"Aerial of boats on the river" by T. Fondriest , public domain
BuffaloBrochure |
Official Brochure of Buffalo National River (NR) in Arkansas. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
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Buffalo National River
Buffalo National River
Arkansas
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
You can find quiet places for reflection and exploration on the Buffalo River.
A 'River NestCecCin tfie Arkansas
How did this river escape impoundment, impairment, and
massive change? To preserve the Buffalo River as a freeflowing stream. Congress designated it as America's first
national river in 1972. It nestles in the Arkansas Ozark
Plateau, which is bounded on the north, east, and south by
the Missouri, Mississippi, and Arkansas rivers. Earliest maps
called this the "Buffaloe Fork of the White River," no doubt
for now-extinct woodland bison. Originating high in the
Boston Mountains, the Buffalo drops steadily to its confluence with the White 151 miles to the east. The gradient is
steeper and the water faster on the upper river, but the
river levels out and slows down over its course. Long,
quiet pools between rapids disguise its vertical fall.
Collier Homestead near Tyler Bend
NPS / MARK ROBINSON
Ozarks
Side trips to hollows flanking the river dramatize this land's
wildness and isolation. Some of the many prehistoric and
historic cultural sites are 8,000 years old. There are village
sites on river terraces, seasonal bluff shelters of prehistoric
hunters and gatherers, and farmsteads of the Mississippian
people who raised corn on floodplains or of ancestral
Osage Indians who hunted along the Buffalo in historic
times. Remains of early settlers' cabins abound. In Boxley
Valley you can see traditional farming. Other places—like
Parker-Hickman Farmstead in Erbie, the 1920s Collier Homestead at Tyler Bend, and Rush Mining District and Civilian
Conservation Corps structures at Buffalo Point—illustrate
conspicuous events or the threads of Buffalo River history.
NPS / DALE DOMBROSKI
Erbie Rock
Scenic Landscape Formations
The Ozark's highest river bluffs—up to 500
feet high—are sandstone, limestone, and
dolomite. Centuries of erosion sculpted
multicolored cliffs to accent the Buffalo
River and its setting within wild mountain
beauty. Its caves, cliffs, sinkholes, waterfalls,
springs, and often intriguing rock formations typify Arkansas Ozarks geology.
Buffalo River from Big Bluff
Nature Along the River
Elk on the Buffalo River
Hunting and Fishing
Plant and animal species of the Southwest,
Northeast, and Southeast coexist in the
Ozarks. Armadillos, roadrunners, and
In the 1980s the Arkansas Game and Fish
Commission introduced Rocky Mountain
elk to Newton County. Elk were not released in the park, but they quickly moved
into its maintained hayfields and remote
woods along the Buffalo River. Now the
growing herd (estimated at 500 elk) is
both a tourist attraction and a park management concern. Elk-viewing is popular in
October and November in Boxley
Valley. Be alert
then to heavy
pedestrian
and vehicle
traffic.
Arkansas hunting and fishing licenses are
required, and state regulations apply. Find
regulations specific to the Buffalo River at
a park contact station or at www.agfc.com,
the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
website. Respect the rights of the private
property owners with homes and livestock
in the park.
Juniper hairstreak
butterfly feeding
NPS /CAVEN CLARK
tarantulas live with lichens found in arctic
tundra too. The range of elevations (375
to 2,385 feet), moisture, exposure, and soil
types support over 1,500 plant species. The
river boasts 74 species of Clearwater fish.
White-tailed deer, raccoon, and opossum
are frequently seen, but the bobcat, mink,
bear, otter, and beaver are more elusive.
White-tailed deer
NPS / MARK ROBINSON
Elk Cow
NPS / DALE DOMBROSKI
NPS / DALE DOMBROSKI
Reflection of Skull Rock on a fall day
NPS /APRIL WOOD
Eden Falls
Smallmouth bass
NPS/DANFEASER
Fishing The Buffalo River is a favorite with
anglers. Long pools and shallow riffles offer excellent fishing. The Buffalo and its
tributaries are among the nation's richest
waters in number of fish species. Anglers
favor smallmouth bass, catfish, Ozark bass,
and a variety of panfish. Most people fish
from the bank or a boat. Float fishing is
common on the river's lower, eastern half.
Catch-and-release of smallmouth bass—
with artificial lures, barbless hooks, and
careful handling—is encouraged.
Hunting Non-developed park areas are
open to hunting—mostly deer and turkey.
Various hunting seasons may occur from
early September to April and mid-May to
mid-June (squirrel only). Anyone in the
woods in hunting season must use caution
and wear bright clothing—hunter orange
is recommended—especially in November's
gun deer season and spring turkey season.
