A river worth planning a trip around
The Buffalo National River is the crown jewel of the Arkansas Ozarks. The National Park Service protects 135 free-flowing river miles, with clear green pools, gravel bars and sheer limestone and sandstone bluffs that rise hundreds of feet above the water. People come to canoe, kayak, swim, fish for smallmouth bass, camp on gravel bars and hike the bluff-top trails. There is no park entry fee, though rentals and developed campsites cost extra.
River access points from the cabin
- Pruitt Landing on Highway 7 north of Jasper is about 40 min (23 mi) away, the closest access to Bearly Earth.
- Kyles Landing is about 45 min (24 mi). The access road is steep, gravel and very rough, and the NPS recommends high-clearance four-wheel drive.
- Steel Creek, below towering Roark Bluff, is about 55 min (30 mi) and is one of the classic upper-river put-ins.
- Ponca and its low-water bridge, the start of the most famous upper-Buffalo floats, are about 50 minutes away.
When can you float the Buffalo?
The upper Buffalo, from Ponca through Steel Creek and Kyles Landing, is rain-dependent. It's usually floatable in spring and after wet spells, and too low by mid-summer in many years. The lower river near Pruitt and beyond holds water longer into the season. Check current river gauges and talk to a local outfitter, who can rent boats, run shuttles and tell you which sections are running.
Safety on the water
- Everyone in a boat needs a life jacket, and children 12 and under must wear one.
- Water rises fast after storms. Never float high or muddy water, and stay off the river during flash flood warnings.
- Pack out all trash. Glass and foam containers aren't a good idea on the river.
Pair a river day with...
Morning elk viewing in Boxley Valley, a float from Ponca to Steel Creek, and the overlook above Roark Bluff at golden hour. Then dinner in Jasper on the way back. Or skip the crowds altogether and spend the afternoon with a canoe on the cabin's private pond.
