Magic on the Upper Buffalo River

The Buffalo River is quietly celebrated as one of the most magical places in America.  I say quietly, because there seems to be a conflict among those who know how to get there: share with the world in awestruck wonder, or keep it all to themselves? With minimal pain or fuss, the amateur explorer can access lush forests, dramatic rocky bluffs & delicate waterfalls all within an afternoon.  And then there's the herd of 700+ elk roaming placidly through the valley, undisturbed by the frantic attention of tourists and nature lovers who travel from all over to see them. 

Taking advantage of an office slow-down, and following maps found in one of Tim Ernst's many Buffalo River guide books, we've been venturing out in the past few weeks to this section of the river, for hiking, caving and elk-watching. If you want to duplicate any of these activities? Now's the time. 

Freshly turning leaves and painfully blue skies had me compulsively snapping pictures - take a look and give us a call so we can help you plan your trip to the Upper Buffalo! Click the titles for trail maps!

PONCA, AR
Home to a herd of 700+ Rocky Mountain Elk.

Two Bull Elk lazily grazing. 

The best time to see full herds like this is either early morning or sundown.

Usually you don't even have to look for elk-
just keep your eyes peeled for rows of stopped cars...

HAWKSBILL CRAG / WHITTAKER POINT HIKE
For all its fame as one of the most recognizable landmarks in Arkansas, you have to drive 6 miles (yes, six) on an unmarked gravel road just to reach the trailhead. I was sure my non-4-wheel-drive sedan was about to plummet off a bluff at every turn.

Hawksbill Crag is one of the most photographed locations in Arkansas. 

The most romantic place in Arkansas? Ask the dozens and dozens
of couples who've gotten engaged here over the years.

If you come in the spring, you can see waterfalls along the trail to the bluff. 

The trail claims to be 3 miles roundtrip. While we had no trouble getting out there. we DID  struggle to find the return loop and wound up well into the National Forest facing a sign that read
"You are hiking the wrong way". 

LOST VALLEY TRAIL
Home to the most popular hiking trail in the state of Arkansas- and for good reason.

I exited Lost Valley asking-
"Can you believe all that is back there?"

Rocky bluffs rising right out of the
hardwood American Beech forest. 

Inside the unnamed underground cave at the end of the trail-
in the spring this cave houses an accessible waterfall some 50 feet back.
 It's a tight squeeze. Bring flashlights. 

At the base of Eden Falls.

Outside the mouth of "Cobb Cave" a large bluff shelter
similar to the Indian Rockhouse on the Lower Buffalo. 

Clark Creek, mostly dry in October, flows out through Eden Valley Cave
in a loop on the middle of the trail.

4lb Smallmouth

These anglers landed a 4lb smallmouth yesterday while floating between Rush and Buffalo City- what a beauty!

WILDFLOWERS, SWAN, & ELK

This report yesterday from Michael Dougherty of the Buffalo River Chamber of Commerce:

Wonderful elk viewing weather. 4 elk herds remain visible in Boxley Valley with the best viewing in the Ponca fields and just south of Moore Creek. I saw a couple of hunting coyotes this morning by the Moore Creek herd. It is interesting to see the elk square off on the coyotes to protect the herd. 

We are now back to two swans, after seeing only one for a while. 

The wildflowers are up and going strong again after all the cold. The top flower are the white trout lilies. My Lost Valley visit this morning confirmed the bloom is back on, should be better tomorrow, and the lead edge of the peak bloom is on for white trout lilies.  

White trout lilies are not a long blooming species. The best place to see them now is in Lost Valley just over the bridge and to the left. There is a moss covered rock field next to Clark Creek. You will find the lilies around the edges and among the rocks. 

Feeling Underappreciated?

Yesterday I was reminded that National Geographic named 10 National Parks they felt were not in the forefront of people's minds when they decide to plan a trip into the wilds of God's creation.  The Buffalo National River (just outside our back door) was #2 on the list!

As the weather warms up and the end of school gets closer I felt it my duty to remind everybody what an untapped treasure is theirs for the planning...

BUFFALO RIVER FLOAT SERVICE

We are happy to announce that we have teamed up with an excellent outfitter on the Buffalo River and you can now arrange float trips on either the White River or the Buffalo River when you book your reservation with us.  Yeah- One stop shopping- just what we like!

