By Chris Wilson
Arkansas Farm Bureau

At first glance, the sign seems innocuous. Read it, though, and it becomes an ominous warning to anyone approaching Cossatot Falls, the popular drop-in point for kayakers on the Cossatot River.

“Casse-téte is a French word meaning skull-crusher,” the sign reads. “This is a difficult river with several treacherous rapids.

“Beginners should not attempt to float this river. … If you exceed your abilities, you could quickly become a victim of the Skull-Crusher.”

Well-known to whitewater enthusiasts, this West Arkansas river is one of the premier floating rivers in Central North America. It’s powered by rainwater descending from the Ouachita Mountains — and when conditions are just right, adventure seekers from miles around flock to ride the river’s Class V, expert-only rapids.

“The U.S. Geological Survey has a monitoring station nearby that measures the water level,” says Steve Walker, park interpreter at the Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area. “They put their information on the internet, and whenever it hits four feet high, that’s when the kayakers come.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a Saturday or a Wednesday. They’re here the next day.”

In its entirety, the Cossatot stretches from the mountains southeast of Mena all the way to Southwest Arkansas, where it merges with the Little River. However, the most popular stretch of the Cossatot is the 12½-miles that run through the Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area that the Division of State Parks and Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission jointly manage.

In recent months, park officials have been working hard there to show the softer side of the dreaded Skull-Crusher.

Last fall, the park — currently celebrating its 20th anniversary — began offering guided float trips on some of the less formidable parts of the Cossatot. Focused more on education than adrenaline, these floats make the river more accessible to those who don’t necessarily carry the daredevil gene. Participants get the opportunity to experience and learn about some of the park’s unique geological and ecological features.

“People are amazed at why this river runs the way it does and how these things got here,” says interpreter Shelley Flanary, who leads the outings. “So, I use that opportunity to talk about the geological history of the river. You know how the ocean used to be here, and (how) it had current trenches. And the water coming down from the mountains found the softest rocks to follow, and that’s what carved out this river.”

On these excursions, park interpreters Flanery and Walker also introduce participants to some of the rare animals and plants that comprise the park’s stream ecosystem.

The leopard darter and Ouachita Mountain shiner are two threatened small-fish species exclusive to the area. They live in the river’s clean, moving water. Some of the clear pools on the southern end of the park are popular snorkeling spots where visitors try to spot the rare fish.

Additionally, there are 28 species of rare plants in the park native to the Ouachita Mountains. Among them are twist flower, compact blazing star, brown’s waterleaf, the riverweed and chalk maple.

Cold temperatures have stalled the effort this winter, and only a few of these float trips have occurred so far. Although more trips are planned for spring, ranger Mike Farringer says the program will remain small overall. The park offers only six kayaks and a limited number of certified instructors. So, don’t expect the Cossatot to be as crowded as the Buffalo River anytime soon.

Besides, the Cossatot river’s reliance on rainfall makes any large-scale canoe venture financially unfeasible.

“If it rained, you’d do well,” Farringer says. “If it didn’t rain, then you’d lose out.”

In truth, these float trips are just one of many things the park does to fulfill its ultimate goal.

“The main mission of the park is education from the top down,” Farringer says. “There’s no question about that.

“We’re going to have to rely on future generations to preserve all this, which is why we stress education at this park as much as we do.”

That goal has been made much easier, thanks to the recently built 16,000-square-foot visitor and education center that houses a wildlife exhibition room, an exhibit gallery, two classrooms and a hands-on laboratory. It was built two years ago with funds from Amendment 75, which designates ⅛ percent of the state’s general sales tax for conservation uses.

“Before we had the visitor center, we were working out of a little rented construction trailer,” Farringer says. “It was hard for us to conduct programs that way. Back then, we did a lot of going out to schools and doing things in-classroom.”

These days, the park can host numerous on-site programs directly correlated with school science and social studies lessons. The park also offers an extensive teacher’s guide that presents a variety of pertinent field-trip opportunities.

“Our goal is to meet their needs, but to do it in a way that the students don’t have to sit in a classroom, stare at a projector screen and listen to someone talk. We want to get out there and get hands-on.

“For example, you’re studying watersheds. Well, here’s a watershed.”

In addition, the park hosts a variety of family-oriented weekend events, demonstrations and workshops.

In 1988, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission and Parks & Tourism, with help from the Nature Conservancy, acquired some 4,000 acres for the Cossatot River park from Weyerhaeuser Co. pulp and paper manufacturer. Through the years, additional donations, leases and purchases have helped the park grow to its current 5,483 acres. Now, it’s Arkansas’ third largest state park.

“It’s a scenic destination,” says Farringer, referring to the park’s almost nine square miles of riparian woodland and cascading water. The Cossatot is one of 165 rivers the federal government has designated as National Wild and Scenic, a distinction reserved for the country’s most outstanding free-flowing, unimpeded rivers.

“Wild” and “scenic” are both appropriate adjectives for a park that has tried hard to carve out its niche as a rustic alternative to some of the more extensively developed state parks.

“We’re trying to keep it primitive,” Farringer says.

They’ve done a good job. From atop a boulder overlooking the natural beauty of Cossatot Falls, you almost forget about the spot’s skull-crushing reputation.

Looking upstream, Flanary says, “When you come out here in December, the water’s roaring. It makes its own music.

“We’re just trying to translate that music for people.”