Introducing America's First National River

High up in the Boston Mountains of Northern Arkansas, somewhere in Southwestern Newton County rises the first National River in America, the beautiful and WILD Buffalo!  It runs approximately 240 km (slightly more than 150 miles) and empties into the White River at the Marion/Baxter county line just south of Flippin, Cotter and Gassville, Arkansas.

http://www.nps.gov/buff/planyourvisit/index.htm

 

Figure 1 National Park Service Website

 

The river is particularly known for its amazing vistas and canoeing/kayaking activities.  The National Park Service has made the lower 217 km (approx. 135 miles) into a park.  The remaining upward part of the river is part of the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest.  It is the park where the River becomes a National River (see Figure 1).   The US Army Corp of Engineers was planning to dam this river up, but in 1972, Congress said no, and made the river into a park, out of concern for the flora and fauna habitats and thereby preventing any commercial/industrial uses out of the land that might disrupt the nature of the area.

The river actually starts 24 km (15 miles) inside the park area where the Main Prong of the Big Buffalo Creek joins Reeves Fork north of Fallsville, AR.  From there, it goes roughly due east until it joins the White River.

Advanced kayakers and canoeists love the challenging section called “Hailstone River.”  It is 15 miles up the river (south) of Boxley, AR (where State Highway 21 crosses the river) and runs right down to that bridge.  This section of the river should only be used by canoeists when the water is really high and by those with solid whitewater skills.

Figure 2 Photo taken by David Orr

The upper part of the river is steep and riddled with limestone and sandstone cliffs.  There are numerous falls located throughout this part of the Buffalo.

Amongst other activities popular here is fishing and camping.  

The Park Headquarters is located in Harrison, AR