Buffalo River Trip

[Al Agnew]

Yep, nice thing is that you DO have choices on the Buffalo. There are real time river gauges at Boxley, Ponca, Pruitt, Carver (although that one doesn't give the flow in cfs), St. Joe, and near Buffalo Point. It takes at least 150 cfs to comfortably float a canoe loaded with people and camping gear, although you can get down the river with a little work at 100 cfs. So just keep your options open and watch the gauges as it nears your put-in date. If the river is flowing 100 cfs or more at Pruitt, anywhere below there is floatable. If it's flowing less than 100 cfs at St. Joe, only the lower end will be comfortably floatable, although I've done St. Joe to Buffalo Point when it was flowing 75 cfs at St. Joe. Of course, there's always the possibility that you might have TOO much water. The canoe rentals can tell you if that's the case. There aren't any "bad" floats on the Buffalo. The upper stretch from Ponca to Pruitt and the lower end from Buffalo Point to the White are the most spectacularly scenic, St. Joe to Buffalo Point is almost as scenic as the lower end, and the rest of the river is as pretty as anything else in the Ozarks.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I don't think you are ever guaranteed water on the Buffalo. We did a lot of walking on a July trip from Rush to Riley's. The overall amount of dragging wasn't necessarily hard, but it did slow us down enough to cut into fishing time.

If they are releasing any water when you hit the White you have to paddle about a 100 yards upstream to get a good angle on Riley's and miss the island.

You won't be bothered with any day floaters on that section.

[Wishicaughtmore]

Well let's assume there is ample water to float anywhere on the river. Taking kids and looking for safe paddling, what section would you paddle for a 3 day float. Second question, my wife wants to know if there are any campgrounds you can stay at while floating the river (especially ones with hot showers)?

[Phil Lilley]

http://www.ozarkanglers.com/buffalo-river/levels/

Here's a link to OA's Buffalo River Levels.

[Wayne SW/MO]

my wife wants to know if there are any campgrounds you can stay at while floating the river (especially ones with hot showers)?

You might pull up the NPS web site and check which parks have showers and the distance between each one. You might have to stay in a couple, like Tyler Bend or Buffalo Point and do different sections in day trips.

[Hojo]

I have done many many overnight and weekend trips on the Buffalo. For an all around good time, I recommend Carver to Tyler's Bend. Easy float, good fishing and really good scenery with Skull Bluff and the Nars. It borders a wildlife mgmt area for about half of the float and there are plenty of access points along the way in case you have trouble. The fishing is better the further down river you go. My next choice would be anything from or between Gilbert to Rush. Rush to the White is good but there are lots of long pools to paddle if current is low and absolutely no access. If something went wrong or weather came up, you have no choice but to ride it out.

[joeD]

Wishicaughtmore- You are leaving too much critical information out. Like, how old are your daughters? What is your experience level regarding floating? Camping? Floating and camping on gravel bars? Your comment about your wife wanting a hot shower certainly raises issues. While your plans are admirable, you need to be realistic. Have you thought about a cabin? A cabin with beds, air conditioning, and a shower? Then do three separate day floats on the Buffalo? While that scenario might rankle your sense of adventure and outdoorsmanship, it might make for a more harmonious family. Just an idea. When it comes to kids, the fewer the river miles the better. It's not a contest. Also, forget about fishing. Oh, you'll fish alright. But a lot less and a lot less satisfactorly than you would like. Hopefully we'll hear from you a week or so before you go, since the river and the weather, not to mention people, change so much. Generally, new posters on this forum who ask advise in March about multi-day trips in June are never heard from again. No big whup. Good luck.

[hoglaw]

Wishicaughtmore- You are leaving too much critical information out. Like, how old are your daughters? What is your experience level regarding floating? Camping? Floating and camping on gravel bars? Your comment about your wife wanting a hot shower certainly raises issues. While your plans are admirable, you need to be realistic. Have you thought about a cabin? A cabin with beds, air conditioning, and a shower? Then do three separate day floats on the Buffalo? While that scenario might rankle your sense of adventure and outdoorsmanship, it might make for a more harmonious family. Just an idea. When it comes to kids, the fewer the river miles the better. It's not a contest. Also, forget about fishing. Oh, you'll fish alright. But a lot less and a lot less satisfactorly than you would like. Hopefully we'll hear from you a week or so before you go, since the river and the weather, not to mention people, change so much. Generally, new posters on this forum who ask advise in March about multi-day trips in June are never heard from again. No big whup. Good luck.

bingo. No telling by that time. If the wife and kids are up to river camping for three days and water levels are appropriate, then Rush on down. If they want hot water and you don't want to mess with providing it, then rent a cabin and use any of the outfitters for three days of floating.

[budman]

If you need hot showers every night you will have to go to either Tyler's Bend or Buffalo Point. Both are nice campgrounds with showers. You can do day floats or wade fish. If you stay at Tyler's Bend you can float from Baker's Ford to Tyler's Bend, 4.2 miles, then the next day float Tyler's Bend to Gilbert, 5.6 miles and maybe throw in Woolum to Baker's Ford, 11.1 miles. If you stay at Buffalo Point you can float from Maumee or Spring Creek to Buffalo Point, 10.8 miles or 6.1 miles and then go from Buffalo Point to Rush, 7.5 miles. Don't miss the rush take out or it is another 25 miles down river to the White. The third day at Buffalo Point you can go float Crooked Creek from Kelly's Slab to Yellville, it is only a little over 3 miles but is good fishing. This is only about a 45 minute drive back up the road from Buffalo Point. Do the shorters miles and stop and fish and swim and eat your lunch on the river and you will have a great day. Go to the USGS site and look at live stream for the latest river levels.