The highest sources of the Kings River are at an elevation of more than 2,000 feet (610 m) on the north slope of the Boston Mountains in the Ozark National Forest.

A man named Henry King from Alabama was part of an expedition to the Boston Mountains to search for land to settle on.

About 1940 the poultry industry began to replace subsistence farming as the main source of employment for the sparse population of the region.

From this steep country the stream twists its way northward to the White River....In its upper reaches, the Kings cuts a narrow gorge through sandstone, shale and limestone.

The Natural Area includes 1,059 acres (429 ha) and features a two mile hiking trail which leads to Kings River Falls, a scenic 6-feet (2 mt) high waterfall.

The McIlroy Madison County Wildlife Management Area comprises 14,496 acres (5,866 ha) including several miles along the Kings.

In 2010, the Nature Conservancy established a 4,561 acres (1,846 ha) preserve which includes seven miles of frontage on the Kings River, a short distance downstream (north) of the Wildlife Management Area.

It is a relatively gentle Class I stream that usually contains enough water to be floated in winter, spring, and early summer until August or after rains at any time.