All nongame species are protected.
Turkey
NPS/MARK ROBINSON
Ozark Vistas, River Float Trips, Wilderness Walks, and More
Getting Here Use US 65 or AR 7, 14, or 21 to get
to the park. Little Rock and Fayetteville, AR, and
Springfield, MO, are two- or three-hour drives
from here. The central Ozark Mountains boast
many public scenic and recreation areas.
Camping The 11 campgrounds reached by car
are open first-come, first-served. Some Buffalo
Point campsites can be reserved. The Tyler Bend
and Buffalo Point campgrounds offer restrooms,
showers, and trailer dump stations seasonally.
Most Buffalo Point sites have water and electrical hookups. Mid-March through mid-November,
fees are charged at most campgrounds and a
reservation is recommended. From November
through March, services at Tyler Bend and Buffalo
Point are limited but dates may vary. Camping
limit is 14 consecutive days. All park group sites
and pavilions must be reserved. Make all reservations at recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777.
Campgrounds from Steel Creek to Rush Landing
are excellent for beginning or ending float trips.
fJB River access point
Distances between river
access points are shown
on the diagram below.
Average floating time at
"ample floating level" is
about two miles per hour.
All have toilets. The steep roads to Steel Creek
and Kyles Landing are not recommended for
trailers, buses, or motor homes. Campground
quiet hours are 10 pm to 6 am; use generators
only in developed areas and there only between
8 am and 8 pm.
Accommodations Harrison, Jasper, Yellville, Marshall, and other communities offer food service
and lodging. In the park, Buffalo Point has concession rental cabins and a restaurant open seasonally. Contact: Buffalo Point Concessions, 2261
Hwy. 268E, Yellville, AR 72687, 870-449-6206 or
www.buffalopoint.com.
Horseback Riding Horseback riding is permitted
on many park trails. In the Lower Buffalo Wilderness the trail loop from Hathaway Horse Camp
to Cow Creek, from Cow Creek along Buffalo
River to Cook Hollow, and then back to Hathaway Horse Camp is a special-use zone. Horses
are restricted to established trails there and also
Pa Information station
rfl Drinking water
f% Campground
fS| Interpretive trail
in the Ponca Wilderness. Elsewhere, horse and
stock use is allowed on abandoned roads, gravel
bars, old traces, backcountry trails, and shoulders
of roads open to motor vehicles. Horses and pack
animals are not allowed on frontcountry trails or
in areas designated closed to horses. Primitive
camping facilities that accommodate trailers are
near Steel Creek and Erbie and at Woolum.
Hiking The park offers wonderful hiking. Find
trail maps at the visitor center, ranger stations,
or online. Short, day-use trails are at Lost Valley,
Tyler Bend, Buffalo Point, and Pruitt Information
Station. More difficult trails are in the Ponca and
Lower Buffalo wilderness areas. You can also
walk the traces of former roads. Hiking is best in
winter when foliage is down, but ice may pose a
hazard then. In hunting season, use caution and
wear bright clothing in the woods. Dogs, cats,
and other pets are not allowed on park trails, in
designated wilderness areas, or in park caves except as follows: In the Ponca Wilderness, pets on
a six-foot leash are permitted on gravel bars up
to 25 feet from the water's edge. Three designated trails allow pets on a six-foot leash—Lost
Valley (AR 43), Mill Creek (AR 7), and Forest Trail
(Buffalo Point)—see map.
Interpretive Programs Interpretive events in
spring and summer at Buffalo Point, Tyler Bend,
Pruitt, Ozark, and elsewhere include campfire
programs, guided walks and hikes, guided canoe
floats, and Ozark folk music. Get a schedule at
any park information station.
For a Safe Visit Common sense best protects you
against accidents. This is a natural area with hazards. • Don't count on cell phone coverage in the
river corridor. • The river is great for swimming,
but never swim alone or when the river level is
high. There are no lifeguarded swimming areas.
• Diving is extremely dangerous—rocks and logs
lie unseen below the surface. • Loose, crumbly
rocks or winter ice can make climbing riverside
bluffs hazardous. A fall from a bluff is certain injury; getting medical help is difficult, dangerous,
and may take hours. • Boil all water not from
approved sources. • Bury all human waste at
least 100 feet from water. Carry out all garbage.
• ATV use is prohibited in the park. • Park firearm regulations conform to Arkansas regulations; firearms are prohibited in public buildings.
• Consult the Superintendent's Compendium on
the park website for any special regulations or
restrictions. • To report emergencies 24 hours a
day, call 1-888-692-1162 or 911.
