Beta

GuidedFloats is in beta. The full site launches March 1, 2027. The mobile app follows.

Guides: claim before March 1, 2027 and your first full season of Premium is free. Claim your founding spot →

Log in List your guide serviceFor guides
Home › Waters › Arkansas › Buffalo River
River · Ozarks · Arkansas

Buffalo River Fishing Guides

America's first National River, a hundred and thirty-five undammed miles under five-hundred-foot bluffs, and the float trip most Arkansans measure others against.

A boulder standing mid-channel in a shallow gravel river

Map of the Buffalo River

49 numbered points: 23 access points, 8 campsites, 4 outfitters, 4 bridges, 2 parks and conservation areas, 4 agency offices, 1 USGS gauge, 3 points of interest. Tap a marker for details. Reviewed Sep 7, 2026.

Printable version →
  • Access / boat ramp (23)
  • Campsite (8)
  • Outfitter / canoe rental (4)
  • Bridge crossing (4)
  • Park / conservation area (2)
  • Agency / conservation office (4)
  • USGS gauge (1)
  • Point of interest (3)
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Points are curated from OpenStreetMap and state agency sources; confirm access and hours before you go.

Print it. Bag it. Bring it.Phones die, screens crack, and most of this water has no signal. Print this map, fold it into a zip-top bag or dry bag with your license, and you have a backup your electronics can’t give you. Every marker is numbered so you can say exactly where you are.

