Exploring Northwest Arkansas

Sneeds Creek Hike

The Sneeds Creek Trail is a trail that a lot of folks know about, but it seems few actually hike. I seldom see photos of the area on social media or online elsewhere. Sneeds Creek is a beautiful hike that includes a lot of natural beauty and old Ozarks history. I suspect the length of the hike (we netted 11.5 miles on our hike) along with the fact that there are 6 wet water crossings keep a lot of folks away. This is also a horse trail, so it can be a little bit rough hiking in places but not too bad. But the trail is worth it, wet feet and all. 

Sneeds Creek

The best way to hike the trail is to hike it in conjunction with the Hemmed in Hollow Trail and create a loop. It could certainly be done as an out-and-back, or in a loop with the Centerpoint Trail if you have a shuttle to get back to your car. But in looping it with the Hemmed In Hollow Trail you get two great trails, and end up right back where you started.

Getting There

The hike starts at the Compton Trail head near the community of Compton. To get there, go to the community of Compton (8.3 miles north of Ponca on Highway 43) and turn EAST on the gravel road immediately across from the JB Trading Post. After .1 miles, turn RIGHT onto the gravel road. Take that .8 miles and turn RIGHT on another gravel road and the parking area and trail head are just at the top of the hill. There is a sign pointing to the Compton Trailhead off Highway 43 and at the 2nd turn on the gravel road. 

The Hemmed-in-Hollow trail starts here. If you look just to the right of the Hemmed in Hollow Trail head there is another trail -- the Sneeds Creek Trail. This is the path that you'll return on.

The Hike

Start hiking down the Hemmed-in Hollow Trail. I won't go into a lot of detail for a bit because it's the same route you take to get to Hemmed in Hollow Waterfall.  

Hemmed In Hollow Falls

At 1.8 miles, you hit an intersection. The trail to the left takes you to Hemmed in Hollow waterfall. The trail to the right takes you toward Sneeds Creek. If you've come this far, you should absolutely check out the waterfall and return back to this spot. If you go see the waterfall, add 1.5 miles onto all of the mileage markers that follow. For the sake of his post, we're going to turn RIGHT here and head toward Sneeds Creek. And excluding the hike to the falls, this intersection is at 1.8 miles. 

Glade area

From here, the trail follows along the top of a small bluff for awhile and then at 2.3, the trail turns sharply left and goes to the bottom of the bluff. There isn't a sign here, and it's fairly easy to miss, but there is a rock slab with steps notched out of it that help you get to the bottom. At the bottom, the trail turns to the left again and down the hill. It then veers right and crosses over a really nice glade area. I always love these little glade areas because the colors are always so vibrant. 

Sneeds Creek

The trail then goes down some more and turns to the left and heads down to Sneeds Creek. The trail runs along Sneeds Creek for a bit until it turns right and crosses the creek. This is the first of 6 crossing of Sneeds Creek -- expect that during wet season that all of these will be wet crossings. Most seemed to be about a foot to 18 inches deep on the day we visited. As with any water crossings, be smart, and know your limits. And if you can't see the bottom, don't cross!  

Sneeds Creek

Once you've navigate the creek, the trail turns to the left a bit (there are a few other volunteer trails on the opposite side of the creek that lead to different camp sites, so stay left). The trail then leads down to the Buffalo River. This is the best place to get a good view of the river on the entire trail.

The Buffalo River

The trail follows an old road bed along the river for a couple of hundred yards and then turns right and starts heading steeply back up the hill again. At 3.0, the trail hits another intersection. To the LEFT is the Centerpoint trail that leads up to Big Bluff and the Centerpoint Trail Head.  Big Bluff is about 1 mile up the hill from this spot. For our purposes, stay to the right. And about 100 yards, you'll arrive at Granny Henderson's Cabin.

Granny Henderson's Cabin

Granny Henderson's cabin is a beautiful old cabin and was home to one of the last people to live in the wilderness area. You can read more about the triumph and tragedy of Granny Henderson here. Remember, this is a national historic site, so please respect this amazing spot. 