Buffalo River Float Service is a family-owned and operated,  authorized concessioner on the Buffalo National River.  They are conveniently located just about 35 minutes from the resort.

Call us to inquire about prices for float trips ranging from 5 hours to 5 days on the river and we can help you plan a memorable trip for your next visit to the Ozarks.

Update on the Elk & Fall Color Events

The National Park Service is now conducting tours of the old mill in Boxley Valley in the mid-day. Visiting the old mill is a great complement to morning elk viewing, or plan your viewing for the late afternoon and tour the mill beforehand.

I also recommend a visit to the award winning Ponca Elk Education Center. It is open 7 days a week during October. Remember the annual Color Fest at the Ponca Elk Education Center will be held the 26 & 27th.

One of Those Magical Fall Days

I just got word that the 2011 Elk Rut has officially begun. The news coincided with a much longed-for change in the weather from "hellish hot" to "almost chilly".
It brings to mind one of those magical fall days from 2 years ago when we loaded everybody in the car and drove away from the resort on a quest to FIND THE ELK.
We'd heard about it; but needed to see for ourselves.
Armed with that day's information on where the elk were located and where we could easily view them and photograph them (courtesy of Michael Dougherty's ArkansasWildlifePhotography.com website) we vowed this would NOT be a wild goose chase.
After lunching on the Square in Jasper at the Ozark Cafe we continued on some of the most scenic routes paralleling the Buffalo River toward our intended destination. If you have never seen these magnificent creatures with your own eyes you simply must make plans to do so- add it to your "bucket list" for sure. This is an easy day trip from the resort and the color change rivals anything out east.

Smallmouth Fishing in the Ozarks

View Larger Map

So, we talk a lot about Trout here at White Buffalo. How easy they are to catch on the White River, how big they are, how to cook them in the summertime without using an oven....

You CAN come to WBR and fish for nothing but trout all day long, week in and week out, any time of the year and we (quite honestly) hope you do. But it's not really the Trout Fishing that makes our location so unique in the heart of the Ozarks.

Two of the best Smallmouth Bass Streams in AMERICA are located in the Arkansas Ozarks- Crooked Creek and The Buffalo National River. Just go ahead and guess- Which resort on the White River could possibly be sandwiched between two such prime locations?

(No fair looking at the map...)

Whether you've fished Trout with us for years and want to try something different, or like the idea of fishing multiple locations during your stay, here's a little information on both streams and what they have to offer.

Crooked Creek:

There are plenty of "crooked" creeks, streams, sloughs, bayous and branches in Arkansas but only ONE can be called the "blue ribbon smallmouth bass stream of the state". The landscape surrounding Crooked Creek is typical of the Ozarks, but the stream itself is characterized by deep pools, fast chutes and clear water. While there are several day-long floats accessible on the upper portions of Crooked Creek, the lower portion is described as "more rugged" and recommended for experienced fishermen. If you'd like to try your hand at the lower portion, we'd suggest going with a guide, (several of the guides we book with will take you there.)

The upper portion runs along the 62/412 highway, which makes it highly accessible to our guests. Our Sisters on the Fly group has been known to do some phenomenal fly fishing on Crooked Creek between Pyatt & Kelly's Slab.

The Buffalo National River:

The Buffalo River is nationally famous for several reasons. Its jawdropping features include caves, natural springs, waterfalls and other geographic marvels. It originates in the Boston Mountains and flows East 150 miles til it ultimately joins the White River at Buffalo City, (it waves hi to us as it passes.) The country's first National River, the Buffalo has been enjoyed by canoers, campers and fishermen for years.

The Buffalo is considered the model smallmouth stream. According to Arkansas.com: "...the Buffalo has fast, clear, oxygen rich water with the kind of gravel bottom and boulder beds smallmouth bass love." You can do great fishing from a canoe, or a jonboat, as you prefer. Anglers recommend casting into swift moving water, and the locals confirm. Several of our longtime guests have been known to anchor their boats right at the confluence of the White & Buffalo Rivers and proceed to scoop up all kinds fat smallmouth in the process of feeding.

For more information about either of these waterways, or smallmouth fishing elsewhere in Arkansas, visit
the Natural State's Official Tourism Website.