Open the printable map
All 49 points on this map
#PointTypeLat, LonNotes
1Boxley Bridge River Access
NPS · AR 21 low-water bridge, Boxley Valley		Access / boat ramp35.96129, -93.40423Uppermost NPS access. The Boxley-to-Ponca reach only floats after heavy rain; most trips start at Ponca. Elk graze the valley fields at dawn and dusk.
2Lost Valley Trailhead
NPS day-use area · AR 43		Park / conservation area36.01035, -93.37435Trail to Eden Falls and Cob Cave. Day use only; no river access here.
3Ponca River Access
NPS · AR 74 low-water bridge		Access / boat ramp36.02110, -93.35512Classic put-in for the Ponca–Kyles Landing run (10.7 mi) beneath Big Bluff and Hemmed-In Hollow. Check the Ponca gauge before launching; the upper river is a spring-flow float.
4Buffalo Outdoor Center
Canoe & kayak rental, shuttles · Ponca		Outfitter / canoe rental36.02275, -93.36318NPS-authorized concessioner at the AR 43 / AR 74 junction in Ponca.
5AGFC Ponca Elk Education Center
Arkansas Game & Fish Commission · Ponca		Agency / conservation office36.02273, -93.36209Exhibits on the Buffalo River elk herd and area wildlife; a good place to ask about current conditions.
6Steel Creek Campground
NPS · 26 walk-in tent sites + 14 horse sites		Campsite36.03989, -93.34611Under Roark Bluff. Fee season mid-March to mid-November; primitive and free in winter.
7Steel Creek River Access
NPS · gravel bar launch		Access / boat ramp36.03931, -93.33623Alternative put-in 2 miles below Ponca; shortens the run to Kyles Landing.
8Big Bluff
Tallest bluff face in the Ozarks (~550 ft)		Point of interest36.04924, -93.31963River right. The Goat Trail runs along a ledge partway up; no camping on the bluff.
9Hemmed-In Hollow Falls
209-ft waterfall · short hike from the river		Point of interest36.07207, -93.30740Tallest waterfall between the Rockies and Appalachians. Land on river left below Big Bluff and follow the side trail up the hollow.
10Kyles Landing Campground
NPS · 33 walk-in tent sites		Campsite36.05574, -93.28073Reached by a steep gravel road off AR 74. Fee season mid-March to mid-November.
11Kyles Landing River Access
NPS · gravel bar		Access / boat ramp36.05687, -93.27971Take-out for the Ponca run and put-in for Kyles–Pruitt (about 10 mi via Erbie and Ozark).
12Erbie Campground
NPS · 13 drive-in, 13 walk-in, 5 group sites		Campsite36.07168, -93.21498Historic Erbie low-water bridge and the Parker-Hickman farmstead nearby.
13Erbie River Access
NPS		Access / boat ramp36.07095, -93.21237Mid-point of the Kyles Landing–Pruitt run; reached by gravel road from AR 7 north of Jasper.
14Ozark Campground
NPS · 30 sites, pavilion		Campsite36.06406, -93.15995Drive-in campground off AR 7. Fee season mid-March to mid-November.
15Ozark River Access
NPS		Access / boat ramp36.06515, -93.15903Short 2-mile float from here to Pruitt Landing.
16Pruitt Ranger Station
NPS · AR 7 north of Jasper		Agency / conservation office36.06024, -93.13952Upper District contact station; seasonal hours. River information and permits.
17AR 7 bridge at Pruitt
Arkansas Highway 7		Bridge crossing36.06085, -93.13768Main road crossing of the upper river.
18Pruitt Landing River Access
NPS · concrete ramp, picnic area		Access / boat ramp36.05746, -93.13613Put-in for the Pruitt–Hasty run (6.8 mi). Day-use area with a swimming hole.
19Hasty River Access
NPS · below the AR 74 low-water bridge		Access / boat ramp36.00805, -93.08147Popular summer swimming spot with bluff views. Hasty–Carver is a short 3-mile float.
20AR 123 bridge at Carver
Arkansas Highway 123		Bridge crossing35.98337, -93.04258
21Carver River Access
NPS · 8 walk-in tent sites at the access		Access / boat ramp35.98268, -93.04072Start of the long, remote Carver–Mount Hersey–Woolum reach (about 15 mi with few road contacts).
22Gene Rush Buffalo River WMA
AGFC wildlife management area · south side		Park / conservation area35.98008, -93.01795Public hunting land bordering the river below Carver.
23Mount Hersey River Access
NPS · unimproved gravel road, primitive camping		Access / boat ramp36.00905, -92.95308Remote access; Skull Bluff and the Narrows (Tha Nars) are just downstream. Mt Hersey–Woolum is 8.6 mi.
24Woolum River Access
NPS · gravel bar, primitive camping		Access / boat ramp35.97019, -92.88671Richland Creek enters just above. Woolum–Tyler Bend is about 11 mi through the Woolum to Baker Ford stretch.
25Woolum Campground
NPS · primitive, no designated sites, no fee		Campsite35.97045, -92.88345
26Baker Ford Access
NPS · gravel bar		Access / boat ramp35.98074, -92.81353Between Woolum and Tyler Bend; reached by county road from US 65 at Silver Hill.
27Tyler Bend River Access
NPS · upper and lower ramps		Access / boat ramp35.98948, -92.76685Hub of the Middle District. Tyler Bend–Gilbert is 5.5 mi past Grinders Ferry; a gentle family float in summer.
28Tyler Bend Visitor Center
NPS · main park visitor center, off US 65		Agency / conservation office35.98626, -92.76293Park headquarters contact point: exhibits, maps, river levels, backcountry information.
29Tyler Bend Campground
NPS · 27 drive-in, 10 walk-in, 5 group sites		Campsite35.98694, -92.75955Largest developed campground on the middle river; showers, pavilion. Fee season mid-March to mid-November.
30Buffalo River Outfitters
Canoe rental & shuttle · Silver Hill on US 65		Outfitter / canoe rental35.96672, -92.74625Concessioner for the middle river (Tyler Bend, Grinders Ferry, Gilbert runs).
31Silver Hill Float Service
Canoe rental & shuttle · Silver Hill on US 65		Outfitter / canoe rental35.96878, -92.74665
32USGS 07056000 Buffalo River near St. Joe
At the US 65 bridge		USGS gauge35.98306, -92.74722The gauge most floaters quote for the middle and lower river.
33US 65 bridge (Grinders Ferry)
US Highway 65		Bridge crossing35.98388, -92.74847
34Grinders Ferry River Access
NPS · at US 65, gravel bar camping		Access / boat ramp35.98496, -92.74435Busy summer swimming and rope-swing spot just below the highway bridge.
35Gilbert River Access
NPS · concrete ramp, gravel bar camping		Access / boat ramp35.98671, -92.71495Historic railroad town of Gilbert with a general store and canoe outfitter. Gilbert–Maumee is about 11 mi.
36Gilbert General Store
Supplies, ice, canoe rental (Buffalo Camping & Canoeing)		Point of interest35.98882, -92.71590One of the few resupply points on the river, a short walk up from the Gilbert access.
37Red Bluff Road Access
NPS · walk-in, parking area		Access / boat ramp36.01614, -92.65705Foot access only; no vehicle launch.
38Maumee North River Access
NPS · north bank, gravel bar		Access / boat ramp36.03481, -92.62921
39Maumee South River Access
NPS · south bank, 6 primitive campsites		Access / boat ramp36.03901, -92.63637Maumee–Dillards Ferry is about 9 mi through the Lower District bluffs.
40Spring Creek Access
NPS · 12 primitive tent sites, no fee		Access / boat ramp36.03065, -92.58449Private boats only from here; 4.6 mi to Dillards Ferry.
41AR 14 bridge (Dillards Ferry)
Arkansas Highway 14		Bridge crossing36.06707, -92.57753
42Dillards Ferry River Access
NPS · concrete ramp at AR 14		Access / boat ramp36.06704, -92.57818Put-in for the Dillards Ferry–Buffalo Point (about 3 mi) and Rush (9 mi) floats; quieter fishing water below.
43Buffalo Point Campground
NPS · 80 drive-in, 21 walk-in, 5 group sites (loops A–E)		Campsite36.06995, -92.55663The river's largest campground, with cabins, showers and a concession restaurant in season. Reserve ahead in summer.
44Buffalo Point River Access
NPS · concrete ramp, gravel bar		Access / boat ramp36.06951, -92.55468
45Buffalo Point Ranger Station
NPS · AR 268		Agency / conservation office36.07886, -92.57385Lower District contact station.
46Rush Campground
NPS · 12 walk-in tent sites		Campsite36.12300, -92.55027Beside the Rush Historic District, a zinc-mining ghost town.
47Rush Landing River Access
NPS · last road access for 25 miles		Access / boat ramp36.12432, -92.54894Below Rush the river enters the Lower Buffalo Wilderness: no take-out until Buffalo City on the White River. Plan an overnight.
48Buffalo City River Access
AGFC ramp on the White River just below the confluence		Access / boat ramp36.16452, -92.44060End of the Buffalo. Take out here on the White; the tailwater can rise quickly when Bull Shoals Dam generates.
49Rileys Outfitter
Buffalo City · shuttles, boats, lodging		Outfitter / canoe rental36.17104, -92.43340

