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Protected by act of
Congress in 1972 as the United States first federally protected river, the
Buffalo River is one of the few remaining
unpolluted,
free-flowing rivers in the lower 48 states offering both
swift-running and placid stretches.
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Buffalo National River |
Situated in the Ozarks Mountains, 135
miles of its approximate 150 mile length is in the boundaries of the
National River. The river begins as a trickle in the Boston Mountains above
the park boundary, where it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service as
National Wild and Scenic River. The Buffalo is a tributary of the White
River and the National River preserve is home to Arkansas' only elk herd.
One of the biggest attractions in this wilderness is Hemmed-in-Hollow, the
tallest waterfall between the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains.
There are over 100 miles of maintained trails in the
park with several trails open both to horse and hiking use. Several trails
are suitable for backpacking, including the 37 mile
Buffalo River
Trail. The eastern end of the
Ozarks Highlands Trail begins at Woolum.
The very best way to see the park, of course, is
on the river, canoe, kayak,
john boat or raft.
Thirteen campgrounds are accessible by car—12 open on a first-come,
first-served basis with some campsites by reservation through
ReserveUSA in Buffalo Point
Campground.
Links to Buffalo National River
National Park Service website
Wikipedia
US Geological
Survey (USGS)
Map of the Buffalo National River, PDF format
Recreation.gov |