Buffalo River News

Buffalo River Chamber of Commerce Announced

A group of tourism-related businesses have announced the formation of the Buffalo River Chamber of Commerce, which has been created to promote and protect the entire 150-mile Buffalo National River, the first national wild river park in America.

The chamber has launched an innovative and comprehensive website, http://buffaloriverchamber.com/ designed to elevate the Buffalo River's national prominence to a level equal to other famous American national parks like Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon.

"The Buffalo River is the greatest tourism treasure in Arkansas," said Michael Dougherty, the president of the group. "Our website helps visitors plan their stay with "deep content" details, answering all their questions about where to go and what to do on this majestic Ozark river. Visitors can also sign up for the Buffalo River News, an email newsletter designed to provide up-to-date news on events and seasonal opportunities. Our new mobile site will be launched within days." Much more content is under development.

The website simplifies the important linking of recreational activities such a canoeing and hiking to scenic areas along the Buffalo River to businesses and government agencies that perform those services in that part of the river. The site will also link lodging and dining facilities to all the most popular tourist destinations on the upper, middle, and lower parts of the Buffalo National River.

"We are excited that the newly formed Buffalo River Chamber of Commerce will lead more people to this area," said Eileen and John Olwell, owners of the White Buffalo Resort. "The online tools will facilitate the planning for first time visitors, and for returning customers who want to venture out a little farther and explore all the area has to offer."

The Buffalo River Chamber, a bona fide member of the National Chambers of Commerce and is now accepting new members. Prospective members may apply by going to the membership page at http://buffaloriverchamber.com/membership_top.html.

BRC members receive exceptional benefits, including in-depth full page website coverage of their businesses and profit centers. As an added feature, member listings are integrated into attraction content so that customers can plan their stay with specifics on nearby locations, costs, times, distances and maps. Members also get the benefits of an email newsletter to complement the goals of the website and free members-only workshops to strengthen their websites and internet marketing strategies. An additional member benefit is inclusion in the website for mobile phones.

"We think we have created the "go-to" website for the Buffalo River National Park," said Joseph Morgan, co-owner of the historic Arkansas House Inn, Cabin and Cafe in Jasper. "We have given this great river, a true world-class national treasure, a website presence equal to its purity and pristine beauty." That's important because market studies show that 18% of the US population lives within two tanks of gas of the Buffalo National River.

"If we can get the word out,new visitors will come," said Mike McLaurin, co-owner of Newton County's famous Cliff House Inn. "Once they come and experience the river, they will be visitors for life."

The chamber's campaign to promote the Buffalo will be centered on the Internet, but it will also include partnering with other organizations on the local, state and national levels to insure that the river has a group dedicated to advocating for its water purity and scenic qualities, which make it one of America's best-loved, but least-known national parks.

"We regard it as a privilege to represent the commercial interests of the Buffalo River," said Dave Klenczar, owner of Leatherwood Cabins near Ponca. "That's because our commerce depends on the Buffalo's reputation as being America's last unspoiled, river from its birth in the highlands of the Ozark National Forest to its confluence with the White River. We intend to keep it that way so our great grandchildren will be able to experience the wonders of this natural river."

For additional information please contact:
Michael Dougherty, President
admin@buffaloriverchamber.com
(888) 788-6456 Voice/Fax

Smallmouth on the White

This micropterus dolomieu seems to have lost it's way as many do this time of year! When the water temperatures of the Buffalo River drop closer to the average frigid temps of the White River you have a good chance of reeling one in from the bank as this guest did this morning.

Big Small Mouth

Well, after an unproductive morning of fishing for Smallmouth on The Buffalo, look what this young man hooked on the White River near the public access!!! That's a 4.50 lb, 28 inch beautiful Smallmouth Bass. It's not too late in the season to join the fun....

Up on the Buffalo

Evan and Gavin looking for sheds last weekend up on the Buffalo. These two got up this morning at 5:00 a.m. to go turkey hunting.

Get Ready for Fall Hunting & Fishing Now!

Looking for a place to hunt? This customer stayed in a Camper Cabin over the weekend and rented a boat to go hunting in the lower wilderness area of the Buffalo National Park. Look what he brought back!