Park Archives: Buffalo National River

How did this river escape impoundment, impairment, and massive change? To preserve the Buffalo River as a free-flowing 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.

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 ear!y 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.

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.

Plant and animal species of the Southwest, Northeast, and Southeast coexist in the Ozarks. Armadillos, roadrunners, and 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.

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.

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.

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 small mouth 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 small mouth bass—with artificial lures, barbless hooks, and careful handling—is encouraged.

Getting Here Use US 65 or AR 7, 14, or 21. Little Rock, AR, Fayetteville, AR, and Springfield, MO, are two- or three-hour drives from here.

Accommodations Harrison, Jasper, Yellville, Marshall, and elsewhere offer food and lodging. In the park, Buffalo Point has rental cabins and a restaurant open seasonally. Contact Buffalo Point Concessions, 2261 Hwy. 268E, Yellville, AR 72687, or www.buffalopoint.net.

Camping Eleven campgrounds nearby are first-come, first-served. You can reserve some Buffalo Point campsites. Tyler Bend and Buffalo Point campgrounds offer restrooms, showers, and trailer dump stations seasonally. Most Buffalo Point sites have water and electrical hookups. Most campgrounds charge fees, and a reservation is recommended mid-March through mid-November. Services at Tyler Bend and Buffalo Point are limited November through March {dates vary). Camping limit is 14 consecutive days. You must reserve park group sites or pavilions. Make reservations at www.recreation.gov. Campgrounds from Steel Creek to Rush Landing are excellent for beginning or ending float trips. 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 8 am to 8 pm.

Hiking The park offers hiking year-round. Be cautious in winter when ice/snow may be hazardous and summer when temperatures can be extremely high. Check the weather forecast prior to your arrival and plan accordingly. Hike with a trail map, available at the visitor center, visitor contact stations, and the park website.

Short day-use trails are at Lost Valley, Erbie, Pruitt, Tyler Bend, Buffalo Point, and Rush. More difficult trails are in the Ponca and Lower Buffalo Wilderness areas. Hunting is allowed in the park, so use caution and wear bright clothing when hiking.

Leashed pets are allowed in campgrounds and parking areas, along roads, and on the river and gravel bars. Pets are not allowed in the backcountry or on trails except for Mill Creek Trail and the trai ls surrounding the Buffalo Point Campground (Overlook, Campground, and Forest). Pets must be leashed and/or under physical control at all times. Do not attach your pet to your canoe while floating or leave an unattended pet tied to an object.

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 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 front country trails or in areas closed to horses. Primitive camping facilities near Steel Creek, near Erbie, and at Woolum can accommodate trailers.

Interpretive Programs 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. Schedules are at park information stations.

For a Safe Visit Use common sense in this hazardous natural area. • Cell phone coverage in the river corridor is spotty. • Never swim alone or when the river level is high. There are no life-guarded 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 and dangerous and may take hours. • Boil all water that does not come from approved sources. • Bury all human waste at least 100 feet from water. Pack out all garbage. • ATV use is prohibited in the park. • Park firearm regulations conform to Arkansas regulations; firearms are prohibited in public buildings. For firearms regulations check the park website. • Consult the Superintendent's Compendium on the park website for any special regulations or restrictions.

To Enrich Your Visit River guides, topographic maps, and books are sold at the visitor center and ranger stations. Purchase Access, Senior, and Annual passes at park headquarters.

Accessibility We strive to make our facilities, services, and programs accessible to all. For information, go to a visitor center, ask a ranger, call, or check our website.

Few experiences can compare to a float trip down the Buffalo. Clean waters, high rocky bluffs, wooded hillsides, and myriad wildflowers in season restore the nature enthusiast. Rent canoes nearby. Beginners can float slow-moving sections of the river.

The Buffalo River offers a near-wilderness experience between Carver and Woolum and downstream of Rush Landing. Choose a half-day, 10-day, or 120-mile float or anything in between. Boat motors under 10 hp are allowed only up to the Erbie boat launch.

Before Setting Out
Upstream from Pruitt whitewater is usually floatable in winter and spring only. Downstream when the water level is low, Pruitt has riffles, calm pools, and occasionally fast water. Between Ponca and Kyles Landing use is high, especially on weekends. Canoe or kayak experience is highly recommended.

On the lower Buffalo, Rush Landing is the last takeout before entering the Lower Buffalo Wilderness. View the Buffalo National River Services and River Level Guide at www.ar.water.usgs.gov/buffaloriver for river conditions.

Concessioners Park-approved concessioners (see park website) rent canoes, kayaks, rafts, and johnboats and provide all trip needs except personal gear and food. Their brief talks get you and their equipment safely over rapids and down the 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.

River Safety Observe all river warning signs and water safety regulations. • US Coast Guard-approved life jacket required for all vessel occupants and must be worn by children under 13. • Glass containers are prohibited on and 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 do not 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.

The contents of brochures, site bulletins and trading cards (denoted with a colored caption) can be viewed by clicking on the cover. Most modern-day brochures, however, are cover only (denoted by a white caption) due to photograph copyrights. These items are historical in scope and are intended for educational purposes only; they are not meant as an aid for travel planning. The dates under each brochure do not reflect the complete range of years that a particular brochure was issued.

Date Unknown, c1973	1977	1978
1978-1986		1986-1987		1989-1990
1991		1993-1998		2000-2002
2005		2007		cover only 2012-2018
cover only 2018

Birds Checklist Date Unknown	Herpetology Checklist Date Unknown	Mammals Checklist Date Unknown	Trees Checklist Date Unknown	Wildflower Checklist Date Unknown	Collier Homestead Date Unknown
Indian Rockhouse Date Unknown	Rush Historic District Date Unknown	Lower District Hiking Trails Date Unknown	Middle District Hiking Trails Date Unknown	Upper District Hiking Trails Date Unknown	Indian Rockhouse Self-Guiding Nature Trail 1990
Buffalo River Trail 2015		Cecil Cove Trail 2015		Centerpoint Trail 2015
Hemmed-in Hollow Trail 2015		Hideout Hollow 2015		Lost Valley Trail 2015
Mill Creek Trail 2015		Buffalo Point Campground and Trails Date Unknown		Tyler Bend Campground 2020
Indian Rockhouse Trail 2016		Buffalo Point Campground Trails 2015		Tyler Bend Campground Trails 2015
Gilbert Trails 2015		cover only Buffalo National River Guide 1981		Swim Safe: Life Jacket Loaner Program Date Unknown
Trading Cards
(©Jefferson National Parks Association)

Buffalo River State Park (Jane E. Scott, Dwight T. Pitcaithley and Sandra Taylor-Smith, March 1977, August 1988)

The following visual bibliography is just a sampling of the handbooks and books which have been published for this park. NPSHistory.com does not endorse these, but are merely presenting them for informational purposes only. As most are copyrighted, we are only able to provide the covers, and not contents, of these publications.

cover only The Buffalo River Country Kenneth L. Smith 1976	cover only The Battle for the Buffalo River: The Story of America's First National River Neil Compton 2010	cover only Buffalo River Hiking Trails Tim Ernst 2010	cover only Buffalo River Handbook Kenneth L. Smith 2018
cover only Buffalo River Hiking Trails #5 Tim Ernst 2020