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Scenic Buffalo River flows through
remote Ozark Mountain wilderness
remote Ozark Mountain wilderness
Daniel Felsher shows off a smallmouth bass he caught while floating
along the Buffalo River near Yellville, Ark. The Buffalo River flows
through 140 miles of mountains in northern Arkansas.
along the Buffalo River near Yellville, Ark. The Buffalo River flows
through 140 miles of mountains in northern Arkansas.
Shallow, rocky and shorter than many rivers, the Buffalo holds a
special place in the hearts of many people as it cuts through some of the
last truly wild places in Arkansas.
Pouring out of the Boston Mountains near Fallsville in northwest
Arkansas, the largely unspoiled river flows about 140 miles across the
Ozark Mountains until it enters the White River near Buffalo City. From its
source to the White River, the Buffalo descends through 2,000 feet of
sandstone and limestone canyons surrounded by forests, creating some of
the most stunning landscapes in the Natural State. Some of the highest
bluffs in the Ozarks overlook the sparkling emerald waters of the river below.
Not long ago, the picturesque panoramas along the Buffalo River
nearly disappeared like its shaggy namesake. In the late 1960s, the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers developed plans to dam the river, creating
another power-generating lake. Concerned citizens who appreciated the
raw beauty of the stream petitioned Congress to stop the plan. In the early
1970s, Congress declared it the first designated “national river,” putting a
stop to any “improvements.”
“It’s one of the most scenic rivers in North America,” said Bill “Wild Bill”
Scruggs, of Wild Bill’s Outfitters in Yellville, Ark. “When it came really close
to being dammed in the late 1960s, a group of people from northwest
Arkansas formed the Ozark Society and invited a U.S. Supreme Court
justice on a canoe trip. The justice loved it. When he went back
Washington, he convinced many congressmen not to dam the river.”
Today, the Buffalo River offers adventurers a rare unblemished
glimpse of what this country looked like centuries ago. Many people come
just to relax and enjoy the scenery from canoes, horseback or on foot.
Others come for the hunting in several wilderness areas lining the river,
some only accessible by canoe.
Others come for the outstanding fishing in an almost mystical setting.
More than 70 fish species live in the river. People catch catfish, green and
longear sunfish or other sunfish. A few deeper pools even hold some
largemouth bass. Anglers might catch some unusual species, such as
Ozark bass, a sunfish native only to the White River and its tributaries.
However, smallmouth bass rule the Buffalo. In one of the best
smallmouth streams in the country, fish thrive in the clear, oxygen-rich
waters. To reach the fish among the rocky riffles and scattered semi-
submerged boulders, many anglers float with canoes or wade. Often, the
swiftest chutes produce the best action as smallmouths face into the
current, waiting to devour anything trapped in the flow. Tempt them with
floating lures, small soft plastic creatures, jerkbaits, spinners or crankbaits.
People can also catch smallies with live crawfish, minnows or worms.
“In March 2006, a park ranger recorded a 27-inch long smallmouth,”
Scruggs said. “That’s an incredibly big fish for around here. We catch
many good smallmouths on our guided trips. On the Buffalo River, people
can keep two smallmouths per day, but each has to be at least 15 inches
long. About 99 percent of the time, we release everything we catch.”
Scruggs rents canoes to many people who fish the Buffalo. People
float downriver to a designated take-out point. He also offers guided fishing
trips when water levels permit.
Many people float 25 miles from Ponca to Arkansas 7 where they
maneuver through Class I and II rapids and waterfalls. Another popular
float section, the Buffalo flows 32 miles from Carver to U.S. 65. From U.S.
65 to Buffalo Point, the river runs 27 miles and another 30 miles from
Buffalo Point to Buffalo City. Below Rush, the river meanders for 23 miles
through the Lower Buffalo Wilderness and the Leatherwood Wilderness
areas, some of the wildest country in Arkansas.
“The Lower Buffalo Wilderness and the Leatherwood Wilderness areas
contain about 40,000 acres open to public hunting,” Scruggs said. “We
can furnish canoes and set up camps for hunters, but we cannot guide
hunters. People take three or four days to go through there and we pick
them up on the other end. They’re on their own for those few days.”
With more than 300 boats at his disposal, Scruggs can accommodate
anything from brief trips to multi-day adventures. He entertains about
15,000 visitors per year. Some people want guides to accompany them,
cook meals and prepare campsites. Others prefer to do things on their own.
When not floating downriver, Wild Bill’s guests can ride horses down
trails leading to scenic vistas. Some people rent cabins to use as base
camps for exploring other area attractions such as Blanchard Springs
Cavern or the Ozark Folk Center.
For booking trips with Wild Bill, call (800) 554-8657. On line, see www.
ozark-float.com.
special place in the hearts of many people as it cuts through some of the
last truly wild places in Arkansas.
Pouring out of the Boston Mountains near Fallsville in northwest
Arkansas, the largely unspoiled river flows about 140 miles across the
Ozark Mountains until it enters the White River near Buffalo City. From its
source to the White River, the Buffalo descends through 2,000 feet of
sandstone and limestone canyons surrounded by forests, creating some of
the most stunning landscapes in the Natural State. Some of the highest
bluffs in the Ozarks overlook the sparkling emerald waters of the river below.
Not long ago, the picturesque panoramas along the Buffalo River
nearly disappeared like its shaggy namesake. In the late 1960s, the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers developed plans to dam the river, creating
another power-generating lake. Concerned citizens who appreciated the
raw beauty of the stream petitioned Congress to stop the plan. In the early
1970s, Congress declared it the first designated “national river,” putting a
stop to any “improvements.”
“It’s one of the most scenic rivers in North America,” said Bill “Wild Bill”
Scruggs, of Wild Bill’s Outfitters in Yellville, Ark. “When it came really close
to being dammed in the late 1960s, a group of people from northwest
Arkansas formed the Ozark Society and invited a U.S. Supreme Court
justice on a canoe trip. The justice loved it. When he went back
Washington, he convinced many congressmen not to dam the river.”
Today, the Buffalo River offers adventurers a rare unblemished
glimpse of what this country looked like centuries ago. Many people come
just to relax and enjoy the scenery from canoes, horseback or on foot.
Others come for the hunting in several wilderness areas lining the river,
some only accessible by canoe.
Others come for the outstanding fishing in an almost mystical setting.
More than 70 fish species live in the river. People catch catfish, green and
longear sunfish or other sunfish. A few deeper pools even hold some
largemouth bass. Anglers might catch some unusual species, such as
Ozark bass, a sunfish native only to the White River and its tributaries.
However, smallmouth bass rule the Buffalo. In one of the best
smallmouth streams in the country, fish thrive in the clear, oxygen-rich
waters. To reach the fish among the rocky riffles and scattered semi-
submerged boulders, many anglers float with canoes or wade. Often, the
swiftest chutes produce the best action as smallmouths face into the
current, waiting to devour anything trapped in the flow. Tempt them with
floating lures, small soft plastic creatures, jerkbaits, spinners or crankbaits.
People can also catch smallies with live crawfish, minnows or worms.
“In March 2006, a park ranger recorded a 27-inch long smallmouth,”
Scruggs said. “That’s an incredibly big fish for around here. We catch
many good smallmouths on our guided trips. On the Buffalo River, people
can keep two smallmouths per day, but each has to be at least 15 inches
long. About 99 percent of the time, we release everything we catch.”
Scruggs rents canoes to many people who fish the Buffalo. People
float downriver to a designated take-out point. He also offers guided fishing
trips when water levels permit.
Many people float 25 miles from Ponca to Arkansas 7 where they
maneuver through Class I and II rapids and waterfalls. Another popular
float section, the Buffalo flows 32 miles from Carver to U.S. 65. From U.S.
65 to Buffalo Point, the river runs 27 miles and another 30 miles from
Buffalo Point to Buffalo City. Below Rush, the river meanders for 23 miles
through the Lower Buffalo Wilderness and the Leatherwood Wilderness
areas, some of the wildest country in Arkansas.
“The Lower Buffalo Wilderness and the Leatherwood Wilderness areas
contain about 40,000 acres open to public hunting,” Scruggs said. “We
can furnish canoes and set up camps for hunters, but we cannot guide
hunters. People take three or four days to go through there and we pick
them up on the other end. They’re on their own for those few days.”
With more than 300 boats at his disposal, Scruggs can accommodate
anything from brief trips to multi-day adventures. He entertains about
15,000 visitors per year. Some people want guides to accompany them,
cook meals and prepare campsites. Others prefer to do things on their own.
When not floating downriver, Wild Bill’s guests can ride horses down
trails leading to scenic vistas. Some people rent cabins to use as base
camps for exploring other area attractions such as Blanchard Springs
Cavern or the Ozark Folk Center.
For booking trips with Wild Bill, call (800) 554-8657. On line, see www.
ozark-float.com.
