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The Buffalo
National River
Great Float Trips on Beautiful
Ozark Rivers Abound in Arkansas, Kansas,
Oklahoma and Missouri.
-
Elk River Canoeing and Kayaking
in Noel, Mo
- Buffalo River Paddling near
Harrison, AR offers countless float trip opportunities,
see outfitters list below.
- Head to Baxter Springs and and
paddle
from Kansas to Oklahoma.
- The Buffalo River is one of the
best smallmouth bass streams in the
state of Arkansas. During
warm-weather it is a breathtaking
canoe stream paddled by many, but in
winter it is nearly deserted.
Kayaking Dad T-Shirt
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Click Photos To Enlarge
The Buffalo River - Photo by Thomas P. Jones
The Buffalo River, located in northern
Arkansas, originates in the Boston
Mountains of the Ozarks, flows for over
a hundred miles before joining
The White
River. It is officially a national
treasure and locally considered to be a
great Arkansas Kayaking trip for
Oklahoma folks like us.
Jump down to our
Buffalo River Outfitters List
The upper section is in the Ozark
National Forest and it is managed by the
U.S. Forest Service. it also has
the most exciting rapids and is
designated as a National Scenic River
and a National Wild River.
The rest of the river is simply heaven
for canoe paddlers. |
Paddle The Buffalo
National River - The Perfect Canoe Camping River
Nothing cools you down
faster than a spring fed river or a crisp clear lake
on a hot Oklahoma day. Check out our Oklahoma
Canoe and Kayak
Paddling Page to learn more! You can read
about our most recent float trips on our
PaddleTales
weblog.
Trip Report - 5/25/05
Buffalo River and Illinois
River
Paddling the Buffalo River in Arkansas
Be it canoe or kayak, we like nothing better
than sliding across the water on 'our own
steam'. How can something this much fun actually
be good exercise?
To introduce Faithful Son to this healthful and
enjoyable sport, we planned a float trip via
canoe on a small part of The Buffalo River in
near Gilbert, Arkansas. One thing that surprised
us all was the gravel. In my muddy Oklahoma
hometown area, gravel is a rare and precious
resource. We mistakenly wore sandals to paddle
this lovely river, but we saw no sand.
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The Buffalo River
is a beautiful river of crystal clear waters and gravel
banks surrounded by
high limestone bluffs of purple and orange. In 1972, it was
designated by Congress as America's first National River, on
the 100 year anniversary of the birth of Yellowstone as our
first National Park.
Buffalo River - Arkansas Paddling
It is also just
across the Arkansas border from Oklahoma, only a few hours
from Tulsa. In the Fall and Spring the Buffalo River offers
breathtaking seasonal color. Take your camera...heck take
your tripod too on this wonderful river!
The Buffalo is
the last major undammed river in Arkansas and is wonderfully
pristine, yet well complimented with canoe and kayak
outfitters in the surrounding small towns like Ponca, St.
Joe, Yellville and Hasty.
We have used both
Silver
Hill Canoe Rental and
Buffalo Camping & Canoeing and I can honestly say they
were both first rate. They offer numerous float trips
depending on distance you want to travel.
The river is
categorized into three parts, the upper, middle and lower.
Click the links below to see our list of outfitters for each
section of the Buffalo River.
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The
upper part of the Buffalo
River is located in Boxley and ending in Carver.
(outfitters in Ponca, Jasper and Marble Falls, AR)
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The
middle part of the
Buffalo River runs from Carver to S. Maumee. (outfitters
in St. Joe and Gilbert, AR)
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The
lower part of the Buffalo
River runs from N. Maumee to Buffalo City. (outfitters
in Yellville, AR)
The large
town in the area is Harrison, Arkansas and offers many
fine restaurants, shopping, hotels, motels, cabins,
cottages, etc.
Buffalo River - Arkansas Paddling
Here's a link to a good river map:
Buffalo River Map
Sadly, I'm afraid the Buffalo River float trip failed to
convert Faithful Son from XBox to paddle junkie as it
rained steadily for the majority of our float. Dianne
and I were paddling away on the river, so we found the
rain to be a cool and refreshing crowd control device,
but Dylan darn near froze in the middle of the canoe! Oh
well, better luck next time, eh?
Thankfully,
Gilbert, Arkansas is close enough to Tahlequah to allow
us an afternoon
float trip down the Illinois River on our way back
home.
Click to view recommended
paddling levels for the Illinois River near Tahlequah,
OK
Buffalo River Canoe & Kayak Outfitter List
Upper River - Boxley to Carver
Buffalo Adventures
HC 70 Box 136 A Jasper, AR 72641
Phone: 870-446-5406
www.buffaloadventures.com
Buffalo Outdoor Center, Inc.
Location: Ponca, AR. 72670
Phone: 800-221-5514
www.buffaloriver.com
Gordon Motel, Inc.
Location: P. O. Box 60 Jasper, AR 72641
Phone: 800-477-8509
www.gordonmotel.com
Keller’s Kanoes
Location: HCR 73, Box 39 Marble Falls, AR 72648
Phone: 870-446-2644
Lost Valley Canoe & Lodging
Location: Hwy 43, Box 10 Ponca, AR 72670
Phone: 870-861-5522
Razorback Canoe Rental
Location: PO Box 1 Marble Falls, AR 72648
Phone: 870-446-2255
Riverview Motel Canoe Rental
Location: P.O. Box 352 Jasper, AR 72641
Phone: 870-446-2616
Middle Buffalo River - Carver to South Maumee
Buffalo Camping & Canoeing (We tried 'em, they
rock!)
Location: P.O. Box 504 Gilbert, AR 72636
Phone: 870-439-2888
www.gilbertstore.com
Buffalo River Outfitters
Location: Rt 1 Box 56 St. Joe, AR 72675
Phone: 800-582-2244
www.buffaloriveroutfitters.com
Crockett's Canoe Rental
Location: P.O. Box 26 Harriet, AR 72639
Phone: 800-355-6111
www.buffalorivercanoerental.com
Silver Hill Canoe Rental (We
tried 'em, they rock!)
Location: Rt. 1 Box 48A St. Joe, AR 72675
Phone: 870-439-2372
www.silverhill65.com
Lower Buffalo River - North Maumee to Buffalo City
Dillard's Ozark Outfitters, Inc.
Location: 12656 Hwy. 14S - Yellville, AR 72687
Phone: 800-423-8731
Dirst Canoe Rental
Location: 538 Hwy. 268 - Yellville, AR 72687
Phone: 800-537-2850
Wild Bill's Outfitters
Location: Jct. Hwy 14 S. & 268 - Yellville, AR 72687
Phone: 800-554-8657
www.ozark-float.com
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