To
reach the Buffalo National River area, take
Hwy. 14 south out of Yellville. The South Shore region
is bounded on the south by the first “national” river
declared by Congress – the Buffalo National
River and park. The river flows for 150 miles across northern
Arkansas, often beneath towering bluffs. Thousands canoe
the Buffalo annually. Consult a Park Ranger to match your
skill level to a river section. Smallmouth bass attract
the fishing public. For park information/canoe rentals,
call Buffalo Point Ranger Station, 870-449-4311 or call
the park headquarters at 870-741-7286.
Canoeing the Buffalo National
River
Map location: H-6
There is no other river quite like the Buffalo River.
This is our country's very first national river. Rescued
from conversion into a recreational lake in 1972, Congress
preserved the free-flowing Buffalo River in its beauty
and simplicity. Now managed by the National Park Service,
the Buffalo is a float stream and a fishing stream that
flows beneath limestone bluffs towering 400 feet tall or
rushes over a rocky bed, dropping out of the Boston Mountains
in occasional white water rapids.
The slower reaches of the river are always floatable and
widen into tranquil pools, bordered by dense hardwoods
and lush foliage. When local fishermen want good smallmouth
bass fishing, there's no better place than the Buffalo
River. When Arkansas travelers want to fill their memory
banks with nature's beauty, they, too, head for the Buffalo
River. For specific information, contact the National Park
Service at Harrison.
|
|
A side
trip to Rush by auto starts with a left turn off
Arkansas Hwy. 14 onto Marion County Road 6035. A few miles
and will bring you to the abandoned town of Rush, which
was once a thriving zinc mining center. Many also came
in search of silver in the late 1800s up through the World
War I era. Then, Rush faded into history. It is listed
on the National Register of Historic Places. The campground
at Rush is the last on the Buffalo River before it flows
into the White.
One walking/hiking trail
is of particular interest to history buffs. The Morning
Star Loop Trail passes the ruins of the Morning Star Mine
buildings, including the remains of the blacksmith shop
and smelter built in 1886. Begin at the Morning Star trailhead.
Horses Welcome on Buffalo Park
Trails
Map location: H-6
Backtracking
a few miles from Rush to Arkansas
Hwy. 14, then driving south will take visitors to Hwy.
268 leading to Buffalo Point Park with a developed campground
(open year-round with reduced services during the off season,
Nov-March).
The Buffalo Point trail
system is about six miles. Trailheads are located in the
campground and along the road between the upper information
station and the restaurant. Park officials advise that
it is much safer to view the bluffs from a distance rather
than trying to climb them. Likewise, diving from the bluffs
is not recommended due to hidden rocks, tree roots and
logs, plus shallow bottoms.
Continue
Tour >> |
