WOKA EXPEDITION! (update includes July 15, 2024 photos)

This is the building and sign that you see, when you enter the campus of WOKA.  The word "WOKA" is a reference to "the Waters of Oklahoma and Arkansas" Whitewater Park.

The original date of publication for my blog about WOKA was January 1, 2024, and I mentioned that I had the goal of returning to WOKA, when it was warmer, so that I could actually experience going through the whitewater, in a kayak.  I achieved my goal, and this updated blog tells about that experience, which took place on July 15, 2024.   

I was the first customer at the park that day, so I was able to park my white car very close to the rental concession:

Y arrived shortly thereafter, and also got a close parking space.  The parking fee to enter WOKA is ten dollars, no matter how many people are in your vehicle, so if you want to reduce your expenses, carpooling is a consideration before you enter the park. 

The first employee I talked to upon entering the park, was very helpful in telling me what I needed to know to get started.  She is wearing one of the many logo items available for purchase at the park concession booth.

 This photo shows my WHOyaker friends lining up to pay the rental fees and sign the waiver, that each individual must sign.  Check the website at www.VisitWOKA to find out the current rental prices.  All rentals come with a helmet and a life jacket, because no one can enter the water channel unless they have on a helmet, lifejacket, and secure footware.  The park only accepts credit cards for payments--no cash or checks. 

 

This photo below was taken from in front of the concession booth, closer to the water's edge.  One can see my white car in the background.  By having such a close parking spot, there was no need to pay the six dollar fee to rent secure storage for valuable items, as I could keep them in my car. 

By arriving before 10 am, the sun was still somewhat low in the sky, so it gave a silver shimmer to the flowing waters of the whitewater park. 

If one has their own whitewater-designed watercraft, life vest, and helmet--then no rental equipment would be necessary.  Notice that the kayak in the photo below is a very short one, and the paddler is enclosed and surrounded by an "apron", that makes it possible for him to roll over, then paddle his way back to the upright position.  It is not something I want to attempt!

 

Notice the paddler is completely submerged, in photo below: (thankfully, he was able to get himself upright!)  Those who want to practice this maneuver frequently, are probably those who take advantage of season passes to the park.

Photo below is taking from center of walk way, and is looking towards the take out point.  The sign says not to drag your kayak.  Back home, I am able to carry my kayak, as it is very light.  However, that was not the case for the WOKA inflatable kayak I rented.  It was much heavier and bulkier.  Since I am so short, I could not keep it off the ground by holding it with one hand, the way I can do for my kayak back home.  I soon found out it takes two people to walk the kayak back to the start of the rapids!

Photo below is from the halfway point, looking upstream towards the beginning of the rapids.  I read it is about a 1200 foot distance, which amounts to around one fourth mile.  The ride down the waterway in your watercraft is great fun---the walk on the concrete (carrying your kayak!) back to the start---not so much. 

In the photo below, one can see a blue round raft at the top of the waterfall on the right.  There is a blue single-person kayak at the top of the waterfall on the left. 

Photo below shows the type of inner tube and inflatable kayak that is available for rent at WOKA.  

All of us crowded into one of the large, round rental rafts for a group photo.  However, when this raft went down the waterway, there was never more than three adult ladies in it, and only one of the ladies had a paddle.  We took turns trying it out, and it was definitely a thrill ride going over the waterfalls!

I was the first one to complete reading/signing the electronic waiver, and paying the rental fee, and hence, the first one to shoot the rapids in the inflatable kayak.  The park employee advised me before I started,  NOT to raise my arms above my head holding the paddle in a victorious gesture, when I was going over the waterfalls.  She said I had a much better chance of making it through upright, if I kept my arms and paddle low, and thus keep my center of gravity low.  I did as she suggested, but as soon as I successfully completed the course, I was raising my arms in gratitude!  (Thank you to K for taking the photo below of me!)

K also took this photo of three of our ladies coming down in the round raft.  Notice there is only one paddle in the group.

I had been watching the live cam on the WOKA website several days previous to our visit, and I noticed that sometimes two people were carrying two kayaks, as shown by two of our WHOyakers in photo below.  Other times, two people were carrying one kayak and one innertube.  To get the giant round rafts back to the starting point, most people were turning them on their side and rolling them.

