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Arkansas | Ozark Highlands

Mulberry River

Redding Recreation Area to Turner Bend

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Today

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Today's conditions

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Quick facts

On-water distance About 3.6 to 4 mi Redding Recreation Area to Turner Bend
Difficulty hard American Whitewater rates Redding Campground to Highway 23 / Turner Bend as Class I-III. Turner Bend local guidance says even moderate levels can become challenging for beginners, and higher water produces powerful current, big waves, and few pools.
Shuttle Car shuttle Stage the take-out only after confirming Turner Bend access, parking, wristband, and shuttle terms, then drive back to Redding Recreation Area. Inspect both landings before launching because high water, crowds, private-access rules, and rough forest roads can change the plan.
Permits None noted No route-specific private paddling permit is known, but both endpoints have access terms. Pay Forest Service day-use fees at Redding when required, buy Turner Bend access or parking permissions before using its landing, follow Arkansas boating and PFD rules, and check current weather, stage, and trend before launching.
Camping Options nearby Treat this as a short day run unless the group has a separate legal camping plan. Redding has Forest Service campground facilities and Turner Bend has private campground options, but do not depend on unplanned riverbank camping or private-bank exits.
Season Jan-Dec The National Rivers Project says traditional floating months are late fall to June and conditions vary with local rainfall. Treat this as a recent-rain route; summer and early fall often need a fresh storm, while storms can push the river up quickly.

Plan

Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.

Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.

Access plan

Access, shuttle, and map

Launch at the Forest Service Redding Recreation Area and take out at the private-fee Turner Bend landing for a short Mulberry River whitewater run. Use the downstream USGS Mulberry gauge as the Paddle Today scoring source, then make a same-day visual call at Redding and Turner Bend.

Directions Apple Maps OpenStreetMap
Start

Put-in

Redding Recreation Area canoe launch Open map

Redding Recreation Area is an official Forest Service river access with a rock canoe launch and day-use fees, but road, parking, and flood cleanup conditions can still vary.

Finish

Take-out

Turner Bend landing / Highway 23 bridge Open map

Turner Bend is a private-fee landing. Private boaters need current access wristbands, parking permits, or shuttle arrangements; do not assume unpaid or after-hours landing use.

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Access caveats

  • Redding Recreation Area is an official Forest Service river access with a rock canoe launch and day-use fees, but road, parking, and flood cleanup conditions can still vary.
  • Turner Bend is a private-fee landing. Private boaters need current access wristbands, parking permits, or shuttle arrangements; do not assume unpaid or after-hours landing use.
  • The route uses the USGS Mulberry River near Mulberry stage range published by American Whitewater. Turner Bend also publishes a local staff-gauge ladder, but Paddle Today does not treat that as the live product gauge.
  • The take-out coordinate is a practical Highway 23 / Turner Bend bridge corridor anchor. Confirm the signed Turner Bend landing and loading rules before launching.

Watch for

  • Class I-III rapids, wave trains, sharp bends, rocks, ledges, and pushy current when the river is up.
  • Low water below about 1.55 ft at the USGS gauge, when scraping, dragging, and pinning risk increase.
  • High water around and above 6.0 ft at the USGS gauge, outside the American Whitewater runnable envelope used by Paddle Today.
  • Fast rises after Ozark storms, fresh wood, strainers, muddy water, cold swims, and limited cell service in the forest corridor.
  • Private-access limits at Turner Bend, busy spring weekends, rural shuttle delays, and late-day darkness if the group waits on access logistics.

Route gallery

See this route on the water

Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.

A steel truss bridge crosses the Mulberry River above a rocky channel lined with spring-green trees.
Mulberry River bridge near Turner Bend Photo by Valis55 via Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons: CC BY-SA 3.0

Sources

Check the data behind today's call.

Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.

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Outlook Tomorrow and weekend

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Data behind the score Gauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge site Mulberry River near Mulberry, AR
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Target band 1.55 ft to 6.00 ft
Low threshold 1.55 ft
High threshold 6.00 ft
Data confidence behind the range Local route guidance
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Paddle Today updated Checking
Main source behind this score American Whitewater Redding-to-Turner-Bend reach gauge range
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Notes What to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Official put-in Redding Recreation Area

    The Forest Service says Redding Recreation Area sits next to the Wild and Scenic Mulberry River and offers a rock canoe launch and river access. The page lists the site as open all year with a day-use fee and official coordinates.

    Source

  • Route shape Redding to Turner Bend, about 3.6 to 4.0 miles

    American Whitewater identifies Redding Campground to Highway 23 / Turner Bend as a 3.6-mile Mulberry reach. National Rivers Project lists Redding to Turner Bend as a 4-mile section managed by the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest.

    Source

  • Direct live gauge USGS 07252000

    USGS Mulberry River near Mulberry showed same-day May 31, 2026 data during review, including 1,050 cfs and 2.84 ft at 16:30 CDT.

    Source

  • Stage model 1.55 / 1.55-6.0 / 6.0 ft

    American Whitewater ties the exact Redding-to-Turner-Bend reach to USGS 07252000 and lists 1.55 to 6.00 ft as barely runnable to high runnable for Class I-III water. Paddle Today uses that as a conservative two-sided stage envelope without adding a stronger ideal subrange.

    Source

  • Private-fee take-out Turner Bend landing

    Turner Bend documents private-boater shuttles, access wristbands, parking permits, a loading/unloading landing, and the requirement to buy access for use of its landings.

    Source

  • Local hazard context Fast rises, technical water, and beginner limits

    National Rivers Project warns that heavy rain can quickly transform the Mulberry into a rampaging torrent. Turner Bend local guidance says 2.7-2.8 ft is challenging for beginners, 2.9-3.0 ft is not a casual picnic float, and 4.5-5.0 ft is too much water for most boaters on its local staff gauge.

    Source

  • Coordinate anchors Redding 35.68282778, -93.78651111; Turner Bend 35.671667, -93.829444

    The put-in uses Forest Service Redding coordinates. The take-out uses the Turner Bend / Highway 23 bridge corridor coordinate from the Commons NRHP bridge record, backed by Turner Bend access pages that place the landing at the Highway 23 / Mulberry River junction.

    Source

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Quick answers

Mulberry River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Mulberry River?

Paddle Today watches Mulberry River near Mulberry, AR and treats 1.55 ft to 6.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Mulberry River route start and end?

This route starts at Redding Recreation Area canoe launch and ends at Turner Bend landing / Highway 23 bridge, about About 3.6 to 4 mi on the water.

Is this Mulberry River route good for beginners?

This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.

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