The Illinois River north of Tahlequah is one of the most popular float rivers in Oklahoma — clear, relatively fast-moving, and lined with trees and limestone bluffs in a way that feels more like the Ozarks than the southern plains. Canoe and kayak outfitters cluster along the river and will rent you a boat and shuttle you upstream for a half-day or full-day float back to town. The river is cold enough to swim in even in midsummer.
The stretch from near Tenkiller to Tahlequah is the classic run. Weekends in summer are busy with tubes and canoes; weekdays are significantly quieter. The river attracts an easy-going crowd, and the combination of green water, trees overhead, and occasional gravel bars for lunch stops makes it one of the more pleasant outdoor experiences in northeastern Oklahoma. Outfitters can be found along OK-10 north of Tahlequah.