Sneeds Creek

The trail heads past the cabin and then back down the hill again and crosses Sneeds Creek again at 3.3. 

Rocky Bottom

Once you cross the creek, the trail turns left and heads upstream a bit and at 3.4 you hit one of the most amazing features in all of the Ozarks. At 3.4, the wilderness opens up to a HUGE rock slab that is larger than a football field. It's a bit hard to describe, but the openness of the area is a stark contrast to the dense wilderness that surrounds it. Sneeds Creek runs across this huge rock slab forming a variety of amazing cascades and waterfalls. There is also a smaller waterfall that comes in from the right. This entire areas is called "Rocky Bottom".

Cascades along Rocky Bottom

Take some time to enjoy the area.  

The trail then enters the woods again near the top of the rock slab on the right side of the creek (when facing upstream). 

Sneeds Creek

The trail goes back into the woods. It runs pretty close to the creek here with a lot of nice views. There are also a few old fields here. There are a few times that the wear of the trail (from people, water and horses) has cause the trail to erode to a couple of feet below ground level. 

Cascade along Sneeds Creek

At 4.0, the trail turns sharply left and crosses Sneeds Creek again. This is the 3rd wet crossing of the hike. This turn is pretty easy to miss, but essentially the trail dips sharpley down and to the left to the creek. You can just see the trail continue on the other side. If you don't cross here, there are remnants of a trail on the side you were on that continues for a bit but then sort of peters out as it hits a bluff area. Turn LEFT and cross the creek. 

Creek Crossing #3

The trail runs along the left side of the creek now for a bit and then goes back down the hill and crosses the creek for a fourth time. Every time the creek is in view it's another amazing, peaceful view. 

Creek Crossing #4 (Note the trail on the right on the other side of the creek)

The trail continues on the right side of the creek for a bit, and then crosses over for a 5th time at 4.4. 

After the creek crossing the trail heads up the hill a bit and for the first time in awhile there is a sign of civilization -- in the form a couple of old car bodies that have been laid to rest in the area. 

Just past the car bodies, as if the beauty and cascades that you've already seen aren't enough, at 4.7 the trail reaches a place often referred to as the "Place of Quiet Cascades". It does not disappoint. 

The Place of Quiet Cascades - Sneeds Creek

In this area there are multiple shorter waterfalls that expand the width of the entire creek -- each is definitely photo-worthy, and so peaceful. It's a great place to stop and have a sandwich. 

The Place of Quiet Cascades = Sneeds Creek

On upstream, are even more cascades and waterfalls. 

Quiet Cascades = Sneeds Creek

And it just keeps going. It's such an amazing stretch of trail along this beautiful Creek. 

Waterfall along Sneeds Creek

This place is simply amazing. 

At around 4.9 the trail crosses the creek for the 6th and final time. The trail then, sadly turns to the right and away from the creek and you see the creek for the last time. 

The trail follows an old road and switchbacks UP the hill. And I do mean up folks. The rest of the hike is about a 1,000 foot climb out of this beautiful canyon. The road is rocky and rough hiking, but easy enough to follow. The trail turns right and straightens out a bit, and then turns back left and on up the hill. 

Trail passing through an open field

As you make your way toward the top of the hill, the trail levels out a bit and passes through a couple of open fields that are now overgrown with cedars and past the remnants of an old rock quarry. 

After 1.4 miles of climbing at 6.4, the trail passes and intersection. To the right is the bench trail that would head back down the hill and connect with the Hemmed In Hollow trail and on over to Wild Vic's Cabin. Stay straight on the main road and up and continue on up the hill. 

At 6.5, the trail leaves the road and heads on a flatter and softer trail in the woods. The trail runs along the base of a steep ridge and stays mostly flat for awhile, then gradually climbs. At 7.2, the trail comes out at the parking lot, just a bit east of where you started, completing the 7.2 mile loop.  

