Fishes Spring River
River · Ozarks · Arkansas
Spring River Fishing Guides
Nine million gallons an hour out of Mammoth Spring feed this cold north Arkansas river, a year-round trout and float stream that never runs dry.
Map of the Spring River
13 numbered points: 2 access points, 4 bridges, 2 parks and conservation areas, 1 regulation section limit, 2 hazards, 1 spring, 1 USGS gauge. Tap a marker for details. Reviewed Sep 7, 2026.
- Access / boat ramp (2)
- Bridge crossing (4)
- Park / conservation area (2)
- Regulation section limit (1)
- Dam / hazard (2)
- Spring (1)
- USGS gauge (1)
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Points are curated from OpenStreetMap and state agency sources; confirm access and hours before you go.
Print it. Bag it. Bring it.Phones die, screens crack, and most of this water has no signal. Print this map, fold it into a zip-top bag or dry bag with your license, and you have a backup your electronics can’t give you. Every marker is numbered so you can say exactly where you are.
Open the printable mapAll 13 points on this map
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mammoth Spring Source of the river · ~9 million gallons an hour, 58°F year-round | Spring | 36.49781, -91.53594 | One of the largest springs in the world; the whole trout fishery runs on this cold flow. |
| 2 | Mammoth Spring State Park Arkansas State Parks · spring pool, 1886 depot museum, picnic area | Park / conservation area | 36.49621, -91.53282 | Walking trail around the spring lake; the National Fish Hatchery is across US 63. |
| 3 | Mammoth Spring Dam 1 Spring-lake outlet dam in the state park | Dam / hazard | 36.49517, -91.53468 | Trout-managed water begins 100 yards below this dam. Do not launch above it. |
| 4 | Spring River trout water — upper limit 100 yards below Dam 1 at Mammoth Spring State Park | Regulation section limit | 36.49488, -91.53564 | The AGFC-managed trout reach runs about 12 miles to the mouth of Myatt Creek. Rules on the AGFC site; approximate marker. |
| 5 | US 63 bridge at Mammoth Spring US Highway 63 | Bridge crossing | 36.49478, -91.53643 | |
| 6 | US 63 bridge (lower Mammoth Spring) US Highway 63 | Bridge crossing | 36.48121, -91.52200 | |
| 7 | Spring River Dam 3 Low dam · portage | Dam / hazard | 36.46656, -91.53010 | Do not run the dam. Between here and Hardy the river drops over a series of ledges — Saddler Falls (the sharpest) and the braided Many Islands reach — scout or line them at unfamiliar levels. |
| 8 | Dam 3 Access AGFC · public put-in below Dam 3, off Bayou Access Road | Access / boat ramp | 36.46484, -91.52873 | Standard start for the Dam 3–Hardy float (about 12 miles; most parties split it at a private outfitter camp). Approximate marker just below the dam. |
| 9 | US 62/412 bridge at Hardy US Highways 62 & 412 | Bridge crossing | 36.31576, -91.49044 | |
| 10 | Loberge Park City of Hardy · riverside park and camping | Park / conservation area | 36.31504, -91.48765 | |
| 11 | USGS 07069305 Spring River at Town Branch Bridge at Hardy Gauge used for this water's flow reading | USGS gauge | 36.31361, -91.48278 | Spring-fed base flow is steady; the river rises fast after rain on the Warm Fork and Myatt Creek. |
| 12 | North Spring Street bridge, Hardy Old downtown crossing | Bridge crossing | 36.31312, -91.48276 | |
| 13 | Hardy Beach (Buford Beach) take-out City of Hardy · gravel beach and ramp at the Walter Norman Memorial Garden | Access / boat ramp | 36.31265, -91.47295 | Main take-out for the Mammoth Spring floats. High Falls (about 6 ft) sits just above the South Fork confluence downstream — do not float past town without scouting it. |
Guides on the Spring River
Claimed profiles take booking requests. Unclaimed profiles are built from public records so the river is never empty; the guide can claim or remove one any time.
About the Spring River
The Spring River is fed by Mammoth Spring, one of the largest springs in the country, which pushes roughly nine million gallons of fifty-eight-degree water an hour into the head of the river at the Missouri line. Unlike Arkansas’s other trout rivers, which depend on dam releases, the Spring runs at a steady cold flow whatever the weather does, which makes it the most dependable float in the state.
From Mammoth Spring down through Hardy and Cherokee Village to the Black River, the upper river is trout water, stocked with rainbows and holding some browns, with a series of ledges and small falls that make it a lively canoe run as well. Below Hardy the water warms and smallmouth bass, walleye and bream take over. The Dam Three and Saddler Falls areas are the best-known drops, and the combination of cold water, steady flow and easy access has made this a canoe-and-camp river for generations of Arkansas and Missouri families.
The gauge at the Spring Street bridge in Hardy reads the river below the spring and its tributaries. Readings around 200 to 600 cfs are typical and float easily. Because the spring supplies the base flow, the river holds up in drought better than anything else in the region; heavy rain on the tributaries below the spring can still spike it and turn it off-color for a day or two, which is the main thing to check before launching.
Hardy and Mammoth Spring are the base towns, with canoe liveries, campgrounds and shuttles along the whole upper run. Summer weekends draw heavy recreational float traffic, so anglers do better on weekdays and early mornings.
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Access
Mammoth Spring State Park: the head of the river at the Missouri line.
Dam Three Access: the standard upper put-in below the spring.
Riverside and Bayou Access: upper river accesses with parking.
Hardy: town access near the gauge, ramps and liveries.
Saddler Falls: the best-known ledge drop on the river.
Cherokee Village and Ravenden: lower river access as the water warms.
Black River confluence: the bottom of the run.
Seasons
Year-round; the spring keeps the river cold and flowing in every month.
March through May: the best trout fishing, cool water and moderate float traffic.
June through August: heavy recreational canoe traffic; fish early or fish weekdays.
September through February: quiet water, stocked trout and the best fishing of the year for anglers who do not mind cold.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Spring River?
As of Oct 18, 6:00 pm, the USGS gauge Spring River at Spring Street Bridge at Hardy, AR reads 299 cfs, the 9th percentile for this date. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Spring River?
Anglers target Bluegill, Brown Trout, Longear Sunfish, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye on the Spring River in Arkansas.
Are there fishing guides on the Spring River?
GuidedFloats lists 1 guide and outfitters on the Spring River. Claimed profiles accept booking requests; unclaimed profiles are built from public records and link to the business.
Where can you access the Spring River?
Mammoth Spring State Park: the head of the river at the Missouri line. Dam Three Access: the standard upper put-in below the spring. Riverside and Bayou Access: upper river accesses with parking. Hardy: town access near the gauge, ramps and liveries. Saddler Falls: the best-known ledge drop on the river. Cherokee Village and Ravenden: lower river access as the water warms. Black River confluence: the bottom of the run.
When is the best time to fish the Spring River?
Year-round; the spring keeps the river cold and flowing in every month. March through May: the best trout fishing, cool water and moderate float traffic. June through August: heavy recreational canoe traffic; fish early or fish weekdays. September through February: quiet water, stocked trout and the best fishing of the year for anglers who do not mind cold.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Spring River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Arkansas agency site: https://www.agfc.com/regulations/general-fishing-regulations/