Guides on the Buffalo River

Claimed profiles take booking requests. Unclaimed profiles are built from public records so the river is never empty; the guide can claim or remove one any time.

About the Buffalo River

The Buffalo became the first National River in 1972, which stopped the dams and preserved a hundred and thirty-five miles of free-flowing Ozark water beneath some of the tallest bluffs between the Appalachians and the Rockies. Big Bluff at the Goat Trail rises more than five hundred feet over the water. It is the signature float trip of Arkansas and one of the best in the country, run in canoes and kayaks over anything from a day to a week.

The river has three sections and they are genuinely different trips. The upper river from Ponca to Pruitt is the whitewater section, floatable mainly in spring, with the most dramatic bluffs and the fastest water. The middle river from Pruitt to Highway 14 floats most of the year and offers the best combination of scenery and reliability. The lower river to the White River confluence is wide, slow and floatable in any season. Smallmouth bass are the fishery throughout, with largemouth and spotted bass in the slower water and bream everywhere in summer.

The St. Joe gauge covers the middle river. Readings in the 100 to 800 cfs range float comfortably; the upper river needs considerably more water and typically runs only from March into June, while low late-summer readings under fifty mean the middle river becomes a wade-and-drag trip. Flash flooding is a genuine hazard here, and the Park Service posts float conditions by section.

Ponca, Jasper, Yellville and Gilbert are the access towns, with a good network of concessioner liveries and shuttles. Elk are commonly seen in the Boxley Valley at the top of the river, which is a trip in itself in the fall.

This water needs a real photo

The photo at the top of this page is not Buffalo River.

It is a regional stand-in, honestly captioned but generic — we will not put a name to a river we cannot prove. Send us a photograph you took here and it replaces the stand-in, with your credit on it.

Add a photo of this water See the badges

Pioneer badgeUnclaimed

Add a photo of this water

Landscape, not fish — the water itself. Reviewed by hand before it appears. The first one published here earns the Pioneer badge.

Never published. It is how the badge is held for you until member accounts open.

Posting to Buffalo River.

JPG, PNG or WebP, up to 12 MB. Landscape orientation looks best at the top of the page. We resize it and strip the location data out of the file.

The name printed under the photo and on your badge. Leave blank to stay anonymous.

