Arkansas

This is NOT class III. If you are not a solid IV boater you have no business in this river. Anyone who tells you this is III you should tell them about a nice play wave called Toilet Bowl in Gore Canyon (that is no more a guaranteed swim than a class III boater in the gorge at moderate flows) Even at 350 cfs this is still IV -...and the last hole in Sunshine remains IV+. A swim here would never be volunteered. At 1500 cfs the whole river is IV+. It becomes a funnel of fast water and in the Narrows especially. if you swim you will find yourself dragging your finger nails along the rock wall or concrete in an attempt to stop for a quarter mile. If you want a comparison the Royal at 350 cfs is very similar to the Zume Flume section of Browns Canyon. At 1500 in the Royal you better be comfortable surfing and rolling in the middle of Zume Flume. If you like Dowd Chute around 1000 cfs you will be right at home in the Royal. As long as you can handle it for 5 miles. Yes, I intend to scare you and protect you. Do not make this run your first 4+