We arrive on the shore of the Buffalo River in northwest Arkansas on a chilly morning in early November 2022, wearing old tennis shoes we have repurposed as water shoes, to begin forty-two miles of hiking on the Buffalo River Trail (BRT). In spite of the cold, we will start this hike with wet feet. But warm socks and dry hiking boots await us once we wade up to our knees across the shallow ford at Woolum and cross the more challenging Richland Creek, a narrower and deeper stream that empties into the Buffalo. Doffing our wet footwear once we have the crossings behind us, we gratefully dry feet and lace up boots for the day’s fifteen-mile walk from Woolum to Grinder’s Ferry and the Tyler Bend Campground, where we camped the night before.

The Buffalo River Trail offers everything from scenic overlooks to riverside hiking.

The Buffalo River Trail of Arkansas

The BRT runs along the Buffalo National River, one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower forty-eight. In 1972, it was the first in the country to be designated a “national river,” and one hundred thirty-five miles of its length are protected and managed by the National Park Service. Beginning in the Boston Mountains, the Buffalo flows north and then east through the Ozarks, emptying into the White River one hundred fifty miles from its headwaters. The Buffalo is popular in warm weather for canoeing and kayaking, and well known for its scenic bluffs and dramatic waterfalls. Cooler weather in this usually humid climate is better for hiking, however, and we are taking advantage of a late fall weekend with a sunny forecast to finish a quest. In the spring of the year before, our group of hikers from the Oklahoma City area completed the BRT segment between Boxley and Pruitt, about thirty-seven miles mostly along the highlands south of the river. Now, our goal is to conquer the rest of the trail, running east from Woolum to Dillard’s Ferry.

The ford at Woolum is well-known to hikers on the Ozark Highlands Trail (OHT), as it is the end point for one hundred sixty-four miles of contiguous walking on that thru-hiking trail, starting at Lake Fort Smith. In fact, the Ozark Highlands Trail Association considers the stretch from Richland Creek to Dillard’s Ferry an extension of the OHT. But high water in Richland Creek, especially with spring rains, can make it difficult and dangerous to even reach the ford at Woolum. That’s not a problem now, fall bringing drier weather and the ideal time for this hike. The foliage is just past its peak but still shows some color, and the crisp autumn air energizes us as we start toward Tyler Bend.

Once we have the wet crossings behind us, we have a daunting task ahead; the elevation profile for the entire section we are embarking upon looks like the teeth of a comb, with steep climbs and descents every few miles for its entire length. Indeed, the ascents, some five hundred feet or more, challenge both our quadriceps and our stamina, and the relief of the descents is short-lived. At least well-placed hiking poles manage to keep knees from intolerable suffering. We follow the trail for fifteen miles, enjoying spectacular views of the river from the Buffalo’s towering bluffs, sheer faces of solid limestone in shades of gray. It is nearly “leaf-off,” allowing for expansive views not otherwise available when the hardwoods are in full-leaf. We enjoy an uneventful day with great weather and good hiking and satisfying camaraderie around the campfire back at Tyler Bend Campground, where we get to practice cold-weather camping techniques, with the temperatures dropping into the low thirties and a cold rain setting in.

The next day, we venture from Tyler Bend east, toward South Maumee Road. We expect a hike of 17.3 miles but when we reach Bear Creek we find that the previous night’s rain has made it impassable. High, rushing water makes it clear we are not going to get across, at least not this year. Disappointed but unwilling to take foolish risks, we turn around and head back to Tyler Bend.

On our third day, we hike 11.3 miles from South Maumee Rd to Hwy 14 and Dillard’s Ferry, seeming to reach the end of the trail. But this is not the end of the story. Not to leave a mile unhiked, we return in November of 2023, determined to fill in the blank left by our stoppage at Bear Creek the year before. Again, we camp at Tyler Bend Campground. Approaching from the opposite side of the creek, we start from the Zack Ridge Road Trailhead, hiking in to the point on Bear Creek (but on the opposite shore) where we halted the previous autumn. Then we turn around and hike out to South Maumee Road. It’s a total of thirteen miles and with that we manage to complete the full distance of the Buffalo River Trail. Every single mile.

Need to Know

Information

No permits are required for hiking at the Buffalo National River. Check the river’s depth before you go here or call Tyler Bend Visitor Center at 870-436-2502. You can camp anywhere along the trail, or utilize developed campgrounds along the route. The area is popular during hunting season and wearing hunter orange is suggested.

Best Time to Go

Spring and fall are the best times to hike the BRT. Mild winter days also offer excellent hiking opportunities. Summers are hot and humid in the Ozarks and thus less comfortable for hiking. Warm weather hazards in the area include poison ivy and ticks.

Getting There

From Interstate 40, take Exit 81 and travel about 73 miles to Tyler Bend Campground. Tyler Bend is an organized campground with drive-in sites, group sites and walk-in sites, as well as a nice, heated bathhouse with showers. Reservations are available at www.recreation.gov. Fees are charged March 15 through November 14 but it is free to camp November 15 through March 14. Amenities are limited in the winter, but we found the bathhouse still open at the end of November.

The Woolum camping area, located seven miles southwest of St. Joe, is open year-round and offers an alternative to camping at the organized campground at Tyler Bend. It is primitive camping, with a vault toilet.

Books and Maps

More information can be found in Buffalo River Hiking Trails by Tim Ernst as well as Arkansas Hiking Trails and Arkansas Waterfalls also by Tim Ernst. The National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps, Buffalo National River West as well as Buffalo National River East cover the area.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue 56 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.