The Wakarusa River collects water from the south-central edges of the Kansas River Valley from as far east as Topeka. It has a very gentle gradient as it meanders through the floodplain of Clinton Lake. The scenery is very beautiful and forested. Unless the lake is very low, this part of the river can be paddled at any time of the year. At lower levels the only drawback are some muddy sections that make passage difficult. Some paddlers choose to make a longer trip by taking it out-and-back from the Bloomington State Park boat ramp.