I took photo below of K with her phone, which was in a waterproof case.  The FAQ on the website advises against taking a phone onto the course, but as far as I know,  the waterproof case protected K's phone.  

K asked Y to take some photos with her phone, so Y used the opportunity to snap one of her famous selfies!  That is me in the middle, and D on the far end. 

This is another photo K took of me, expressing thanks to God that I was able to have this experience with a group of wonderful friends!  It gave me "MILES OF SMILES'1

 

Remainder of photos are from 2023 "pre visit"

The photo below shows the entry gate cars must go through, to enter the park.  It only accepts credit cards, as the park is listed as a "cashless" facility. As you can see from the photo I took through my windshield, it was raining on the day that I went, but the park does not close just because it is raining.  However, on busy days when the weather is nice, there will be many visitors.  To prevent the park from becoming dangerously overcrowded, the gate will not open when the parking lot is full. 

I was the only one in the park that day, so this gentleman had time to come out and give me a tour.  His name is Jared Skaggs, Director of Outdoor Experience.  This waterpark is a result of a cooperative working arrangement between the city of Siloam Springs (www.siloamsprings.com), and the Grand River Dam Authority (www.GRDA.com). 

The rain drops clinging to one of the hand rails on upper viewing platform, serve as a frame for the waters flowing in the distance.  Rain does not prevent the park from being open to visitors, UNLESS, there is so much rain that the Illinois River is in flood stage.  The water level of the river is shown in real time, on the WOKA website (www.visitwoka.com).

The autumn leaves in photo below, serve as a reminder to say the park is open year round.  I was there on a chilly day in November.  Just three days earlier, on Thanksgiving Day, several paddlers came to the park (wearing wet suits), and enjoyed playing on the rapids .  (I had seen photos of them on the WOKA Facebook and Instagram pages.)

The repurposed railroad cars contain concession amenities, that are open during the warmer parts of the year.  Stairs lead up to viewing decks on the roof of the concession stands, equipped with picnic tables.  They provide a great overlook of the entire water park.  The canopy on a stand at ground level can provide shade to the picnic tables underneath, on days when it is hot and sunny. 

This is the view from the rooftop, when looking towards the beginning of the rapids.  WOKA is a 1200 foot long, 100 foot wide, side channel of the Illinois River, and features 8 drops/whitewater features. 

The photo below shows the rapids, and boulders, that one must navigate to get to the end of the water park.  These obstacles might be thought of as "trials of many kinds" to challenge one's paddling navigational skills on rough water.  So I am using this as the visual aid for one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses that says, "Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."  James 1:2-4

There is a very colorful mural painted on the side of the railroad car that faces the river.  I like the way the artist incorporated the letters "w  o  k  a" into the art work to make them "flow" with the river!

 

Photo below shows the picnic tables and Adirondack chairs on the rooftop viewing area of the railroad cars.  Visitors may bring outside food and drink, but no alcohol.  This would be a very scenic location for a picnic in nicer weather!

The second railroad car also has an appropriate message, since the park is located on a "channel" of the Illinois River!  Likewise, a paddler needs to "channel" their concentration to make it though these challenging water features!

There are placards that show the elevation drops of the rapids, so that paddlers can know what exciting challenges await them!

There are temperature-controlled restrooms, lavatories, and changing stations at the park.  Likewise, water fountains are provided, that even have a place for refilling water bottles.  A series of photos on a timeline, adorn the covered porch between the restrooms.  I was thankful that Jared alerted me to these photos, because they answered many of the questions I had about the history of the park.  I would encourage visitors to be sure to check out the history timeline when they visit.

Jered told me the channel was blasted out of solid bedrock, to construct the whitewater drops.  Since these are rocks newly exposed to running water, their edges have not been smoothed from hundreds of years of flowing water.  Therefore, I determined when I return to "shoot the rapids" in warmer weather, I am going to wear the dive skin or wetsuit I had from scuba diving, to protect my skin from scrapes with the rocks. 

For those who do not want to come by car, you can walk or bike this three mile paved path between Siloam Springs and WOKA, then brag you walked from Arkansas to Oklahoma!  The photo below shows the walking/biking path that you can use.  As a reward for your efforts, there is no entry fee if you arrive at the park via walking or biking!  The trail and the whitewater park owe a debt of gratitude to the Walton Family Foundation (aka, Walmart ) for the generous grant that made this a reality. 

