The river ripples through rapids and disappears around a bend at the foot of towering limestone bluffs.
A turkey hen and her chicks scurry for cover at the sight of an approaching raft.
Up ahead, a heron's wingtips touch the water as it flies across the stream.
Welcome to the Illinois River.
Looking for a cool mountain river not far from sultry North Texas this summer or fall? It might be time to schedule a trip to the Illinois River in northeastern Oklahoma.
Not only is the Illinois River, with its occasional limestone bluffs and abundant wildlife, one of the most scenic rivers in Oklahoma, but the nearby city of Tahlequah is a treasure trove of historic sites and a colorful college town, to boot.
To fine-tune your river trip, pick your days wisely. If you prefer a quiet river where nature and wildlife abounds, float the Illinois Monday-Thursday. However, if it is a fun crowd of river adventurers you are after, then weekends are perfect.
Highway 10 parallels this scenic Oklahoma river and numerous accommodations -- everything from primitive camping and RV slots to cabins -- can be found riverside.
In Tahlequah, Holiday Inn Express and Best Western Hotels are well maintained and offer quick access to a revitalized downtown brimming with colorful restaurants and coffee shops.
Founded as the capitol of the Cherokee Nation in 1838, Tahlequah served as a new home to the Cherokee who were forced west on the infamous Trail of Tears. The proud Cherokee tradition lives on at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Tahlequah.
This is also a vibrant college town. Tahlequah is home to the main campus of Northeastern State University. Established in 1851 NSU is the oldest institution of higher learning in Oklahoma and one of the oldest colleges west of the Mississippi River.
Public art in Tahlequah
Tahlequah is featured in the book, Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls and the city is mentioned several times in Mark Twain's novel, The American Claimant.
Red Fern Grows sculpture -- This oak carving depicting 'Billy' with his coonhound pups Old Dan and Little Ann from the classic story Where the Red Fern Grows by Cherokee County, Oklahoma native Wilson Rawls was donated to Tahlequah in 2008 by artist Dean Anson.
In the summertime, the Illinois River is a powerful economic engine for this region. Known as Oklahoma's favorite recreational waterway, the Illinois is a spring-fed river that rises in the Ozark Mountains in northwest Arkansas and eventually flows into the Arkansas River 20 miles southeast of Muskogee, Oklahoma. The 68-mile stretch of the river that weaves through limestone cliffs of northeast Oklahoma has been designated as an official Scenic River by the State of Oklahoma. This is the only river in Oklahoma capable of accommodating float trips of several days in length.
As a result of continuing drought, all of the rivers originating in the Ozarks are flowing at approximately 30% of their normal rate. Even in current low-water conditions, the Illinois River is a favorite of families and photographers in search of a gentle current and scenic surroundings.
French explorers were credited with naming this stream "River des Illinois" in honor of the Illinois Confederation of Native Americans that resided in this region. Osage Indians had a name for the river that translates as "Medicine Stone River." A day on the Illinois is still good medicine.
...more float trip stories to come...
