The Elk River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed May 31, 2011 tributary of the Neosho River in southwestern Missouri and northeastern

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

in the United States. Its tributaries also drain a small portion of northwestern Arkansas. Via the Neosho and Arkansas rivers, the Elk is part of the Mississippi River

watershed Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...

Course

The Elk is formed by the confluence of Big Sugar Creek and Little Sugar Creek at Pineville, Missouri, and flows generally westward through McDonald County, Missouri, past the town of Noel, into

Delaware County, Oklahoma Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,487. Its county seat is Jay. The county was named for the Delaware Indians, who had established a village in the area prior to the ...

, where it meets the Neosho River. Most of the river's course in Oklahoma is part of the

Grand Lake o' the Cherokees Grand Lake o' the Cherokees is situated in Northeast Oklahoma in the foothills of the Ozark Mountain Range. It is often simply called Grand Lake. It is administered by the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA). History The ''Encyclopedia of Oklahom ...

, an impoundment formed by Pensacola Dam on the Neosho. The portion of the river between the confluence of Big and Little Sugar Creeks and the dam at Noel, Missouri is a popular route for recreational

canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other acti ...

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...

, rafting, and tubing.

Name

The river was said to have been named after

elk The elk (''Cervus canadensis''), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The common ...

in the area. However, it has also been reported that the name was originally ''Cowskin'' and was changed to ''Elk'' due to the influence of Steve Elkins, a local politician.

References

Rivers of Missouri Rivers of Oklahoma Bodies of water of Delaware County, Oklahoma Rivers of McDonald County, Missouri Bodies of water of the Ozarks Tributaries of the Arkansas River {{Oklahoma-river-stub

Course

Name

See also

References