Note, I am using the mileages from Tim Ernst's Buffalo River Hiking Trails book. But while his book says this is a 7.2 mile loop (8.7 if you take the side trip to Hemmed In Hollow), my fitbit said we'd gone 11.5 miles on this hike. Admittedly we do a bit of exploring that adds mileage (and we took a wrong turn when we missed the 3rd creek crossing the first time), even so this doesn't make up for the nearly 3 mile difference in mileage. I guess what I'm saying is that while this is at 7.2 mile loop, be prepared for something a bit longer. If nothing else, with the steep climb out, and the wet shoes, it will feel like more than 7.2! 

Trail Details:

Mileage: 7.2 mile loop, 8.7 if we include the side trip to Hemmed in Hollow

Difficulty: Difficult -- the length, elevation change and wet water crossings make this a pretty challenging trail.

Footwear: Sturdy Hiking boots are required, and bring an extra pair of socks to change into after the final water crossing

Kid Friendly: No

Trail Guide: Tim Ernst's Buffalo River Hiking Trails

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Other trails nearby: Big Bluff, Hemmed in Hollow, Hideout Hollow, McFerrin Point

Photos from our hike October 28th, 2019

Roark Bluff in Winter

One of the most popularly photographed places in Arkansas....and I never get tired of seeing it.

Boxley Valley Elk

Enjoying a peaceful, evening meal

Roark Bluff Overlook Trail

Roark Bluff is a popular haven for photographers. The way the bluff catches the sunrise in the mornings, it's wet-weather waterfalls, and easy access, make it a great destination for photographers along the Upper Buffalo River area. 

But what is less-known is that there is a pretty nicely worn trail to get to top of Roark Bluff that provides amazing views of the bluff from above, as well as the entire Steel Creek area. 

The trail is a relatively easy hike, and because it's not well-traveled it's likely you'll have it all to yourself. And with these directions, you should be able to find your way pretty easily.

Getting there

The trail starts from the Steel Creek canoe launch along the Buffalo River. Take Highway 74 South from Ponca. At the top of the hill (about 1.5 miles from Ponca), turn left onto the Steel Creek access road (very well marked). Drive down to the bottom of the hill and turn right at the fork to get to the canoe access point. Park in the parking area here. 

The trail starts on the OPPOSITE side of the river. During high water the trail won't be accessible. Never try to cross the river if there is a swift current and if you cannot see the bottom as it will be unsafe. Even during low water, you'll want to consider this a wet water crossing. Late summer, fall and early winter will be your best timing for this hike.

The Trail

Cross the river at the canoe put-in area. While it may be possible to rock-hop to get across, you should plan on this being a wet crossing. 

Once crossing the river, the trail starts immediately across the river and to the right, and starts through a cane thicket. After a short walk, the trail splits. The trail to the right connects with the Old River Trail. Stay LEFT at the fork. 

From here, the trail goes back into the woods away from the river, turns left up the hill a bit and through a nice pine grove.

The trail winds its way up the hill, to the right, then back up. Eventually it hits a really nice rocky bluff area. It's worth taking some time to explore.

The trail goes to the RIGHT of the rocky bluff area, but you'll need to go left to see some of the neater formations. 

Back on the main trail, the trail loops around the rocky bluff and up the hill some more. Then the trail bends around to the left at the spot pictured below.

At this spot, the trail takes a hard LEFT up the hill. There was some pink tape marking the trail on the day we were there, but this area is well-traveled enough, especially in the fall, that you should be able to notice the turn if you're looking for it.

The trail goes up to to the top of the ridge, and then turns right, and heads back down a bit. It crosses over the remains of an old barbed wire fence and down onto the bluff until it reaches the overlook at about 1.1 miles from the River. 

The overlook provides an amazing view of the Steel Creek recreation, the Buffalo River and Roark Bluff -- which are all below. As with all bluffs in the Ozarks and Buffalo River Area, be very careful near the edges as some spots are very narrow and the falls are very far and steep.

