Cadron Creek rain window on the way.
Like the White, the Little Red has a real guide-and-resort scene - rental kayaks and jon boats, guided drift trips and riverfront cabins are easy to arrange. Always check the Greers Ferry generation outlook before you wade or launch.
Where to put in.
Access is excellent: a string of AGFC and Corps ramps and walk-in fishing areas runs the whole trout water, from the USACE JFK Park just below the dam to the AGFC Hwy 305 ramp at Dewey. Walk-in areas (Cow Shoals, Libby Shoals, Winkley Shoals, Pangburn Bridge) are for wading and bank fishing, not trailers.
JFK Park to Barnett Access (Winkley Bridge) Top of tailwater
About 9.2 miles of the coldest water on the river, looping out past the Cow Shoals catch-and-release area and back to the Winkley Bridge ramp. Wade the shoals when the units are off; drift it when they generate.
Barnett Access to Lobo Landing Half day
About 6 miles past Libby Shoals to the Lobo Landing ramp - the classic half-day drift when one unit is running.
Lobo Landing to Dripping Springs Half day
About 5.3 miles of big slow pools and gravel shoals down to the AGFC Dripping Springs ramp just above Pangburn.
Dripping Springs to Ramsey Access Lower trout water
About 5.9 miles past the Pangburn bridge to the AGFC Ramsey ramp - wider and a little warmer as the tailwater fades toward Searcy.
Red River Trout Dock Resort in Heber Springs rents kayaks and jon boats and runs guided trips; Sore Lip ’Em All is a long-running fly-fishing guide service on the river. Both verified online in 2026. Confirm generation plans with whoever you book - they live by the schedule.
Where to camp.
The Corps campground right on the tailwater below the dam - the natural base for the upper river, with the hatchery and the first ramp on site.
Big Corps campground on the lake just above the dam - lake swimming by day, trout water five minutes below.
Several trout docks and resorts along the river offer RV and tent sites with river access - Red River Trout Dock among them.
Cabins, lodges and rooms nearby.
Riverfront cabins, boat and kayak rentals and guided trips in one spot on the upper tailwater.
Cabins on the Little Red - a quieter riverfront base a few miles below the dam.
Chain and independent lodging in town, minutes from the dam and the ramps.
Where to base from, where to eat.
Heber Springs Hub
The lake-and-river town: breakfast cafes, catfish and steak houses, groceries, fly shops and everything you forgot.
Pangburn Lower river
A small town at the lower-river bridge - gas and basics near the Dripping Springs and Ramsey ramps.
Searcy East end
The college town (Harding University) with full services 25 minutes from the lowest ramps.
Other things to do
- Greers Ferry Lake. The big clear Corps lake above the dam - swimming, sailing and the Sugarloaf Mountain island hike. See the lake guide for ramps and paddling coves.
- Greers Ferry National Fish Hatchery. The federal trout hatchery below the dam, open to visitors, that stocks the river.
- Sugarloaf Mountain. The National Recreation Trail to the top of the island in Greers Ferry Lake - boat access only.
Plan a safe trip.
Seasons
- Year-round. The water is always cold and the trout are always there; floatability depends on generation, not the calendar.
- Summer. Peak power demand means more afternoon generation - plan wading for mornings and drifts for afternoons, and watch the outlook.
- Fall and winter. Big browns spawn in fall; low-generation days are the best wading. Dress for very cold water.
- Flood operations. After heavy rain the Corps may run gates as well as turbines - the Dewey gauge climbs well above 6,000 CFS. Stay off.
Hazards & safety
- Rising water without warning. Generation can start any time. If the water starts to climb or you hear a horn at the dam, get off the river immediately.
- Cold water. Tailwater temperatures sit in the 50s year-round - hypothermia is a real summer risk after a swim.
- Lagging gauge. The live USGS reading at Dewey is 25 miles below the dam. It tells you what happened hours ago - use the generation outlook for what is coming.
- Wading at generation. One unit turns ankle-deep shoals into waist-deep current fast. Wade only when the units are off.
- Special regulations. Catch-and-release and slot-limit reaches change over time - carry the current AGFC trout guide.
Before you go
Our live badge is a summary, not a substitute for judgment. Cross-check the raw gauge record on USGS station 07076517, 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 Little Red River 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 Little Red River 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 Little Red River 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 Little Red River gauge?
USGS 07076517, Little Red River near Dewey, at the AGFC Hwy 305 ramp about 25 river miles below Greers Ferry Dam. It reads a few hundred CFS even when the dam is off and lags the dam by several hours. The old gauge near Heber Springs (07076000) has not reported since 1987.
When can you float the Little Red River?
Any day the dam is generating - roughly 3,000 CFS with one unit, 6,000-plus with two. When the units are off the river is low and wadeable and most people fish rather than paddle. Check the Greers Ferry generation outlook on this page before you go.
Is the Little Red a whitewater river?
No. It is a gentle trout tailwater with shoals and long pools. The danger is cold, fast-rising water from the dam, not rapids.
Are there kayak rentals on the Little Red?
Yes - Red River Trout Dock Resort in Heber Springs rents kayaks and jon boats, and several guide services run drift trips. Public ramps mean self-shuttling is easy too.
How far is the Little Red River from NWA?
About 3.5 hours from Fayetteville via I-49, I-40 and Conway to Heber Springs - a long day trip or an easy weekend paired with Greers Ferry Lake.
Float the Little Red River 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 Little Red River 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 Little Red River →