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.
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boxley Bridge River Access NPS · AR 21 low-water bridge, Boxley Valley | Access / boat ramp | 35.96129, -93.40423 | Uppermost 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. |
| 2 | Lost Valley Trailhead NPS day-use area · AR 43 | Park / conservation area | 36.01035, -93.37435 | Trail to Eden Falls and Cob Cave. Day use only; no river access here. |
| 3 | Ponca River Access NPS · AR 74 low-water bridge | Access / boat ramp | 36.02110, -93.35512 | Classic 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. |
| 4 | Buffalo Outdoor Center Canoe & kayak rental, shuttles · Ponca | Outfitter / canoe rental | 36.02275, -93.36318 | NPS-authorized concessioner at the AR 43 / AR 74 junction in Ponca. |
| 5 | AGFC Ponca Elk Education Center Arkansas Game & Fish Commission · Ponca | Agency / conservation office | 36.02273, -93.36209 | Exhibits on the Buffalo River elk herd and area wildlife; a good place to ask about current conditions. |
| 6 | Steel Creek Campground NPS · 26 walk-in tent sites + 14 horse sites | Campsite | 36.03989, -93.34611 | Under Roark Bluff. Fee season mid-March to mid-November; primitive and free in winter. |
| 7 | Steel Creek River Access NPS · gravel bar launch | Access / boat ramp | 36.03931, -93.33623 | Alternative put-in 2 miles below Ponca; shortens the run to Kyles Landing. |
| 8 | Big Bluff Tallest bluff face in the Ozarks (~550 ft) | Point of interest | 36.04924, -93.31963 | River right. The Goat Trail runs along a ledge partway up; no camping on the bluff. |
| 9 | Hemmed-In Hollow Falls 209-ft waterfall · short hike from the river | Point of interest | 36.07207, -93.30740 | Tallest waterfall between the Rockies and Appalachians. Land on river left below Big Bluff and follow the side trail up the hollow. |
| 10 | Kyles Landing Campground NPS · 33 walk-in tent sites | Campsite | 36.05574, -93.28073 | Reached by a steep gravel road off AR 74. Fee season mid-March to mid-November. |
| 11 | Kyles Landing River Access NPS · gravel bar | Access / boat ramp | 36.05687, -93.27971 | Take-out for the Ponca run and put-in for Kyles–Pruitt (about 10 mi via Erbie and Ozark). |
| 12 | Erbie Campground NPS · 13 drive-in, 13 walk-in, 5 group sites | Campsite | 36.07168, -93.21498 | Historic Erbie low-water bridge and the Parker-Hickman farmstead nearby. |
| 13 | Erbie River Access NPS | Access / boat ramp | 36.07095, -93.21237 | Mid-point of the Kyles Landing–Pruitt run; reached by gravel road from AR 7 north of Jasper. |
| 14 | Ozark Campground NPS · 30 sites, pavilion | Campsite | 36.06406, -93.15995 | Drive-in campground off AR 7. Fee season mid-March to mid-November. |
| 15 | Ozark River Access NPS | Access / boat ramp | 36.06515, -93.15903 | Short 2-mile float from here to Pruitt Landing. |
| 16 | Pruitt Ranger Station NPS · AR 7 north of Jasper | Agency / conservation office | 36.06024, -93.13952 | Upper District contact station; seasonal hours. River information and permits. |
| 17 | AR 7 bridge at Pruitt Arkansas Highway 7 | Bridge crossing | 36.06085, -93.13768 | Main road crossing of the upper river. |
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Pruitt Landing River Access NPS · concrete ramp, picnic area | Access / boat ramp | 36.05746, -93.13613 | Put-in for the Pruitt–Hasty run (6.8 mi). Day-use area with a swimming hole. |
| 19 | Hasty River Access NPS · below the AR 74 low-water bridge | Access / boat ramp | 36.00805, -93.08147 | Popular summer swimming spot with bluff views. Hasty–Carver is a short 3-mile float. |
| 20 | AR 123 bridge at Carver Arkansas Highway 123 | Bridge crossing | 35.98337, -93.04258 | |
| 21 | Carver River Access NPS · 8 walk-in tent sites at the access | Access / boat ramp | 35.98268, -93.04072 | Start of the long, remote Carver–Mount Hersey–Woolum reach (about 15 mi with few road contacts). |
| 22 | Gene Rush Buffalo River WMA AGFC wildlife management area · south side | Park / conservation area | 35.98008, -93.01795 | Public hunting land bordering the river below Carver. |
| 23 | Mount Hersey River Access NPS · unimproved gravel road, primitive camping | Access / boat ramp | 36.00905, -92.95308 | Remote access; Skull Bluff and the Narrows (Tha Nars) are just downstream. Mt Hersey–Woolum is 8.6 mi. |
| 24 | Woolum River Access NPS · gravel bar, primitive camping | Access / boat ramp | 35.97019, -92.88671 | Richland Creek enters just above. Woolum–Tyler Bend is about 11 mi through the Woolum to Baker Ford stretch. |
| 25 | Woolum Campground NPS · primitive, no designated sites, no fee | Campsite | 35.97045, -92.88345 | |