This is a great place to have lunch and just enjoy the beauty of the area. 

Once you have spent your time at the bluff, return the way you arrived.

The entire trail is about 2.2 miles round trip.

If you have time to explore, there are also some neat rock formations and views of Big Bluff on the back side of the bluff (just beyond where you turned to go up to the ridge). 

This is a really great little hike, and while not an officially maintained trail, it is used often enough that it was easy to follow for our Thanksgiving Day hike. It's one we definitely will check out again during the fall when the leaves are turning.

Trail Details

Distance: Approximately 2.2 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Moderate - mostly due to the river crossing and being an unmarked trail

Footwear: Sturdy hiking boots or trail shoes

Kid Friendly: Older kids should be ok, as long as they can safely make the water crossing and are aware enough around cliffs.

Trail Guide: Danny Hale's Takahik: Hiking the Arkansas Ozarks hiking guide

Star Rating: 5 out of 5

Other nearby hikes: Roark Bluff, Steel Creek Overlook, Buffalo River Trail Ponca to Steel Creek (can do in reverse from this location)

Trail Photos from November 23, 2017

Buffalo River Trail - Boxley to Ponca

Michelle and I are avid hikers. But we're not thru hikers. We both like to spend a day enjoying a nice hike but then welcome the comforts of home in the evenings -- like a warm shower, warm meal and and soft-ish bed.

Thru-hiking has always been a bit intimidating to me. And, unfortunately for us, a couple of Northwest Arkansas's most popular trails The Ozark Highlands Trail and Buffalo River Trails are designed for thru-hikers. Because of this, we haven't really hiked them as much as I would like. Thus, I've been looking for opportunities to hike these trails as a series of day-hikes. Day hikes are more conducive to the way we like to hike and the fact we have dogs at home and also, I think it makes them more accessible to the average hiker.

One of the longest stretches of the Buffalo River Trail is the first stretch from Boxley to Ponca. So for Michelle's birthday in April, we made the decision to hike the entire 11.1 mile section as a day hike. In order to do it as a day hike, either you need to two vehicles or you can pay for a shuttle. To do two vehicles, leave one at the Ponca low water bridge and then drive to the trailhead. Or, in our case, we parked at the trail head, and paid a purveyor to shuttle our car back to the Ponca bridge so it was there when we arrived. This is a pretty easy process and cost us about $35. Lost Valley Canoe or Buffalo Outdoor Center are the two most viable shuttle providers in this area. 

Getting there

The Boxley Trailhead for the Buffalo River Trail (BRT) is located just off of Highway 21, 1.1 miles South of where Highway 21 crosses the Buffalo River. The parking area is just off the west side of the road. 

There is an old cellar structure here as well as the foundation of an old school house that are worth checking out while you prepare for your hike. 

The trail begins on the opposite side of Highway 21.

The Trail

The trail starts off on the east side of Highway 21. There is a wooden sign there that marks the spot. The trail passes a gate and then immediately crosses Smith Creek. This is a dry crossing most of the year, but for our April (wet weather season) hike it was the first of three wet water crossings.

After the crossing, the trail heads through the woods on the left an then turns right and heads along the edge of a field. On the right is a large pasture, and to the left, a steep hill. Along the hill there are the remains of an old rock wall that likely served as the pasture's boundary.

The trail follows the pasture for awhile and then turns left and starts heading up the hill that was to your left. The trail heads up hill for quite awhile here and is the first of three climbs that are about 500 feet of climbing.

As you make the climb, a valley starts forming to your right. Eventually, that valley gets close to the level and the trail passes over the small pour-off crossing  and then continues into the woods and turns back left up the hill. 

As you reach the top of the hill, the trail bends left again and some nice bluffs form to the right. The trail then passes through an old wooden fence and continues on the level. 

