http://www.buffaloriver.com/rss/Blog/The latest news from Buffalo Outdoor Center9391http://www.buffaloriver.com/rss/Blog/http://www.buffaloriver.com/images/buffaloriver_logo.gifhttp://www.buffaloriver.com/Blog/?id=52Mon, 22 Sep 2008 09:02:16 -0500The elk are beginning to frequent the fields upstream of the Ponca low water bridge on Highway 43. The best viewing times are early morning and late evening. Anywhere from Ponca south through the Boxley Valley and even south on Highway 21 around the Boxley Bridge, you can spot elk this time of year. The Arkansas Game & Fish's Elk Education Center is open from 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM, Thursdays - Mondays. It's a very nice wildlife exhibit, especially for kids. Admission to the Center is free.http://www.buffaloriver.com/Blog/?id=49Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:20:42 -0500If you're thinking about a fall cabin getaway and have never been to the Buffalo River, the Ponca area offers the finest hiking in Arkansas, if not mid-America. It's truly one of God's special places. Some of the tallest Ozark Mountains in Arkansas are located here and a number of our cabins sit atop one of the tallest. Fall is also when the elk are especially active, beginning in mid-September and continuing through early November. You can easily spot them mornings and evenings in the Boxley Valley just south of Ponca. As for hiking, it's awesome year 'round, although it is particularly magical in the fall. As for peak fall color, it can occur anytime between the second week of October and the first week of November. The good news is there is some kind of color going on starting in late September and continuing until mid-November, so it isn't necessary to pinpoint the exact peak time for fall foliage in order to enjoy a display of color. Cabin reservations for weekends should be made as soon as possible. Through-the-week cabin reservations should be made at least three weeks in advance to assure cabin availability and selection. http://www.buffaloriver.com/Blog/?id=46Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:09:46 -0500We recently had the pleasure and honor of hosting journalists from world-wide travel guide guru Lonely Planet , as well as Southern Living , one of America's most beloved magazines. Both were here on respective assignments to cover the Buffalo National River, as well as the BOC cabin experience. We always sincerely appreciate the opportunity to work with media writers and photographers, whether they're from widely recognized publications or those of a more regional, closer-to-home nature. Once we know when the Lonely Planet and Southern Living articles will be published, we'll let you know here in the BOC Blog so that you can catch them for yourself! http://www.buffaloriver.com/Blog/?id=44Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:07:29 -0500If you're looking for a great, budget-friendly family vacation that won't have you driving for days to get to, bring your family to our neck of the woods! The upper Buffalo River is just 90 minutes from Northwest Arkansas and only 2.5 hours from Central Arkansas. And, we're just 2 hours from Springfield, MO. This is Arkansas' finest scenery, if not the finest scenery in mid-America. There are all kinds of fun things to do, including great swimming holes, beautiful hiking trails, fishing, horseback riding, canoeing, beautiful caves to tour, and day trips to Eureka Springs and Branson, MO to enjoy. If we can help you with reservations or ideas for adventure, simply call us toll-free at 1-800-221-5514 between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm. We'd love to help! http://www.buffaloriver.com/Blog/?id=38Tue, 27 May 2008 14:05:54 -0500We recently had the pleasure of hosting pro-angler Chad Brauer and Academy Outdoors for the shooting of a fishing show about smallmouth bass fishing on Arkansas rivers. Naturally, the Buffalo National River was an excellent choice for the show, not only for its smallmouth bass population, but for the scenery that serves as a backdrop to the sport. Rhonda MIlls of BOC, an avid smallmouth angler, will co-host the segment with Brauer, which is slated to air in the spring of 2009 on ESPN Sports South & Southwest.http://www.buffaloriver.com/Blog/?id=37Tue, 27 May 2008 13:43:43 -0500Canoeing on the upper Buffalo River is still good in June, plus, the water is a pleasant temperature that makes swimming and fishing enjoyable. Unfortunately, it's a common misconception that canoeing this stretch of river is about over come June. The truth is, we can have good water in June just as we can have it in April or May: it just all depends on rainfall. For example, last year we floated until July 22nd, while two years ago we floated through July 12th. So, if you haven't yet had a chance yet to float the upper Buffalo this year, there's still time to get in an early summer canoe trip during June. Saturdays tend to book in advance, so it's never too early to make an advance reservation if your canoeing plans include a Saturday. Reservations aren't necessary other days of the week. http://www.buffaloriver.com/Blog/?id=34Tue, 06 May 2008 08:30:33 -0500The American Canoe Association has a great Web page that is a wonderful resource for canoeing and kayaking safety information. The site offers pdf downloads on all kinds of paddling safety topics from a paddler's safety checklist to a River Paddler's Guide to Rescue . While the Buffalo National River is rated Class I/II, which is classified as easier river water to paddle, being able to responsibly and safely paddle and perform self-rescue is still important, especially if you are paddling with beginners or children. This is a great site and we highly recommend its contents to even the most skilled of paddlers as there's always something to be learned or reminded of. So, everybody get your safety groove on and you'll enjoy canoeing and kayaking the Buffalo River just that much