| 26 | Baker Ford Access NPS · gravel bar | Access / boat ramp | 35.98074, -92.81353 | Between Woolum and Tyler Bend; reached by county road from US 65 at Silver Hill. |
| 27 | Tyler Bend River Access NPS · upper and lower ramps | Access / boat ramp | 35.98948, -92.76685 | Hub of the Middle District. Tyler Bend–Gilbert is 5.5 mi past Grinders Ferry; a gentle family float in summer. |
| 28 | Tyler Bend Visitor Center NPS · main park visitor center, off US 65 | Agency / conservation office | 35.98626, -92.76293 | Park headquarters contact point: exhibits, maps, river levels, backcountry information. |
| 29 | Tyler Bend Campground NPS · 27 drive-in, 10 walk-in, 5 group sites | Campsite | 35.98694, -92.75955 | Largest developed campground on the middle river; showers, pavilion. Fee season mid-March to mid-November. |
| 30 | Buffalo River Outfitters Canoe rental & shuttle · Silver Hill on US 65 | Outfitter / canoe rental | 35.96672, -92.74625 | Concessioner for the middle river (Tyler Bend, Grinders Ferry, Gilbert runs). |
| 31 | Silver Hill Float Service Canoe rental & shuttle · Silver Hill on US 65 | Outfitter / canoe rental | 35.96878, -92.74665 | |
| 32 | USGS 07056000 Buffalo River near St. Joe At the US 65 bridge | USGS gauge | 35.98306, -92.74722 | The gauge most floaters quote for the middle and lower river. |
| 33 | US 65 bridge (Grinders Ferry) US Highway 65 | Bridge crossing | 35.98388, -92.74847 | |
| 34 | Grinders Ferry River Access NPS · at US 65, gravel bar camping | Access / boat ramp | 35.98496, -92.74435 | Busy summer swimming and rope-swing spot just below the highway bridge. |
| # | Point | Type | Lat, Lon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | Gilbert River Access NPS · concrete ramp, gravel bar camping | Access / boat ramp | 35.98671, -92.71495 | Historic railroad town of Gilbert with a general store and canoe outfitter. Gilbert–Maumee is about 11 mi. |
| 36 | Gilbert General Store Supplies, ice, canoe rental (Buffalo Camping & Canoeing) | Point of interest | 35.98882, -92.71590 | One of the few resupply points on the river, a short walk up from the Gilbert access. |
| 37 | Red Bluff Road Access NPS · walk-in, parking area | Access / boat ramp | 36.01614, -92.65705 | Foot access only; no vehicle launch. |
| 38 | Maumee North River Access NPS · north bank, gravel bar | Access / boat ramp | 36.03481, -92.62921 | |
| 39 | Maumee South River Access NPS · south bank, 6 primitive campsites | Access / boat ramp | 36.03901, -92.63637 | Maumee–Dillards Ferry is about 9 mi through the Lower District bluffs. |
| 40 | Spring Creek Access NPS · 12 primitive tent sites, no fee | Access / boat ramp | 36.03065, -92.58449 | Private boats only from here; 4.6 mi to Dillards Ferry. |
| 41 | AR 14 bridge (Dillards Ferry) Arkansas Highway 14 | Bridge crossing | 36.06707, -92.57753 | |
| 42 | Dillards Ferry River Access NPS · concrete ramp at AR 14 | Access / boat ramp | 36.06704, -92.57818 | Put-in for the Dillards Ferry–Buffalo Point (about 3 mi) and Rush (9 mi) floats; quieter fishing water below. |
| 43 | Buffalo Point Campground NPS · 80 drive-in, 21 walk-in, 5 group sites (loops A–E) | Campsite | 36.06995, -92.55663 | The river's largest campground, with cabins, showers and a concession restaurant in season. Reserve ahead in summer. |
| 44 | Buffalo Point River Access NPS · concrete ramp, gravel bar | Access / boat ramp | 36.06951, -92.55468 | |
| 45 | Buffalo Point Ranger Station NPS · AR 268 | Agency / conservation office | 36.07886, -92.57385 | Lower District contact station. |
| 46 | Rush Campground NPS · 12 walk-in tent sites | Campsite | 36.12300, -92.55027 | Beside the Rush Historic District, a zinc-mining ghost town. |
| 47 | Rush Landing River Access NPS · last road access for 25 miles | Access / boat ramp | 36.12432, -92.54894 | Below Rush the river enters the Lower Buffalo Wilderness: no take-out until Buffalo City on the White River. Plan an overnight. |
| 48 | Buffalo City River Access AGFC ramp on the White River just below the confluence | Access / boat ramp | 36.16452, -92.44060 | End of the Buffalo. Take out here on the White; the tailwater can rise quickly when Bull Shoals Dam generates. |
| 49 | Rileys Outfitter Buffalo City · shuttles, boats, lodging | Outfitter / canoe rental | 36.17104, -92.43340 |
Gauge: USGS 07056000 — Buffalo River near St. Joe, AR. Live flow on the web page.
Species: Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Longear Sunfish, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass
Regulations: www.agfc.com/regulations/general-fishing-regulations/
Emergency: call 911 and give the number of the nearest point on this map plus its coordinates.
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.
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.