Mountain Fork, also known as the Mountain Fork of the Little River, is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed June 3, 2011 tributary of the Little River in western Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma in the United States. Via the Little and Red rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River. The stream rises in the Ouachita Mountains. Broken Bow Lake is an artificial lake along the course of the Mountain Fork. The stream is known for canoeing, kayaking, and sport fishing, including for stocked trout.
Course
The Mountain Fork rises in the Ouachita Mountains in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, and then flows southeastwardly into Polk County, Arkansas, then southwestwardly into McCurtain County, Oklahoma, where it turns southward for the remainder of its course. It joins the Little River in McCurtain County, southeast of Broken Bow.
In its upper course, the river flows through a portion of the Ouachita National Forest. In McCurtain County, the river is dammed to form Broken Bow Lake. Nancy Branch is a tributary of the river.
Discharge At Eagletown, the river has a mean annual discharge of .
Recreation and conservation
The Upper Mountain Fork River offers of canoeing or kayaking from near Hatfield, Arkansas to Broken Bow Lake. This part of the river has class I and II rapids. clear water, fishing for smallmouth bass and other species, and excellent scenery with pine forests covering the hills and bluffs along the river's course. Water levels in the river are generally adequate for boating year-round."Mountain Fork River" http://southwestpaddler.com/docs/littleok9.html, accessed 20 Apr 2013 On the upper portion of Broken Bow Lake is the McCurtain County Wilderness Area, an Oklahoma State-owned tract which contains the largest remaining virgin shortleaf pine/hardwood forest in the nation. Hunting is permitted in the wilderness area."McCurtain County Wilderness Area" http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/factsmaps/wma/mccurtain.htm, accessed 20 Apr 2013
Below Broken Bow dam and lake, the of the Lower Mountain Fork is described as the "consistently flowing and best whitewater stream" in Oklahoma. Class I and II rapids are found in the upper part of this section and paddlers must navigate waterfalls with a drop. Bald cypress trees line and, in some places, grow in the river. The cool waters issuing below Broken Bow dam provide year-round habitat and fishing for rainbow and brown trout which are stocked regularly throughout the year."Lower Mountain Fork River Trout Regulations" http://www.beaversbend.com/fishing.html, accessed 20 Apr 2013 In 2008, a brown trout was caught by an angler in the Mountain Fork."Record Brown Trout" https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/recordfish/brownshattered.htm, accessed 20 Apr 2013
See also List of Arkansas rivers List of Oklahoma rivers
References
See also Columbia Gazetteer of North America DeLorme (2004). Arkansas Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. . DeLorme (2003). Oklahoma Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. .
External links Mountain Fork River - Video footage of the area and a list of local activities and resources. Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory