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Bufflalo River Trip
Posted on 8/11/20 at 5:36 pm
Posted on 8/11/20 at 5:36 pm
Thinking about doing a Buffalo River trip at the end of September if the water is good. My friends and I would like to camp away from the campgrounds and preferably right off the river. I have any of you kayaked the Buffalo? If so I’d appreciate any pointers on what to expect.
13
Posted on 8/11/20 at 5:38 pm to WM_Tiger
Haven’t gone but was going to make a spring trip till everything got shut down.
How many days are you planning to spend on the River?
How many days are you planning to spend on the River?
Posted on 8/11/20 at 6:21 pm to towgunner18
Just 3 nights
Posted on 8/11/20 at 7:10 pm to WM_Tiger
September the water will be very low typically but went a few years ago about that time to Ponca and the elk come out to the meadows in the evenings and you can hear them bugling. Pretty awesome
Posted on 8/11/20 at 7:21 pm to Ron Cheramie
I haven’t canoed it in September in a few years but it’s one of my favorite places in the US. Any time on the river is good even when low it’s still beautiful IMO. There is public land along the river so you could find a place that is public however I would look up the current rules first. Have fun and post some pictures after.
Posted on 8/11/20 at 7:45 pm to WM_Tiger
Watch the weather it could be low as hell one minute and flooding within hours
Posted on 8/11/20 at 8:02 pm to WM_Tiger
I did a 3 day 2 night canoe trip several years ago in May. Water was super high from some recent flooding. Current was moving and extra debris in the water made it challenging for beginners. A canoe in our group t-boned a fallen tree, capsized, and the canoe wrapped around the tree under water. Luckily no one got hurt and it was shallow enough for all the guys to wrestle it free. The bent canoe was able to finish the trip and only lost the damage deposit.
Camped on the river bank one night and campground the second night. We got lucky again at the campsite because it rained all night and the river came up 10-15 feet. The water was lapping our overturned canoes by day break. We helped several disheveled people from the river in kayaks and canoes. They all camped along the river and woke up floating in their tents.
To top it off a guy ran into my buddies pickup truck while getting gas on the way home. No insurance and claimed he just bought the car up the road and the brakes didn’t work. Was a wild and an memorable trip.
I broke my rod tip on my one pole trying to tie off to help the overturned canoe. Never got to catch a fish. Would love to go back again and catch some small mouths.
Have a good dry bag for your gear. We had screw tops for Home Depot buckets that helped keep non essential stuff dry. Also there is limited cell coverage on the river so it’s good to have a physical map.
Camped on the river bank one night and campground the second night. We got lucky again at the campsite because it rained all night and the river came up 10-15 feet. The water was lapping our overturned canoes by day break. We helped several disheveled people from the river in kayaks and canoes. They all camped along the river and woke up floating in their tents.
To top it off a guy ran into my buddies pickup truck while getting gas on the way home. No insurance and claimed he just bought the car up the road and the brakes didn’t work. Was a wild and an memorable trip.
I broke my rod tip on my one pole trying to tie off to help the overturned canoe. Never got to catch a fish. Would love to go back again and catch some small mouths.
Have a good dry bag for your gear. We had screw tops for Home Depot buckets that helped keep non essential stuff dry. Also there is limited cell coverage on the river so it’s good to have a physical map.
Posted on 8/11/20 at 8:21 pm to WM_Tiger
This ain't gonna help but my family took a trip there 35 years ago when I was 10 and I won a contest to see who could stay submerged up to their neck the longest in a 52 degree natural spring that fed into the river.
Won a t-shirt that said "I Survived the Buffalo River"...
(we talking about the Buffalo River in Northwest Arkansas, right?)
Won a t-shirt that said "I Survived the Buffalo River"...
(we talking about the Buffalo River in Northwest Arkansas, right?)
Posted on 8/11/20 at 9:03 pm to cdaniel76
We will be camping here this October. Thats the Buffalo at Kyles Landing.
Posted on 8/11/20 at 9:50 pm to WM_Tiger
I did a three day two night trip a couple years ago in late July. Got lucky with the water level. It was on the low side but not too low. Tore the smallmouth up. Check with a couple outfitters. They can tell you where you want to put in and take out depending on how fast you want to travel. Also most of them have good websites that will discuss what the river level needs to be for certain segments.