The trail then turns to the right. While most of this 11 mile hike is awesome hiking, there are a few parts of the trail that are necessary hiking to get to better stuff. This next few hundred yards is one of those. The trail passes through an area on what appears to be an old road but it thick with undergrowth. It's fine for hiking, as the trail area is cleared, but it's not the prettiest of hiking areas. 

But soon enough, the trail gets better and goes through a gate and enters a large field. The field opens up to an amazing view over the Boxley Valley. While the trail may someday bypass this field, it is one of my favorite parts of the hike with big views across the valley and of Cave Mountain.

The trail goes through the field and down the hill, past a small pond. 

The trail passes the pond and then, at 1.7 miles connects with a gravel road. This is formerly known as County Road 25 and connects Shiloh Mountain Road on the top of the mountain to Highway 21 at the bottom.  Once you get to the gravel road, turn RIGHT and follow the road up the hill for about .4 miles. The road is seldom traveled so there isn't much traffic, and there are some really interesting views off to the left. 

At 2.1, there is a sign on the left that signals that it's time to turn left off the road back onto the trail.

After leaving the road, the trail passes under some power lines. Because of the "maintenance" under the power lines it's a bit of a mess to follow here, but quickly drops down into the woods into one of my favorite sections of the hike,

The hike follows through the woods. This area is full of Beach trees, so during winter, the leaves glisten in the sunlight. 

The goes around a hill and then crossed over a couple of drainage areas. These are mostly wet weather drainage areas, but there was some decent flow for our hike which led to a lot of nice waterfalls.

This area is a fantastic area to stop and spend a little extra time.

After passing through the drainage area, the trail straightens out and starts heading down the hill. It's just a beautiful area.

The trail follows an old road trace down the hill, then veers left off the road trace and past yet another waterfall area.

The trail continues down the hill and at 3.3 miles, reaches Arrington Creek. Crossing the creek was the second of three wet stream crossings for us on this hike.

On the opposite side of the creek is a campsite -- and it is one amazing setting for a campsite. I highly recommend spending some time here, taking a break, and enjoying the area.. It's peaceful, secluded, and has the sound of running water that just makes you feel one with nature. 

As a side note, if you are a day-hiker and can't arrange a shuttle, I think this would be a fantastic place to hike into and then back for a 6.6 mile round trip out-and-back. I think sometimes these out-and-backs can be great hikes and this would definitely be one of those.

Once you have done some exploring, and are well rested, you can continue. And it's a good thing you're rested, because from here, the trail begins the second of its big 500 foot plus climbs.

The trail takes a staircase up to the left. 

As you make the climb to the top of the hill, the trail turns to the left, and then to the right, and then back to the left again. While the climbing is steep at times, there is plenty to look at such as drainage areas, wildflowers and dogwoods that help make the climb all worth it.

 

At 4.1 the trail hits an old road trace. It follows this road trace on the level for 1.5 miles making for a nice stretch of level (and relatively quick) hiking.

On the level, the trail passes a lot of neat stuff, including an old signal tree -- the type of tree believed to be used to mark early trails by Native Americans. At 4.9 there is a spring with a nearby old home site. While we didn't see much sign of the home site, the spring was very prominent. 

The mud around the spring also showed the signs that wildlife frequent this spot to clinch their thirst.

The trail passes another spring that is flowing right out from under a huge boulder. The trail then turns and crosses a small drainage.

At 6.0 the trail reaches an overlook with an amazing view of the Boxley Valley. I've admired that old barn in the valley for many years, but it's definitely a unique view of it from here. There was conveniently a couple of rock "stairs" that made for nice seats to sit and enjoy the view for a bit.

After the overlook, the trail is first-class hiking for quite awhile. The trail continues its bend to the left, and then turns back to the right. The trail is has some nice little rock formations and nice cedars. 

After some pretty moderate downhill hiking, the trail starts a steeper descent toward Dry Creek.  