More Information
Buffalo National River
Park Headquarters
402 N. Walnut, Suite 136
Harrison, AR 72601
870-365-2700
TTY 870-741-2884
www.nps.gov/buff
To Enrich Your Visit River guides, topographic
maps, and books that explore this region's great
wealth of natural and cultural history are sold at
the visitor center and ranger stations. Except for
the sale of Access, Senior, or Annual permits, no
visitor services or sales are offered at park headquarters in Harrison.
Buffalo National River is one of over 390 parks
in the National Park System. To learn more about
national parks and National Park Service programs in America's communities please visit
www.nps.gov.
Tyler Bend Visitor Center 870-439-2502
Buffalo Point Ranger Station 870-449-4311
Pruitt Ranger Station 870-446-5373
tvGPO:2012—372849/80814 Reprint 2012
Printed on recycled paper.
Service animals are welcome.
A Primitive campsite
•
~~1 Buffalo National
' River Authorized
Area
Private property exists
within the authorized area
Please respect owners' rights.
1
Historic site
Wilderness area
7J Unpaved road
WARNING
Locally heavy rains cause rivers
and streams to rise rapidly. Pick
campsites that allow an escape
route.
Do not dive or jump into the
river. Swim only in clear, calm
water and check below the
surface for submerged objects.
River access point: ;
Ponca.
River distances:
6.1mi
2.6mi I
8mi
#
River access point: *Boxley Bridge
SteelCreek
S.7mi
•Kyles Landing
5.4mi
*Erbie
. 2.7m/
•Ozark
. Pruitt Landing
7mi
.Carver
4mi
*Hasty
. M t . Hersey
6.8mi
.Woolum
8.5mi
11,1mi
.Baker Ford
4.2mi
Tyler Bend *
1.4mi
.Gilbert
4.2mi
• Grinders Ferry
77.8m/
.Maumee N
4.7mi
•MaumeeS
Sprint,
Buffalo
Creek.
P o i n t . .Rush Landing
4.6mi I.Smi 7.5mi
• Dillards Ferry
24.4mi
. Buffalo City
11 mi
To Norfolk
Floating the Buffalo River
Few experiences can compare to a float
trip down the Buffalo. Clean waters, high
rocky bluffs, wooded hillsides, and myriad
wildf lowers in season conspire to restore
you as a nature enthusiast. Inexperienced
beginners can float slow-moving river sections, and canoes may be rented nearby.
Always check with a ranger about river
conditions before you set out.
The Buffalo River offers a near-wilderness
experience between Carver and Woolum
and downstream of Rush Landing. Choices
for length of float trips are many. Choose
a half-day float or a 10-day float, 120-mile
expedition; or anything in between. Boat
motors under 10 hp are allowed only up
to the Erbie boat launch.
Before Setting Out
Upstream from Pruitt
the river offers exciting Whitewater usually
floatable in winter and
spring only: Canoe or
kayak experience is
highly recommended.
Between Ponca and
Kyles Landing, use is
usually high, especially
on weekends. Except
when the river level is
high, the Buffalo below Pruitt has calm
pools, riffles, and the
occasional fast water.
On the lower Buffalo,
be aware that Rush
Landing is the last
A serene stretch of the Buffalo River.
Whitewater action challenges paddlers on the upper river.
takeout before entering the Lower Buffalo
Wilderness. A Buffalo
National River Services
and River Level Guide
(at ar.water.usgs.gov/
buffaloriver) has general river conditions.
river, so listen carefully.
They also offer shuttle
services for both floaters and hikers. Guided
johnboat fishing trips
serve the middle and
lower river. Gear and
food can be provided.
Concessioners Parkapproved concessioners (listed at www.nps.
gov/buff) rent canoes,
kayaks, rafts, and Johnboats, providing all trip
needs except personal
gear and food. Their
brief talks are meant
to get you and their
equipment safely over
rapids and down the
River Safety Observe
all river warning signs
and water safety regulations. • A US Coast
Guard-approved life
jacket is required for
all occupants of a vessel and must be worn
by children under 13.
Wear it for your protection. • Glass containers are not permit-
ted on or near the
river. • Keep gear in
waterproof containers;
stow them low and
balanced in your canoe. • If you capsize,
stay on the upstream
side of the canoe so
you don't get pinned
between it and river
obstacles. • Stay off
the river during floodwaters. If rising water
threatens, camp where
you can move to higher ground—and pull
your canoe well out of
the water. River rises
of a foot or more per
hour are common.
Great blue heron.