Arkansas River facts for kids

The Arkansas River is a river in the United States. It flows southeast and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is about 1,469 miles (2,364 km) long. It is the sixth longest river in the United States.

The Arkansas begins in the state of Colorado. Then, it flows through the states of Kansas and Oklahoma. It flows into the Mississippi River in Arkansas, which is named for the river. Riverboats go up the Arkansas River as far as Oklahoma.

It has several major tributaries. These are the Canadian River, the Cimarron River, and the Salt Fork Arkansas River.

Images for kids

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  The headwaters of the Arkansas near Leadville, Colorado

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  Navigable inland waterway system with McClellan-Kerr Navigational Channel shown in red

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  Arkansas River in Colorado, with Mount Harvard in distance, circa 1867. Photo by William Henry Jackson.

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  Fly fishermen on the Arkansas River near Salida, Colorado

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  Arkansas River between Van Buren and Fort Smith, Arkansas

See also

In Spanish: Río Arkansas para niños