WOKA is located in an area that used to be called Lake Francis, which was created by a dam across the Illinois River.  There were numerous issues with the dam, so eventually, it was taken out.  The orange balls on the left of this photo mark the boundary of the remains of Lake Francis, that leads to the remains of the former dam. 

Photo below shows former Lake Francis Dam, that has been modified to "stair step" down to river below, so that if a paddler accidentally were to go over it, there is no strong undertow that might cause a drowning hazard.  Speaking of drowning, there are NO LIFEGUARDS at the park.  Each person is responsible for their own safety.  Life jackets, secure footware, and helmets are REQUIRED. (This translates to "no flipflops".) One can bring their own kayak, IF it is designed for whitewater.  Rental kayaks, standup paddleboards, helmets, and round intertubes are available for rental in season.  Lifejackets are included with all rentals.

Paddlers know where to get out by this exit flag, which is very helpful!

There is a very wide slab at the takeout location, which can accommodate more than one visitor at a time. 

This is the view downstream, where the Illinois River continues its meandering .

This is the only sign you will see, as you are traveling south of Siloam Springs, on Highway 59, to alert you to the place you need to turn off the highway to drive to the park.  

Before visiting, you will want to take a close look at the safety rules, and other tips, that are available on their website at www.visitwoka.com   Some of these guidelines are shown in photo at end of this blog.

 The physical address of the park to put in your navigation system is 474986 Twin Falls Road, Watts, Oklahoma.  Their email is woka@grda.com and the phone is 918-610-9652.  

A visit to this new attraction in the Ozarks gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!!

ILLINOIS RIVER KAYAK EXPEDITION!

I enjoy kayaking, and I enjoy learning new things, so when I found out that the Illinois River Watershed Partnership (www.irwp.org) was sponsoring an educational float trip on the Illinois River, I applied to be a participant.  As you can see from the number of boats in the photo below---dozens of other folks also wanted to participate!

Our group started at the Siloam Springs Kayak Park (www.siloamspringskayakpark.com), on a beautiful autumn day:

There is an expansive parking lot above the park, lined with sidewalks, and steps that lead down to the river.  I took the photo below from the sidewalk above the put in location:

Improvements have been made since I visited there on July 31, 2015, with my grand-kids (they are shown in photo below)

We saw feet protruding from this hammock shown in photo below, but we never saw the bodies attached to them, so I was not able to "tag" them on Facebook seven years ago, since the social media platform only has "facial recognition" software, and not "foot recognition" software!

When it first opened, there were no restrooms at the park, but that has changed.  Now there are restrooms adjacent to the parking lot, and they can be seen in photo below, behind the gentleman giving us our "river float plan"

The photo below shows participants putting their gear into whatever kayak they chose, from the line-up.

The outfitter for this trip has the name 37 North Expeditions (www.37northexpeditions.com) and they did a great job of having all the kayaks unloaded, and equipped with a personal flotation device (aka, life jacket)

I was so thankful to get to have this experience, that I wanted a photo of me with arms uplifted in gratitude to God, and the IRWP, for making it possible! That is because Arkansas Master Naturalists, such as myself, were not the top priority for selection.  Rather, the priority was to get NWA city/county officials, NWA water/sewer department directors, and Eastern Oklahoma representatives in those same positions, "up close and personal" to this important body of water. 

I do not know if this large expanse of rock levees and "piers" shown below are natural or man-made, but they provide countless opportunities for guests to the park, to explore and experiment, during various seasons of the year. 

 

The photo below shows the rocks extend well out into the river, and create a bit of a "white water" channel for the more adventurous paddlers.  

There is a second "white water" channel farther down the stream, and some folks chose to put in below that "challenge opportunity" (including me!)

Thankfully, I made it into the middle of the stream successfully, and one of the leaders took this photo of me, giving a "paddler's victory salute"!

One of the first questions I had is, "Why is it called Ilinois River, if it is not in the state of Illinois, rather just Arkansas and Oklahoma?"    The illustration below,  from the book by Kenneth L Smith, called Illinois River, shows that the 145-mile long, spring-fed  river starts in northwest Arkansas, flows into Oklahoma, and then flows into the Arkansas River. 

