Low water Kayaking on the Buffalo National River

 We're used to having national parks, but the buffalo river is a national river.

Walmart, thanks again for another good night sleep!

By the time I showered and bought a few groceries, I had to hurry and leave Harrison in order to get to the river on time. I arronetime. Silver Hill Float Service just before 9 am. There was only one other group with a 9 am reservation, and they hadn't arrived yet, so I was okay.

-- Kayaking the river --

My reservation was for a sit-on-top kayak. The other family (mother and 3 daughters) reserved two canoes. The water is low on the river, so I was happy having a kayak. We were launching from Tyler Bend, and getting out at Gilbert. The price included shuttle service, so we followed the outfitter and left our cars at the shore in Glibert and rode back in a van to Tyler Bend, where we launched into the river. That way our cars would already be in Gilbert when we finished and we wouldn't have to wait for a shuttle.

My kayak sat high enough in the water that I only had to get out to pull it across the shallows a few times. There are plenty of deep parts in this section of the river, but if you read the river wrong (and maybe even if you don't) there are a few shallows where you can scrape bottom. 

The upper Buffalo river is usually the most exciting part of the river when the water is high, but the water there is too low right now to raft or kayak. Tyler's Bend and Gilbert, where I am kayaking, are on the lower Buffalo -- not as exciting as the upper at its prime, but at least there is enough water here to float the river.

The scenery was spectacular. It's hard to decide which pictures to include!

Part way down the river, I passed through Grinders Ferry and saw people camping, swimming, and jumping off of rocks. I talked to a guy named Alfredo who was swimming nearby. He was originally from Chiapas, Mexico. His mother is Guatemalan and his father is Mexican. I asked him how he ended up in Arkansas. He said he got a job milking cows in Ohio, and then a friend of his told Alfredo he could set him up with a restaurant job in Arkansas -- so he came here!

Alfredo and another lady also told me that camping is free at this spot on the river, which is why so many people are camping here.

I kayaked for around 3 hours, and then saw my car on the bank in Gilbert and pulled out of the water. I left my kayak next to the Silver Hill sign, like I was told to do. 

Grinders Ferry looked so refreshing that I drove back there and went for a swim before driving to the upper Buffalo, where I heard there was a popular trail near the town of Ponca.

-- Ponca and Steel Creek --

The popular trail near Ponca is the "lost valley trail" -- even though it is not lost and not a valley. It had some nice scenery, but the waterfall was just a trickle. The dry creek bed was kind of cool, though, and so was the cave.

I didn't bring my headlamp with me so I couldn't go far I to the cave, but I could hear water in the back.

I met 3 other people on the trail and the parking lot. One of them was headed to Steel Creek. I had seen a poster of the bluffs at Steel Creek and wanted to see them in person, so I followed him down the road. Steel creek feeds into the buffalo river, and the bluffs are spectacular!

I lucked out, and there was a campsite still available in the campground, so I snagged it and set up my tent. The nearest restroom is closed for repairs. The park service set up a temporary portable one, and camping is free until the main restroom is fixed! That's fine with me! It is a beautiful spot to camp and the temperature is quite pleasant.