Buffalo River/Old River Trail

Hike Name: Buffalo River/Old River Trail Location: northwest AR Length: 16 Submitted by: Mario Date Submitted: 0/0/00 Rating:	more Arkansas trail reviews Arkansas national parks Arkansas state parks
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Description
Follow the course of the turqoise-blue Buffalo River as it cuts through towering bluffs in the Ponca Wilderness Area. For a strenous 2-day weekend hike, hike 2.5 mi of the Lost Valley trail to explore a cave housing a 35' waterfall. Then hike one of the best segments of the BRT from Ponca to Kyles Landing. First, hike the steep and surprisingly rugged Buffalo River Trail (BRT, 9.0 mi), as it provides sweeping views of Roark, Big and Jim Bluffs. Camp overnight by the gravel bar in Horseshoe Bend. The following day, cross the river and hike alongside streams with cascading waterfalls towards Hemmed-in-Hollow Falls (2 mi), the tallest (200') between the Rockies and Appalacians. Stand under the falls as it sways with the wind, spilling the water around an awesome box canyon. To hike out, cross the river 4 times through Old River Trail (ORT, 2.5 mi), to experience the river and its bluffs from below. On the way out to Kyles Landing, you can also explore the picturesque Indian Creek (no trails there) if you have time.

WILDLIFE: Driving through Boxley Valley last Apr 6-7, 2002 (when we did the hike), we saw two herds of elk from the car.

NOTES:

1. Bring a flashlight and hard hat if you plan to explore Eden Falls Cave. The main tunnel is sometimes only 2' high and therefore requires crawling on your hands and knees.
2. The BRT is rocky, steep and very rugged. It would entail a 3500' total elevation gain. There would be some stream crossings. Pack light and bring a water-filter.
3. You can camp anywhere as long as it's out of view from the main trails and far from historic sites. A good place to camp is in Horseshoe Bend, by the gravel bar. There are also some developed campgrounds in Steel Creek and Kyles Landing.
4. The ORT is also a horse trail. During the rainy season, the river can get very swift and waist-deep (we ended up hiking it during a thunderstorm!); stabilize yourself with a walking stick while crossing.

Directions to Hike
The nearest airport is in Harrison, AR. From Little Rock, AR, it's around 2 hours drive to Clarksville (via I-40), where you can stay overnight before driving through the scenic Ozarks National Forest to Ponca. The Lost Valley Trailhead is just south of Ponca in Highway 43. To reach the trailhead of the BRT in Ponca, get your car shuttled to the take-out in Kyles Landing through the Buffalo Outdoor Center (1-800-221-5514; $32/car -bring a spare set of keys). From the outdoor center, you can hike 0.1 mi to the trailhead, passing through a low-water bridge. Both the BRT and ORT are well-marked.

REFERENCES:
A good guidebook is the one written by Tim Ernst (Buffalo River Hiking Trails). The Trails Illustrated map by National Geographic is also a very good companion.

Contact Information
Buffalo National River
402 N Walnut, Suite 136
Harrison, AR 72601
fax (870)-741-7286
phone (870)-439-2502
e-mail: buff_information@nps.gov

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