If you follow business trends, then you know that the northwest corner of Arkansas is one of the fastest growing areas in the USA.  With that comes concerns about the effect of population growth on water quality.  So, a short ways down the river, all the boats pulled over onto a gravel bar, so we could hear a variety of experts illustrate some of the problems being experienced.  Those in kayaks could easily exit their boats without assistance, but folks in rafts (who had less experience as paddlers) were quickly assisted by the 37 North personnel. 

Our instructor shows us the kicking/digging maneuver, that is used to sir up the tiny critters that live in this water habitat, so they can be scooped, using the net he is holding.

Then using a strainer, we put the creatures in a white container, so they could be easily seen:

We inspected the results, throwing out the leaves and sticks and pebbles.  (If you have been through the Arkansas Master Naturalist training program, this procedure is an integral part of your classes)

 

Notice all the spectators below are wearing different colored hats, which I thought made an "artsy-type" photo opportunity! The photo can also be a metaphor for all the different "hats" stake-holders wear within the Illinois River Watershed.  When a river runs through more than one state (which is the case for the Illinois River), there are usually inevitable conflicts between the "upstream" vs. "downstream" users.  This has certainly been the case for the Illinois River, with extensive litigation occurring since the 1970's,   that even ended up in the Supreme Court.  One can read more details on the various lawsuits, on www.wikipedia.org and www.EncyclopediaOfArkansas.net. 

One of the major issues discussed on our trip, was stream bank erosion, and its effects on water quality.  This photo below shows an example of how the stream is eroding away a pasture, and exposing  tree roots.  The degradation on the ground results in the tree falling across the river, impeding floating by paddlers.  The erosion also affects land value.  A long-term study showed that Northwest Arkansas is losing 20 acres per year, along this watershed, due to stream bed erosion.  This calculates into 102,822 additional tons of sediment going into the river per year!

 The speaker's comments caused me to notice that I am also losing acreage on my property, from steambank erosion.  (photo below).  Knowing the effects of sediment buildup in rivers, a Scripture verse I came across took on new meaning.  The prophet Isaiah warned "The rivers will turn foul; the brooks of defense will be emptied and dried up." (Isaiah 19:6)  None of us want that to happen!

Stream bank erosion is more prevalent in habitats that do not have a lot of bluffs.  Unlike the Buffalo National River, I saw fewer bluffs along the Illinois River, and one of them is shown in photo below:

After measuring water quality during out stops, we got back in our boats and continued our float down stream.  Photo below shows I am still dry, and I have managed not to roll over, so far.  However, those downed trees I mentioned earlier did cause me an issue.  A huge one was hidden, slightly submerged under water, such that I floated over it, and the inflatable kayak I was in "high centered" on top of it.  In my normal kayak, I can usually scoot and rock my body to get me off of such an obstacle.  However, it was a different story in an inflatable kayak!  I would probably still be there, if one of the rafts carrying four people, had not drifted by and pulled me off the submerged log!

I took this photo below, of Morgan Keeling, who is a staff member of the IRWP.  She does a fantastic job of planning programs and events for IRWP that fulfill the mission of the IRWP.  On their website, they describe  that mission as working to improve the integrity of the Illinois River Watershed through public education, outreach, and implementation of conservation and restoration practices throughout the watershed.

The IRWP works to promote good water quality, promote storm-water friendly practices to help avoid flooding/stream bank erosion, to help farmers, to assist with septic tank remediation issues, to provide both in-person and on-line educational programs, and to maintain a website with information on best management practices, easily accessible.  Thanks to their efforts, folks are able to recreate on a clean stream, framed by the changing seasonal colors, of the deciduous trees along its banks.

 

Our group exited on river right, very close to the Highway 59 bridge:

There was a sign telling us where to exit, which is very helpful because I have been on river floats before, where we missed the takeout location because there was no sign!

This simple word "Gypsy", is a clue that we are at Gypsy Camp and Canoe (www.gypsycampcanoe.com), which is an outfitter that rents kayaks and canoes. 

The vans and kayak haulers from 37 North Expeditions were awaiting our arrival:

Our group then took the short stroll up to the Gypsy Camp Historic District, which you can see many more photos of, on their Facebook page.  I had read some on the history of Gypsy Camp, and learned that it was a summer camp for girls, started in the 1920's. 

