The Kiamichi River is a river in southeastern Oklahoma, United States of America. A tributary of the Red River of the South, its headwaters rise on Pine Mountain in the Ouachita Mountains near the Arkansas border. From its source in Polk County, Arkansas, it flows approximately to its confluence with the Red River at Hugo, Oklahoma. Name source The origin of the word Kiamichi is a matter of debate and may never be fully known. Most accounts say the word is a French word, which has been transliterated phonetically, for "horned screamer" or "noisy bird," a reference to woodpeckers or other birds living along the river's banks. The spelling of the modern word was not standardized until the twentieth century, making its origin more difficult to determine. The Antlers News, a newspaper published in what was then Antlers, Indian Territory (now in Oklahoma) first used the spelling "Kiamichi" in November 1900. Prior to this, the newspaper, along with other authoritative sources, spelled the name of the river as "Kiamichia" or "Kiamitia" (the latter is closest to a French spelling). Muriel H. Wright suggested that Kaimichi may be from the French word kamichi, which meant "horned screamer", and possibly referred to the whooping cranes along the river. Other spellings of the name have included: Kiomitchie, Cayameechee, Kiamisha, Kimesha, Kimichy, and Kimishi. Another possibility could be the Kichai tribe of the area and dates back to time of Caddo indians. Geography From Pine Mountain the Kiamichi River flows southwest, past Muse, Whitesboro, Albion, Tuskahoma and Clayton to Antlers, where it turns abruptly southeast, flowing in this direction to its confluence with Red River. For much of its journey the river flows through the picturesque and highly defined Kiamichi River valley, framed by mountains of the same name. Pine Mountain, at approximately , is the highest, although the mountains lining its course, such as Flagpole Mountain at Clayton, are significant, rising generally between and . At Antlers the river meets the massive geological formation known as Standpipe Hill, forcing its turn to the southeast. From Antlers to the Red River the Kiamichi is generally characterized by flowing through a broad alluvial plain, particularly on its approach to the Red. The river or its tributaries is impounded by two lakes: Sardis Lake and Hugo Lake. Sardis Lake, named for the small settlement displaced during its construction, impounds Jack's Fork Creek. Hugo Lake, named for