We camped on the river. Bring a nice pad to sleep on cause you’ll be sleeping on rocks.
We camped on the river. Bring a nice pad to sleep on cause you’ll be sleeping on rocks.
Posted on 8/11/20 at 10:38 pm to WM_Tiger
Went in high school 20+ years ago, friends dad booked us a private plane up there... water was low, at times we had to pick up canoe and carry over low spots... wish I could remember how many Miles we did but we would paddle most of day for 2-3 days then set up tent camps on sandy shores/fish swim/rock climb.... cooked steaks/fish/potatoes/eggs, you name it all over Open fire we made. Don’t think we saw anyone else. Closest place You can go to feel like you’re a pioneer/voyager/explorer, whatever you want to call it. We took fly fishing lessons before the trip and I caught several small mouth bass... One of my best memories and can’t wait to take my sons
This post was edited on 8/12/20 at 11:45 am
Posted on 8/11/20 at 11:35 pm to DaBeerz
quote:
One of my best memories
Same here. We rented a cabin on the river in Eureka Springs, if I recall correctly. Had to drive a ways to get to the canoe place for the river float but the cabin had a sandy shoreline access area where people could swim and play all day. All I did all day, every day was dive with my swimming mask on trying to hand-catch these huge fish that would congregate along the big rocks at the bottom. My Dad told me they were Sauger Fish? Them bastards would let me get within inches of them before scooting off like a bat out of hell...
Posted on 8/12/20 at 5:12 am to WM_Tiger
I’ve been a few times. Best advice I can give is to go through the Buffalo Outdoor Center, they are very helpful. If the river is high, as in no air space at the bridge, do not get on the river. It will chew you up and spit you out if you don’t know what you’re doing. As others have said, when camping on the river, be selective of the spot you pick. Don’t camp up against a bluff where you can’t get to high ground. Tie your canoe up at night. That being said, an overnight on the Buffalo during good conditions is hard to beat.
Posted on 8/12/20 at 6:55 am to WM_Tiger
You will love it. I went once when I was in college and have longed to return ever since. Early mornings are the most glorious things you will ever experience. The silence and the mist rising from the river make you feel like you are the first person to ever see this place. Completely enchanting. 
Posted on 8/12/20 at 8:35 am to WM_Tiger
I've been 14 times since I was a teenager. For me, late May, early June is the best time, as the water is at a good level and it's hot enough for swimming and rock jumping, while still cool enough at night for a fire. My usual trip is from Mt. Hersey to Gilbert and we take 3 days to do the 24 miles or so, camping on shoals. We use Gilbert General Store (Buffalo Camping & Canoeing) for canoe rentals and shuttling. It's one of my favorite places.
Posted on 8/12/20 at 8:59 am to WM_Tiger
quote:
If so I’d appreciate any pointers
Posted on 8/12/20 at 9:20 am to AlxTgr
It's crazy how well that lure works on smallies. I can have a trip where I struggle with my jigs and top waters. Always have one of those tied on and always catches fish
This post was edited on 8/12/20 at 9:21 am
Posted on 8/12/20 at 12:48 pm to Da Hammer
quote:I went for the first time last year, and it was the first time while on vacation I started looking for jobs in the area.
haven’t canoed it in September in a few years but it’s one of my favorite places in the US.
Posted on 8/12/20 at 7:14 pm to Citica8
I work in the offshore, hopefully for another 8 good years. My wife and I have been going up there 2 to 3 times a year. We are really wanting to move. My job would allow it!!!
Posted on 8/12/20 at 7:52 pm to Potchafa
Last June I drank coffee with this view, and it was 58 degrees 
We tried to arrange a canoe/raft trip, but weather wasn't favorable for the group we had with us, so we just hiked and played in the river.
I've been a lot of places, probably didn't spend as much time in those places as I have in Arkansas, but Arkansas as a whole is beyond underrated for outdoors.
We tried to arrange a canoe/raft trip, but weather wasn't favorable for the group we had with us, so we just hiked and played in the river.
I've been a lot of places, probably didn't spend as much time in those places as I have in Arkansas, but Arkansas as a whole is beyond underrated for outdoors.
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