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.

Three Great Motorcycle Day-rides near White Buffalo!

Come take a motorcycle adventure in Arkansas! With three great day trips accessible from our location on the White River, a stay at the White Buffalo is perfect for anybody looking to hit the road during their vacation. According to these bikers staying in Sisters, the windy highways in northwest Arkansas are: "The most fun ever." Let's ride! For detailed maps of the trails, motorcycle events and festivals, hot spots and tips, check out Arkansas.com

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. 

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.

PEAK OF THE RUT!

Every October I try to get away from the confines of the office and get outside to enjoy the beautiful weather, the fall colors, and all that the Ozarks has to offer during this glorious season!  One thing I highly recommend to all our guests is a day trip to Boxley Valley or Lost Valley to view the elk herds.  This week they are in the peak of the rutting season and for those of you that don't know what that means- it involves determining which male elk gets to mate with the female elks- SO there is a lot of noise & wild fighting going on!
If you can manage to get away from YOUR office- there is a very handy guide put out by the Buffalo River Chamber of Commerce which shows up-to-date locations of the herds and info to ensure you get a good look and the best photo ops.

Do You Prefer Red or White?

I have been meaning to write about a "diamond in the rough" that was recently brought to my attention. I remembered RAIMONDO WINERY the other day while talking to a customer booking a Romantic Getaway Package at the resort. I suggested they drive over to Norfork Lake (a close 30 minutes away) and do a wine tasting next weekend from 3-4:30 p.m. They offer handcrafted wines (3 red and 3 white), extra virgin olive oils, and balsamic vinegars as part of their Explore Tasting. Tell Margie we sent you!

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.