The camp consisted of four cabins for campers, a dining/recreation hall, and three residential structures. 

The camp operated from 1921-1978, and its 11.5 acres have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1988.  According to historical data I read on line, the camp was attended by some girls who went on to become well-known citizens, including actress Mary Martin, Walmart heiress Alice Walton, and attorney Dana Daniels Nixon. 

Remember the camp was started before electric air conditioning was common in rural areas, so these gals had some formative experiences of  "roughing it", through the hot and humid summers of Arkansas!

37 North Expeditions had set up tables and chairs for us at the camp, so we had a delightful outdoor catered lunch:

After our lunch, one of the officials from the Oklahoma side of the Illinois River, told us about the work her agency is doing to promote water quality in their state.  In that state, the Illinois River is designated as a "scenic river", and has a bigger impact on tourism there, than it does in Arkansas. 

The rock arbor shown in photo below is part of the Gypsy Camp Historic District, and I read that "The Arch" was often the designated "meet up" location for various camp activities.

The view of the blue waters of the Illinois River is seen in the distance, framed by that arch, and the goal is to KEEP it blue!  Let's all do our part to make that happen, so that like me, the generations to come will be able to have Illinois River paddling trips that give "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia

Addendum:  

While doing research for this article, I learned from Facebook, that one of my Kappa Alpha Theta sorority sisters from college, Dana Daniels Nixon, had a connection to Gypsy Camp for Girls.  She graciously texted me copies of some of her vintage photos from that place, and gave me permission to include them with this blog.

The name labels in the photo below point out which one of the "gypsies" is Dana.  Dana said she originally had her mother's costume, who also attended Gypsy Camp as a youngster, but it became too fragile for Dana to wear.  Therefore, Dana's great grandmother made her the new costume you see in the photo.

Photo below shows Dana's mom, when she attended the camp in 1939.

Photo below shows expansive yard in front of the camp buildings.  This is the same space my IRWP group used decades later, to have our outdoor catered lunch.

Photo from Happy Birthday celebration for camp founder:

The names on this photo show Dana Daniels, and fellow camper--Alice Walton--, standing in line for hot dogs.  Although I was not a camper with Alice Walton, I did have the opportunity to visit the home she grew up in, at Bentonville, Arkansas.  Alice's mom, Helen Walton, hosted several youngsters from our Harrison, Arkansas, Presbyterian Youth Group, for an overnight retreat at their expansive home.  As Mrs. Walton was showing us where our sleeping quarters would be, we got to take a peek inside Alice's room.  All I remember about that room was that the walls were covered with blue and red silk prize ribbons/medallions she had won demonstrating her equestrian skills at horse shows and fairs around the country.  The other thing I remembered from the Sam and Helen Walton home was that  Mrs. Walton said we could use any of the seven bathrooms she showed us.  I was overwhelmed and amazed, because the house where I lived only had one bathroom.  This church youth retreat took place in the midst of the sixties civil rights disputes, when many people of faith were working to show that God loves every one---"red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in HIS sight".   Since the Harrison church youth group only had Caucasian kids, the church leaders of Northwest Arkansas wanted us to meet some Christian youth, that were a different color than we were.  Mrs. Walton did her part in making that a reality for us Harrison kids.  I am very thankful to her for her gesture of hospitality and improving race relations.    I read in the newspaper some time after that weekend experience in the Walton home, that it burned to the ground, but the family rebuilt a new one-- bigger and better, with even more restrooms!  Decades later, Alice Walton built Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, in Bentonville.  I have been there many times, and it is my goal to go to each ladies' rest room on the campus there, which I can assure you is considerably MORE than seven!

Dana said it was okay to quote her regarding what she learned during her time spent on the banks of the Illinois River, participating in Gypsy Camp activities:  "To respect the awesomeness of nature and humankind at the same time.  To embrace competition and learning, while learning to lose gracefully.  To be independent, but to support teammates.  To love with all one's heart."   A big THANK YOU to Dana for these photos and her remembrances about Gypsy Camp for Girls. 

Likewise, on the IRWP educational float trip, I was reminded of the awesomeness of both nature and humankind, and how it is up to us humans to be good stewards of the awesomeness of Arkansas, THE NATURAL STATE!  

MILES OF SMILES!!  Tricia