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This portion of the river, the largest of the three districts, contains two wilderness areas and some of the most rugged terrain and scenic views in the park. It offers the most river accesses, hiking trails, and the most challenging sections to float. When the water is high, the six miles between the Hwy 21 bridge and the Ponca Low-water bridge at the Hwy 74 crossing offers a series of class II rapids. Between Ponca and Pruitt at Hwy 7, there is something for everyone: class I and II rapids, the highest waterfall in mid-America, the Ponca Wilderness, towering cliffs, and swimming holes. The access points are Steel Creek, Kyles Landing, Erbie and Ozark. The 10 mile stretch between Pruitt and Carver, with access at Hasty along the way, is a gentler float for the family. There are 7 canoe concessionaires in Newton County. The canoeing season is limited on this section of the river due to its steeper gradient and dependency on rainfall, and usually ends around the 4th of July. |
The Buffalo
River became our country’s first national river in 1972, in an effort
to preserve this river as a
free-flowing stream for future generations. It is roughly 150 miles long
and includes nearly 95,000 acres of
public land along its corridor. It begins as a trickle in the rugged
Boston Mountains range of the Ozarks in
Newton County, and flows east where it joins the White River. It is
managed as three districts,
each having individual characteristics. The Upper Buffalo River, from
its origins in the Upper Buffalo
Wilderness to Mount Hersey, is the section which meanders through Newton
County.