Photo#9532

Gauge Information

Min Sug. Level:

250 cfs

River Description

River flows from the TX panhandle thru Oklahoma for hundreds of miles, gathering a watershed of 7000 sq mi before cutting thru a granite ridge creating 1.5 mi of whitewater.

The Washita River forms in Hemphill County in the Texas Panhandle, just south of the Canadian River, then flows several hundred miles to Lake Murray and the Red River. However, most of the river is not a navigable stream, and the section that is suitable for recreational paddling is a short stretch of about 22 miles located in southcentral Oklahoma, near Turner Falls and Price Falls, adjacent to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area. The Washita is a tame river for all but 1.2 miles of its 21.9 total miles. The section called "Big Canyon", starting at 11.3 miles below the Highway 77 put-in below Davis, Oklahoma, can have standing waves of several feet that can swamp an open boat or capsize any boat if not run properly or portaged around. The big standing waves may reach 6 feet or more in high water conditions. Aside from this one potential hazard the rest of the river is enjoyable by familes or paddlers with little to no previous paddling experience. In modern parlance, it is a user-friendly river.

The trip downriver is scenic and colorful, with significant rock formations near the Arbuckle Mountains where the river runs. The area is steeped in ancient Native American cultures and many members of old tribes still live in the area, as well as all over Oklahoma, today. Spring and early Summer are the best times to catch the Washita with water - it tends to run low most of the year, and particularly during droughts. Oklahoma has its own version of the Grand Canyon, where southeast of Davis the Washita cuts through the granite in the Arbuckle Mountains, carving out a river valley with 350 foot walls running for about 15 miles.

Hazards to navigation: Heavy local rainfall will reach dangerous proportions as the waters reach Big Canyon at 11.3 miles downriver. Big Canyon is a series of rapids in the Class I-II+ range packed into 1.2 miles inside a deep canyon with six-foot standing waves that can swamp or capsize a boat quickly, sending you swimming in a fast current over a rocky roller coaster (and you forgot to wear your steel cup!) The E-ticket ride ends at 12.5 miles downriver, after which there are no other hazards other than downed trees and debris clutters, especially after a flood.

River Access Points: US Highway 77 bridge at 0.0 miles; Dougherty Bridge at 7.5 miles; SH 53 Bridge at 21.9 miles. There are no other access points on this section of the Washita River.