Just before getting to Dry Creek, the trail passes over a small road that is private property. You'll see a house off to your right where the family lives. Just cross on over the road and then at 7.6 you'll reach Dry Creek. While it wasn't really dry when we were there, you should be able to cross and stay dry with no problems. 

The trail leaves Dry Creek and heads up the hill a little and through a neat little area that was covered in small wildflowers. At 7.8 it crosses a little-used dirt road and then goes through a thicket of cedar trees. 

The trail heads back down again and at 8.2 crosses Running Creek. While this is probably dry in the last summer and fall, during the wet season you should plan on Running Creek being a wet crossing.  There are also some nice Dogwoods in the area. 

Just after crossing Running Creek, the trail passes through a small field, and then follows a small drainage. The trail then turns to the left and crosses the drainage and then starts heading UP the hill. This is the third of the big climbs on this 11.1 mile trail. 

The trail climbs about 600 feet in elevation from here - -and pretty steeply. I don't have a lot of advice except be in pretty good shape, take breaks when you need them, and there are a lot really great rock formations that you can admire as you take your breaks. 

As you make the initial ascent, the drainage you just followed and the Running Creek drainage are getting steadily further down to your left.

The trail eventually levels out a little -- and goes through a series of great limestone rock formations. This is a particularly interesting section of the trail. 

Everything here is just incredible. Enjoy.

The trail turns to the right and enters Big Hollow. It runs along the top of the hollow and crosses several small creeks that all end up feeding the (I presume) larger creek down below. This is a spectacular are that would have a lot of pretty interesting water features during really high water. 

The middle part of the Hollow is at about 9.6 miles. The after leaving the hollow, the trail follows on the level for a bit. You've finally finished the third climb. This section rewards you with some really nice pines, some rock formations, and really soft hiking trail. 

Around 10.2 the trail starts following an old road bed that leads down the hill to Ponca. The trail drops about 600 feet in .8 miles, so it is pretty steep in places. There are several great overlooks over the Boxley Valley along the way as well. 

The trail down has a lot of small gravel and is really steep in places, so watch your step. We have also hiked this trail up from Ponca (in an out-and-back to the Big Hollow area) and the climb feels a lot worse coming from the other direction.

After 11.1 miles, the trail ends on the South side of the Ponca low water bridge.  If you left a car here and ran your own shuttle, more if you organized a shuttle, your car will be waiting on the other side of the bridge.

If you have time (and the energy), there is plenty to explore around Ponca as well -- including the Beaver Jim Villines Homestead.  Beaver Jim was among the early settlers in the area and his family homestead is nicely preserved. The Buffalo River is also beautiful in this area, and during the spring when the water is high, many kayakers and canoeists will be here getting ready for their much anticipated journey. Through hikers can continue on the Buffalo River Trail from Ponca toward Steel Creek. 

Trail Details

The Buffalo River Trail from Ponca to Boxley is a really nice hiking trail. I admit that the combination of the distance, elevation change, and the thought of needing a shuttle can be intimidating. We helped overcome some of this by hiking portions on each end as out-and-backs in the weeks before the hike to help us get more comfortable with the trail. But once we got over our initial concerns this turned into an amazing hike for us -- one we look forward to doing again. 

Distance: 11.1 miles

Difficulty: Difficult -- this is mostly due to distance and elevation change. The trail itself is mostly well-maintained and easy to navigate so there are few navigational obstacles.

Kid-Friendly -- probably not

Footwear - wear sturdy, water-proof hiking boots. That said, the day before we did this trail I blew out my trusty (old) hiking boots. I had promised Michelle we'd do this for her birthday, and wasn't about to let her down. So I hiked this in a pair of Solomon Trail Runners. It's doable in a pair of trail runners, but I can't really recommend it as I felt every rock underfoot for the last 4 miles or so. 

Trail Guide: Tim Ernst's Buffalo River Hiking Trails

Star Rating: 4.5 of 5

Additional note: We hiked this during the wet season, which came with several water crossings. If you plan to hike this during the dry season (usually late summer through the fall), plan on these crossing being dry - -but also don't anticipate there being access to fresh water along the trail. So pack in the water you'll need to make the hike.

