north central Arkansas
NPS Website; Local Website
WHAT IS IT?
135 miles of the 150-mile long Buffalo River. The River, which winds through Arkansas’ rolling Ozark Plateau, holds some of the continental United States least polluted waters and is one of our last un-dammed rivers.
BEAUTY (8/10)
The water is so clear. You can see schools of fish and solitary crayfish scurry around your legs with unbridled curiosity. Rounded rocks line the river’s bottom and are always in clear view; perhaps more so now because northern Arkansas is in the midst of a drought. But that’s a part of the Buffalo’s beauty; it is affected primarily by nature’s whims. There is no dam that seasonally releases deluges and no surface layer of trash; the River’s personality has not changed much since man first stepped foot in her waters.
She twists through the rolling Ozark hills, carving a path through it multi-hued limestone cliffs. In many places along the River, the imposing bluffs rise hundreds of feet fully containing you in the Buffalo’s world.
HISTORICAL INTEREST (3/10)
A river with no dam; do they even make them any more?
CROWDS (7/10)
School has started. Labor Day is long gone. The perfectly manicured Tyler Bend campground was empty, as was the parking lot to the Visitors Center. The entire River was ours to enjoy alone. It was peaceful, but kind of lonely.
EASE OF USE/ACCESS (2/5)
Little Rock travel guides list the Buffalo NR as a local attraction. Do not believe them. The Park’s main Visitor Center, at Tyler Bend, is a slow 120 miles north of Arkansas’ capital via I-40 and U.S. Route 65. The Pruitt Ranger Station is 65 miles north of I-40 and the town of Russellville via Arkansas Route 7.
There are 20 river access points situated at careful intervals over the River’s entire length. You could be out here hours, days or even weeks.
CONCESSIONS/BOOKSTORE (2/5)
There is not much for sale at the Tyler Bend VC. Most of the book titles revolve around the Ozark Plateau history.
COSTS (4/5)
The Site is free. The Park’s website lists over a dozen canoe rental concessionaires for your floating needs. A spot at the gorgeous Tyler Bend campground runs $12 per site. There is no charge for backcountry camping.
RANGER/GUIDE TO TOURIST RATIO (3/5)
Just one wildly helpful Ranger.
After a nice time at the Tyler Bend VC we wandered done to the VC’s canoe launch. The Buffalo’s siren song first lured Gabby, then Michael, into her warm waters. Michael was wearing his handy zip pants, which soon became shorts. He left the pant leg bottoms by the Riverside, took some pictures and, dare we say, frolicked in the water. He remembered his pant legs while driving through Eureka Springs, located about 90 miles to the northwest.
With gas at $3.15 per gallon, there was no chance of turning back. Michael had already written his trusty green pants off. Gab refused to say die and called the Park’s Ranger who was more than happy to search for Michael lost legs. Within five days, the lost half appeared at Michael’s parents’ Harrisburg home. Thank you so much Mr. Ranger!
TOURS/CLASSES (7/10)
A copy of Currents, the NPS Visitors Guide for the Buffalo National River, will tell you all you need to know about local boat concessionaires, hiking trails and campgrounds in the park. What sets it apart from the other Site newspapers and information brochures that clutter our backseat is its quality.
Packed with scientific and fun facts about the Buffalo River, handy charts listing river distances, water levels and corresponding skill levels required to “float” those levels, interesting articles about plant archeology and water conservation, this magazine is a keeper. Gab read it cover to cover.
No Ranger-led programs were offered during our visit since it was after Labor Day. The Ranger was happy to suggest some short hiking trails and strongly recommended that we take a walk down to the turquoise water, which we did after a private showing of the Site’s introductory film.
The film flows like the River, slow and unhurried, a little monotonous at times. We think that’s the recurring theme here. Buffalo NR is not the place to be if you are in a hurry to be anywhere; it is the place to go if you just want to be.
FUN (8/10)
Maybe you didn’t know, but Gab loves to be in water. We drove to the nearest river access point and zoom! She was in. Thigh deep in crystal clear warm delicious water before Michael even had his seatbelt off. The day was glorious, the weather ideal. We could have sat in the water for days and done nothing but soak and stare at the sky, the fish and the limestone cliffs.
WOULD WE RECOMMEND? (7/10)
Some Park Sites beckon you to stay longer. We rank a multi-day canoe trip down the Buffalo River on our future wish list of things to do up their with backcountry excursions at Yellowstone NP, Mount Rainier NP and Grand Teton NP. Yeah, it was that nice here. The scenery and the float seem like they would be wonderfully pleasant and a rare chance to experience pristine water and a lush environment free from human interaction.
TOTAL 51/80
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© 2005