A cool, rainy weekend in early April provides the perfect backdrop for a hike on Arkansas’ Buffalo River Trail. Moist spring weather in the Ozarks means the lush hardwood and pine forest is bursting with wildflowers, ferns and all manner of growth, keeping hikers engaged in identifying each plant and marveling over the delicate and diverse shapes and intense colors. Cloudy, humid weather intensifies the deep, vernal greens enveloping the trail, and likewise accentuates the rainbow shades of countless blossoms.

The Buffalo River Trail (BRT) runs along its namesake stream in northwest Arkansas for 62 miles in three non-contiguous segments. The Buffalo River is a “national river,” protected and managed by the National Park Service. The area is replete with hiking trails, and is also popular for canoeing and kayaking, camping, fishing, and horseback riding, it’s also known for its scenic bluffs, and its numerous waterfalls and historic sites. No matter how you choose to explore the area, any outdoor enthusiast will have a multitude of exploration opportunities to take advantage of.

Hiking the Buffalo River Trail

For hiking, the most popular segment of the BRT, and one that is well-used for backpacking, lies in the river’s “Upper District” and runs 36.3 miles between Boxley and Pruitt, staying mostly along the highlands south of the river. From Boxley, the trail heads north through several large campgrounds, including Steel Creek, Kyle’s Landing, Erbie, and Ozark. Backcountry campsites are also plentiful along the trail.

It’s reasonable to backpack the BRT in a weekend, or break it up into several day hikes. I recently spent an April weekend there with my hiking buddies, who had day-hiked the segment from Boxley to Kyles Landing the previous autumn. For our spring hike, the plan was to camp at Ozark Campground, located between Erbie and Pruitt, and hike two segments, one 7.5 miles from Kyles Landing to Erbie, and one 8.7 miles from Erbie to Pruitt. This required placing cars at both ends of the trail for the first segment. Getting there, in and of itself, was an adventure. Traveling the rough dirt road to our first trailhead with all eight of us piled into one vehicle for what seemed like triple the five and a half long miles was very uncomfortable, but also quite comical and undoubtedly memorable. This approach, of course, is not recommended.

At Ozark Campground our first night, I quickly spied my favorite wildflower of the eastern deciduous forest, the mayapple. Under its umbrella-like foliage grows a single flower which becomes the “apple” of May, although sometimes the fruit does not appear until early summer. Mayapple colonies look like a flotilla of green umbrellas hovering over the surface, and the flowers require some effort to see, usually involving lying on one’s belly for a good look.

The Kyles Landing-to-Erbie segment started with a nearly 500-foot ascent to the top of Buzzard Bluff. Although there is some additional climbing farther down the white-blazed trail, it is neither as vertical nor as extended as this one. At least we got it out of the way. Even with recent rains, stream crossings were either dry or very shallow as we progressed along the trail.

The dogwoods were blooming with fervor and their toothed flowers provided a lace-like framework for nearly every vista. Soon we spied the odd wood betony blooming amid the moss and reindeer lichen. With fern-like leaves and deep crimson or pale yellow swirled petals, wood betony resembles a pinwheel. And, lucky for us, the delicate wild iris, definitely a rival for my favorite, was blooming in abundance. Near the 2.5-mile mark, we came across a spur to the 48-foot Twin Falls, also known as Triple Falls, definitely worth the short side trip. Although there are three cascades, it is called Twin Falls for the two water sources that feed the falls from above, one a creek and the other a spring. Back on the main trail, we spied the wake robin, a form of trillium, its dark maroon bud peeking out from enfolding green arms. And soon appeared the shooting star, looking like a pure white columbine.

Ferns and wild phlox encroached upon the muddy trail, creating a look of enchantment beneath the moss-covered bluffs. As we crossed Sawmill Hollow Creek, an old stone highway bridge appeared, looking charming but completely out of place in the natural setting. Over slippery small cascades and through deadfall we continued, ending with a walk through the historic Parker-Hickman Farmstead, with a log house built in the 1840s, before ending the day at Erbie Campground.

The Last Day and Reflections on the Buffalo River Trail

Our second day, the Erbie-to-Pruitt leg of the hike required us to add a few extra miles at the end. Automobile access to Pruitt Landing was closed because of road construction, so our plan was to hike from Erbie through our camp site at Ozark Campground, to Pruitt, and then return the 2.5 miles to base camp. The scenery was much the same, walking along a wooded hillside through lush foliage. The trail wound around a wildlife pond, its still waters reflecting the graceful limbs of the surrounding dogwood trees, filled with blossoms. As we approached Pruitt, our view of the river opened up, the turquoise water and a black-streaked bluff accented by two red canoes. After a brief respite at the Pruitt picnic area, we returned to Ozark.

While our spring hike offered a highly sensory hiking experience on the BRT, autumn is its rival, with the bright foliage of the hardwoods and a crispness in the air, versus the humid atmosphere of the vernal months. No matter when you choose to hike the BRT, the trail offers a unique experience with a little history along the way. And after hiking its forested trails, crossing its cascading waters, and gazing from its rocky bluffs, the Buffalo River Trail leaves a hiker with a certain sense of quiet and solitude that it seems only the hills and hollows of the Ozarks can offer.

Need to Know

Information

The BRT’s two other sections are Dillard’s Ferry to South Maumee, an 11.4-mile trail in the Buffalo’s Lower Disrict, and the Woolum to Tyler Bend section, which starts at Woolum and runs just over 11 miles in the Middle District. Woolum is also the end point of the 165-mile Ozark Highlands Trail, a trail that can be thru-hiked starting at Lake Fort Smith.

Another less-known trail often intersects with the BRT but provides a different perspective. The BRT mostly takes a high route along the bluffs but the Old River Trail (ORT) follows a historic farm road along the river for 13.2 miles, crosses the river multiple times, and passes through numerous old farmsteads. It is open to equestrian users as well, running from Ponca to a horse camp at Old Erbie. Abundant camping is available throughout the Buffalo National River area. Lodging is also available in and near Jasper and Ponca, as are canoeing outfitters and shuttle services.

Best Time to Go

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

Getting There

From Interstate 40, take Exit 81 and travel about 70 miles to Pruitt, Arkansas. Ozark Campground is located on County Road 129.

Books and Maps

More information is available in Tim Ernst’s guidebook, Buffalo River Hiking Trails. You can find a National Park Service map here, and National Geographic offers their Trails Illustrated Buffalo River maps. For getting to and from trailheads and exploring other hikes in the state, the Arkansas Delorme Atlas & Gazetteer can be useful.

For more reading on the Buffalo River Trail, see Backpacking the Buffalo River Trail: Great Heights.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue 51 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.