Trail Photos from hike on April 11, 2017.

 

 

Tyler Bend Trails - River View Trail/Rockwall Trail Loop

It's sometimes easy for me to forget that the Buffalo National River is a part of our national parks system (not really a national park, but as a National River, managed by the national park service).  We spend most of our time in the upper Buffalo area  that is very remote, and outside of a few of the trails and campsites, there aren't a lot of signs of the National Park Service.

Tyler Bend is a bit different though. At Tyler Bend there is a really nice visitors center that has displays, sells merchandise such as books about area wildlife & plant life, trail maps, and National Park merchandise as well as a ranger on hand who can answer a lot of questions you may have about the area. The Tyler Bend area also has a lot of great campsites and a beautiful pavilion.

If you're heading to the Buffalo River area, this is probably one of the most developed and accessible points along the river. With that comes several really nice hiking trails that  range from .8 miles long to 1.5 miles long that can be combined together for really solid day of hiking (or more -- as the Buffalo River Trail heads out in two directions from Tyler Bend as well). Most of the trails head out in generally a southern direction and then can be connected by the Buffalo River Trail to make loops of various lengths to fit your desired hiking length/time (See map)

For our day, we decided to take the Riverview Trail and loop it with the Rockwall Trail -- which made for a very nice 4 mile loop. It includes some fantastic views of the Buffalo River, a lot of peaceful wooded sections of trail, and some nice historical features as well. 

Getting there

The Tyler Bend area is just off of Highway 65 -- about 8 miles south of St. Joe and 12 miles north of Marshall. It is on the south side of the river and very well-signed.

To start the trail loop, we parked at the visitors center - -and the Riverview trail starts on the west side of the visitors center.

The Trail 

The River View trail heads down the hill into the woods and then follows along a large open field. The trail hits a small overlook over the Buffalo River and then turns a bit left into the woods. 

The trail then turns further left and at .3 crosses a small wooden bridge and then turns back right and follows a drainage back toward the river. Then, at .7 the trail turns hard left and heads UP a steep hill. 

The next about .2 miles is a steep climb with an elevation gain of about 300 feet-- but there are several pretty nice overlooks over the river where you can stop and take a look over the vast Buffalo River Valley while you catch your breath. (Note: Be VERY careful along some of the bluff lines as there are several areas with very steep drops).

At .9, the trail hits a wooden observation deck that has a great view of Calf Creek coming in from the left and upstream on the Buffalo River. At this point, there is a side trail that comes in from the left -- this is a return trail if hikers want to do the River View Trail as an out-and-back semi-loop hike. We did not take that trail.

From the overlook, we remained on the main trail as it heads out on the level away from the river. 

At 1.4, the trail reached the Collier Homestead. The Collier Homestead was the home of Sod and Ida Mae Collier for more than 30 years. The Colliers settled the area in 1937 as a part of the Homestead Act of 1862 and lived in this rustic cabin without electricity or running water until the early 1960s. The cabin had come into much disrepair by the time the National Parks Service bought the land in 1987, but today, both out-buildings and the home have been returned to a refurbished condition so that visitors can get a feel for what life along the Buffalo River would have been like in the early part of the 20th Century.

After spending a little time checking out the homestead and the surrounding grounds, continue straight ahead on the trail. Shortly, the trail hits a couple of intersections. The trail to the right is the Buffalo River Trail heading upstream 13.1 miles toward Woolum. The trail to the left is the Return Trail and connects back with the River View trail near the overlook and goes back toward the visitors center. Stay STRAIGHT -- and this trail is the Buffalo River Trail (BRT) and heads toward Grinders Ferry/HWY 65. 

At .1 on the BRT, the trail quickly passes a parking lot (the trail from the parking lot to the Collier Homestead is handicap accessible) and then crosses over the main road and then back into the woods. The BRT  follows along a bench on mostly on the level through a really nice wooded area.

