Buffalo River Trip Wrap-up

We completed our canoe camping trip on the Buffalo River this afternoon. We actually took off the river one day ahead of schedule. Unlike last year, when we took off two days ahead of schedule and 33 miles before our intended take-out due to dangerously high and rising river levels, this year we completed our 126 mile trip. Good flow and ideal water levels allowed us to complete our trip from Ponca to Buffalo City in 9 days rather than the 10 days we had originally allowed. We typically paddled 15+ miles a day breaking camp about 10:00 and stopping about 3:00 on a beautiful gravel bar across from a towering bluff. The trip was largely uneventful; just a great float trip! The first third of the trip showed falling water levels and cooler than normal weather. During the middle part of the trip we got some rain and the river rose a bit. Near the end of the trip it turned warmer and the river levels dropped back to more normal levels.

We saw a wide assortment of wildlife. We saw the usual river-side birds as well as bald eagles and ospreys. We saw snakes and otters. The fishing was a little slow, but we managed to take a few smallmouth bass each day. In the small-world department, we ran into a fellow on the river from Mississippi near where my mother lived and we had many common acquaintances. He knew my mother's husband and his family very well.

After taking off at Riley's Landing in Buffalo City on the White River, Wayne, Lynda and Harry departed for NC. Dorcas and I retrieved the motor home, which was parked at Wild Bill's house, and moved a few miles down the hill to the federal campground at Buffalo Point. There we dried out all our gear and packed away the camping gear we would not use on the remainder of our trip. Tomorrow we will move south about 140 miles to Hot Springs National Park.