Buffalo National River Wilderness
Canoeists paddling the Buffalo find themselves on what may be one of the most scenic rivers in the eastern United States. From its headwaters in the Boston Mountains to its confluence with the White River, 135 miles of the Buffalo's 153 miles are managed by the National Park Service as a National River. Most of the upper 18 miles are managed by the Ozark National Forest as a Wild and Scenic River. Flowing through the Arkansas Ozarks, the river has carved a path out of an ancient seabed, leaving bluffs of sandstone, limestone, and dolomite towering as high as 440 feet above the water. Quiet, languid pools stand between runs of swifter water, often disguising the river’s drop of over 2,000 feet during its long journey.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | Arkansas |
| Size | 34,933 acres |
| Designated | 1978, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.12° N, 92.48° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 6 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
1 named Forest Service trail enters this wilderness, 33 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Oht Sylamore Section ↗ | 33.1 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- under 0.1 miCold Springs School ↗Big Flat, AR
- 1.2 mi
- 4.6 miLittle Buffalo River Bridge ↗Parthenon, AR
- 4.9 miDomino Shed ↗Big Flat, AR
- 5.1 miBig Flat School Gymnasium ↗Big Flat, AR
- 5.2 miShady Grove Delmar Church and School ↗Delmar, AR
- 5.2 miDermott Commercial Historic District ↗Dermott, AR
- 5.2 miJasper Commercial Historic District ↗Jasper, AR
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Arkansas
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Buffalo National River Wilderness?
34,933 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Buffalo National River Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Buffalo National River Wilderness in?
Arkansas.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Buffalo National River Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1978.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Buffalo National River Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Buffalo National River Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.118° N, 92.481° W. Buffalo National River is 20 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Buffalo National River Wilderness?
Buffalo National River (20 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Buffalo National River Wilderness?
The National Register has 104 listings within 15 miles, including Cold Springs School and Big Buffalo Valley Historic District.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.