more!http://www.buffaloriver.com/Blog/?id=29Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:03:44 -0500If hiking is your game, then the next couple of months will be special on Buffalo National River trails as spring wildflower season is upon us. As an added bonus, the waterfalls run nicely whenever we have good rainfall, so it's a Kodak moment for sure when the two combine alongside a creek or rocky ledge. Wildflowers abound late March through June, with something new bursting forth every couple of weeks. Some of our favorites include the wild mountain azalea, umbrella magnolia, columbine, fire pink, yellow trout lily, shooting star, wild hyacinth, purple coneflower, and the elusive yellow ladyslipper. Moist, shaded rocky ledges and damp woodland areas are the best places to look for many of these wildflowers, although purple coneflower tends to enjoy sunnier locations amidst the bee balm, daisies, and milkweed. So, pull on your hiking boots, grab your camera, and come enjoy a colorful spring on a special Buffalo River trail this spring! (Please remember: it's against regulations to pick wildflowers within national park boundaries, including adjacent roadsides.)http://www.buffaloriver.com/Blog/?id=21Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:29:03 -0500The Buffalo National River soared to 23 feet at the Ponca low water bridge on Tuesday, March 18th, at 2:30 PM. This put the river at 17 feet over the bridge. We've not seen a rise this dramatic since the flood of November 1982, when floodwaters covered the junction of Hwys 43 and 74, where the big bridge crosses the Buffalo at Ponca. As a result of Tuesday's flood, Hwy 43 from Ponca to Boxley was impassable. The adjacent fields where the elk feed were also under moving water. By 3:30 PM, Steel Creek was seriously flooded and water was lapping at the foot of the ranger's house on the south hillside. About this same time, the National Park Service used a raft to rescue two hikers stranded on the far bank of Steel Creek itself, which had become a force in its own right. Three vehicles at Steel Creek were eventually overtaken by floodwaters and one of them--a new Chevy pickup truck--even floated away. (FACEBOOK members can see photos of this on our My Buffalo River Group.) Downriver 8 miles at Kyle's Landing, more vehicles were under threat with one being submerged and 2 or 3 reportedly being rescued by the NPS. As of this posting, the National Park Service has closed all river access roads and the Buffalo River itself is closed. We will continue to keep you informed as to new developments and floating conditions throughout the day on our blog and Buffalo River Level page,http://www.buffaloriver.com/Blog/?id=18Wed, 27 Feb 2008 08:12:14 -0600National Park Service officials have announced some new changes in camping services that will be of interest to Buffalo River campers. One change that will be very popular is the extended period of time that running water and restroom facilities will be available at campgrounds. These services will now open on March 15th and remain open through approximately November 15th. Previously, these services were not available until April 1st and were closed on November 1st. Also, nightly camping fees will now be assessed March 15th - November 15th. This isn't a bad thing; it's just something to be aware of if you're used to camping for free during spring break or late fall---bring a little cash with you to cover campground fees. Another positive change announced is that restroom facilities at Steel Creek will now remain open throughout the year. We appreciate the NPS' recognition of the year 'round popularity of this campground and hiking trailhead. Also new for '08 is the creation of new group campsites at Kyle's Landing and Ozark campgrounds, where a few existing 6-person sites will be combined and converted into 25-person sites. These group sites are expected to be completed by the end of summer. While we support the park service's effort to respond to group needs, we're concerned that eliminating 6-person sites in order to provide group sites only exchanges one problem for another. Demand for these smaller sites is very high during the upper river's most popular visitation months of May, June, and October. We would encourage the NPS to explore the idea of creating an overflow camping area---at least at Kyle's Landing---similar to what is available at other national parks. When campsite demand is high, these overflow areas serve a temporary, but important visitor need. Land for such an overflow area exists at Kyle's, and we would recommend the NPS seriously consider this an improvement initiative for 2009. Watch our blog for updates on other changes being introduced to the park in the coming year, as well as announcements of any completed initiatives. For helpful camping info, click here: Buffalo River Camping http://www.buffaloriver.com/Blog/?id=17Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:09:03 -0600 A new, detailed topo-type map of the Ponca Wilderness is now available. The map is the creation of a professor from Springfield, Missouri who loves the Buffalo River and is passionate about sharing what he knows with others. As you may know, the Ponca Wilderness contains the Buffalo River's finest scenery, as well as its most popular floating and hiking venues. This section of wilderness (which is actually national park) lies between the town of Ponca and the Kyle's Landing river access, located 10 miles down river. The map's inclusion of unofficial trails, old logging roads, and the location of long forgotten homesites make it a useful hiking or trail riding companion. We weren't sure the world needed another Buffalo River map, but, honestly, this one does a nice job of covering some things the creators of the popular Trails Illustrated map (and rightly so--it's a great map) didn't know or chose not to include. If you'd like one, call us at 1-800-221-5514. Maps are $11.95+ tax/shipping. Or, just pick one up the next time you're in our store.