Reader photo license v1.0 — the short version:

  • You grant Guided Floats, LLC a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to publish, resize and crop your photo on guidedfloats.com and in GuidedFloats’ own social posts and apps. You keep the copyright and can use the photo anywhere else.
  • You confirm that you took the photo yourself, that publishing it does not infringe anyone else’s rights, and that anyone recognisable in it (or a parent or guardian, if they are under 18) is happy for it to appear here.
  • Credit is printed beside the photo wherever it appears on the site, using the credit name you give us. Leave it blank and we use your name; write “Anonymous” for no name. Your email address is never published.
  • Withdrawing is one email to hello@guidedfloats.com naming the photo. It comes off the site within 7 days.
Read the full license

Version 1.0, dated 6 September 2026. Applies to every photograph submitted to GuidedFloats through the contact form, a species page, or the community board.

1. What you give us

By ticking the box on the form you grant Guided Floats, LLC (“GuidedFloats”, “we”) a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to store, copy, resize, crop and display your photograph on guidedfloats.com, in GuidedFloats’ own social media accounts and mobile apps, and in material that promotes the site itself, in connection with the fish, water or community feature you sent it in for. The license lasts until you withdraw it (section 4).

You keep the copyright. The license is not exclusive, so you can use the photo anywhere else and license it to anyone else. We will not sell your photo, license it on to anyone else on its own, or use it in paid advertising for a third party.

2. What you confirm

You confirm that you took the photograph yourself (or otherwise own the rights to it), that you have the right to grant this license, and that publishing the photo does not infringe anyone else’s copyright, privacy or other rights.

If any person is recognisable in the photo, you confirm that they have agreed to its being published here, and that a parent or guardian has agreed on behalf of anyone under 18. Please do not send photographs of other people’s catches, screenshots, or pictures copied from other websites or social media.

3. Credit

We print the credit name you give us beside the photo wherever it appears on the site, and record it as the photo’s creator in the page’s structured data. If you leave the credit blank we use the name you gave us on the form. Write “Anonymous” if you prefer no name at all. Your email address, phone number and the exact spot the photo was taken are never published.

4. Withdrawing the license

You can withdraw the license at any time by emailing hello@guidedfloats.com, or by using the contact form, and telling us which photo you mean. We will remove the photo from guidedfloats.com within 7 days of receiving your message and stop using it in anything new. Copies that are already outside our control — search-engine caches, social posts that have already gone out, printed material already produced — may take longer to disappear or may not be recallable, and we are not responsible for those.

5. What we may do

We choose which photos to publish and may decline any submission without giving a reason. We may crop, resize, sharpen or colour-correct a photo for display, and we may remove a photo at any time. We will not alter a photo in a way that misrepresents the fish, the water or you.

6. Your details

We keep your name, email address, the credit name, the water and date you gave us, and the network address the submission came from, with the submission record, as our evidence of this license. We hold that record for as long as the photo is published and for the retention period described in our privacy policy. Location data that your camera or phone embedded in the file is removed before the photo is published.

7. Versions

The version of this license you accepted is stored with your submission and printed with the photo. A later version does not apply to a photo you have already sent unless you agree to it.

Fished this water? Add a photo

Reviewed by hand before it appears. Pick the water, not the spot — we never publish exact locations.

Never published. We use it only if we need to ask about the photo.

Posting to Buffalo River.

JPG, PNG or WebP, up to 12 MB. We resize it and strip the location data out of the file.

The name shown under the photo. Leave blank to stay anonymous.

Reader photo license v1.0 — the short version:

  • You grant Guided Floats, LLC a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to publish, resize and crop your photo on guidedfloats.com and in GuidedFloats’ own social posts and apps. You keep the copyright and can use the photo anywhere else.
  • You confirm that you took the photo yourself, that publishing it does not infringe anyone else’s rights, and that anyone recognisable in it (or a parent or guardian, if they are under 18) is happy for it to appear here.
  • Credit is printed beside the photo wherever it appears on the site, using the credit name you give us. Leave it blank and we use your name; write “Anonymous” for no name. Your email address is never published.
  • Withdrawing is one email to hello@guidedfloats.com naming the photo. It comes off the site within 7 days.
Read the full license

Version 1.0, dated 6 September 2026. Applies to every photograph submitted to GuidedFloats through the contact form, a species page, or the community board.

1. What you give us

By ticking the box on the form you grant Guided Floats, LLC (“GuidedFloats”, “we”) a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to store, copy, resize, crop and display your photograph on guidedfloats.com, in GuidedFloats’ own social media accounts and mobile apps, and in material that promotes the site itself, in connection with the fish, water or community feature you sent it in for. The license lasts until you withdraw it (section 4).

You keep the copyright. The license is not exclusive, so you can use the photo anywhere else and license it to anyone else. We will not sell your photo, license it on to anyone else on its own, or use it in paid advertising for a third party.

