anyone paddled the Buffalo River in Arkansas?

[yellowcanoe]

We're bound for there and paddling starting Tuesday. The water is quite low..so low the upper reaches are unrunnable.

Particularly looking for intel for the river above Woolum where most of it disappears underground. I wonder if we will have a three mile paddle or three mile drag. Put in at Pruitt.

Doing rain dance so we can start at Ponca..faint hope.

Using an Old Town Tripper.

 

[Bioguide]

Hi Everyone, my first post here but several may know me from other forums.

yellowcanoe, I've been on the Buffalo a few times with my brothers of which one lives in Arkansas. I reached out to him regarding your question and below is his reply with some useful links and people you could contact.

"I was there all last week but on the lower section (Harriet gauge). The river is low. I also fished Crooked Creek just a bit further north. Crooked was very low also. Unusual river levels for this time of year.

No doubt one needs high water levels to float from Pruitt. Here’s a link to the NPS floating guide for various river gauges from Wild Bill’s web site:

http://www.wildbillsoutfitter.com/river-floating-levels--guide.html

Here’s a link to the gauges:

http://ar.water.usgs.gov/buffaloriver/

Boxley (Where you saw the Elk) is very low. So is Ponca and Pruitt. We’ve had three days of rain ending today and it doesn’t seem to have had any effect on the river levels.

I’d call the Buffalo River NPS directly and talk to them. https://www.nps.gov/buff/index.htm

You could also search for some outfitters around Jasper, St. Joe, Ponca and Pruitt and ask them. Harrison is a large city just a bit further north. They may have some outfitters running the Buffalo."

 

[yellowcanoe]

BuffaloOutdoor Center is running from Pruitt That is some drive from their Ponca base. There are about 20 or more of us gathering to paddle. Most are more local than I. I have done the Buffalo several times but always after flood.
I really really want to do the section from Carver to Woolum through the Nars.. Its just gorgeous with the limestone cliffs.

That is encouraging news that there might be some runoff to the Buffalo watershed. It is entirely rain dependent. No impoundmant lakes.

For those not familiar with the river, it's an incredible trip

https://www.nps.gov/buff/planyourvisit/maps.htm

 

[AK_Brad]

YC, there will be a considerable collection of Buffalo paddling experience gathering at the Ozark campground beginning Monday. I did Kyles Landing to Ozark this time last year, but it appears that water levels were higher... See you in Arkansas next week!
Brad