2. What you confirm

You confirm that you took the photograph yourself (or otherwise own the rights to it), that you have the right to grant this license, and that publishing the photo does not infringe anyone else’s copyright, privacy or other rights.

If any person is recognisable in the photo, you confirm that they have agreed to its being published here, and that a parent or guardian has agreed on behalf of anyone under 18. Please do not send photographs of other people’s catches, screenshots, or pictures copied from other websites or social media.

3. Credit

We print the credit name you give us beside the photo wherever it appears on the site, and record it as the photo’s creator in the page’s structured data. If you leave the credit blank we use the name you gave us on the form. Write “Anonymous” if you prefer no name at all. Your email address, phone number and the exact spot the photo was taken are never published.

4. Withdrawing the license

You can withdraw the license at any time by emailing hello@guidedfloats.com, or by using the contact form, and telling us which photo you mean. We will remove the photo from guidedfloats.com within 7 days of receiving your message and stop using it in anything new. Copies that are already outside our control — search-engine caches, social posts that have already gone out, printed material already produced — may take longer to disappear or may not be recallable, and we are not responsible for those.

5. What we may do

We choose which photos to publish and may decline any submission without giving a reason. We may crop, resize, sharpen or colour-correct a photo for display, and we may remove a photo at any time. We will not alter a photo in a way that misrepresents the fish, the water or you.

6. Your details

We keep your name, email address, the credit name, the water and date you gave us, and the network address the submission came from, with the submission record, as our evidence of this license. We hold that record for as long as the photo is published and for the retention period described in our privacy policy. Location data that your camera or phone embedded in the file is removed before the photo is published.

7. Versions

The version of this license you accepted is stored with your submission and printed with the photo. A later version does not apply to a photo you have already sent unless you agree to it.

Flow alert

Tell me when the Buffalo River cfs

Now: 115 cfs, read 5:45 pm CDT, Sun Oct 18, 2026 (USGS 07056000, Buffalo River near St. Joe, AR).

We never use this address for anything else and never share it. See the privacy policy.

Access

Ponca and Steel Creek: the top of the upper whitewater section, spring floating only.
Kyles Landing and Erbie: upper river accesses under the big bluffs.
Pruitt and Hasty: the top of the reliable middle river.
Carver and Woolum: middle river gravel bar accesses.
Gilbert and Grinders Ferry near St. Joe: access at the gauge, the most-used middle river reach.
Buffalo Point and Rush: lower river access with camping.
White River confluence: the bottom of the National River.

Seasons

March through May: the only dependable window for the upper river and the best flow overall.
June and July: middle and lower river floating, warm water, heavy holiday traffic.
August and September: low water, wading and short floats on the lower river.
October and November: fall color, elk in the Boxley Valley and the best smallmouth fishing of the year.

From the water

No logged trips yet. Be the first to put this water on your map.

Log this water

Fished it or cleaned it? Log in or create a free account to log a trip with photos and earn the waterway badge.

Questions

What is the current flow on the Buffalo River?

As of Oct 18, 5:45 pm, the USGS gauge Buffalo River near St. Joe, AR reads 115 cfs, the 63rd percentile for this date. Conditions update every 15 minutes.

What species can you catch on the Buffalo River?

Anglers target Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Longear Sunfish, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass on the Buffalo River in Arkansas.

Are there fishing guides on the Buffalo River?

GuidedFloats lists 1 guide and outfitters on the Buffalo River. Claimed profiles accept booking requests; unclaimed profiles are built from public records and link to the business.

Where can you access the Buffalo River?

Ponca and Steel Creek: the top of the upper whitewater section, spring floating only. Kyles Landing and Erbie: upper river accesses under the big bluffs. Pruitt and Hasty: the top of the reliable middle river. Carver and Woolum: middle river gravel bar accesses. Gilbert and Grinders Ferry near St. Joe: access at the gauge, the most-used middle river reach. Buffalo Point and Rush: lower river access with camping. White River confluence: the bottom of the National River.

When is the best time to fish the Buffalo River?

March through May: the only dependable window for the upper river and the best flow overall. June and July: middle and lower river floating, warm water, heavy holiday traffic. August and September: low water, wading and short floats on the lower river. October and November: fall color, elk in the Boxley Valley and the best smallmouth fishing of the year.

Where are the fishing regulations for the Buffalo River?

Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Arkansas agency site: https://www.agfc.com/regulations/general-fishing-regulations/