At .4 miles on the BRT (1.9 miles from the start) the trail intersects with the Spring Hollow Trail on the left and after 1 mile (2.5 miles total) the trail passes the Buck Ridge Trail. Both of these trails head down the hill to the left and come out at a parking area near the amphitheater which is a short walk from the visitors center.

We stayed straight and followed the BRT through the wooded area. The trail joins a large/deep ravine for a stretch which creates beautiful views down into the valley below. At 1.7 miles (3.2 total) the BRT reaches the intersection of the Rock Wall Trail. We turned LEFT here. The Rock Wall Trail heads over a ridge and then descends fairly steeply into a ravine. After crossing a small creek, the trail turns sharply right and follows the creek to the bottom of the hill. 

At the bottom of the hill, the trail turns LEFT and is level and follows an historic Rock Wall (the trail's namesake) back to the campground. The wall itself is short and crumbling as the moss, moisture and mother nature have taken quite a toll on its stability and height. But it's really pretty neat, and the entire area through here is very pretty.

The trail follows the rock wall for nearly .5 miles before the wall sort of ends and the trail head out toward the campground. From the BRT to the campground is .9 miles on the Rock Wall Trail.  At the campground, there is a nice bathroom with running water and from there, it's a short .2 mile walk up the hill toward the visitors center where the loop was complete.

Overall there is a LOT to see and explore in this area and this four mile loop was a really nice afternoon hike that offered a lot of great views, some great hiking, and a little bit of history along the way.

Trail Details 

Total Distance: 4 mile loop

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Kid-Friendly: Older kids capable of doing the 4 mile hike with the 300 foot elevation climb will be fine....and again, be sure everyone is safe near any bluffs at overlook areas.

Footwear: Trail Shoes or hiking boots

Trail Guide: Tim Ernst's Buffalo River Hiking Trails or the National Parks Service has maps of the area at the Visitor's Center

Star Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Trail photos from hike on November 16, 2016.

 

 

Morning Light

Sun rays reflect poke through the fog near along the Buffalo River near Steel Creek. Nature has an amazing way of speaking to us.

The Nars/Skull Bluff

The Nars is one of those places that people photography a lot, but finding directions on how to get to the area are a bit more challenging. And because the "easy" way to get there requires crossing the Buffalo River it can be a bit intimidating. 

However, on a really nice fall day this past October, we decided to go check it out. These two places are really unique places along the Buffalo River and truly worth checking out. 

The Nars is essentially an area of bluff that over the years was eroded away by the Buffalo River on the West and Richland Creek on the East. While Richland Creek has moved a bit away from the bluff over the years, the bluff remains, leaving a super-interesting narrow area of bluff that can be crossed on foot and offers pretty amazing 360 degree views of the middle part of the Buffalo River valley.

While in the area, you'll definitely want to also check out Skull Bluff -- an interesting area of bluff along the river that appears as if the eyes of a skull are looking out from the water.  Both use the same trail for a bit so we'll start at the same trail head and then take both trails.

Getting there

The trail begins in Woolum along the Buffalo River. To get to Woolum, take Highway 65 to the Community of St. Joe (24 miles South of Harrison). In St. Joe, turn WEST onto State Highway 374 (There is a sign to Woolum pointing the way). After 1 mile the road turns slightly to the right and becomes gravel -- this is Searcy Highway 14. Follow this 5.6 miles to Woolum. There is a large parking area, a sign, and a pit toilet on your right - park here.

The Trail

From the parking area, continue straight down the road toward the river on foot. At .2, the road reaches the river. As you look at the river, upstream is to your right, downstream to your left, and then there is another large creek that connects on the other side of the river: That is Richland Creek. 

The best place to cross is about 100 yards upstream from where Richland Creek connects with the Buffalo River. Be sure not to cross downstream from where Richland Creek enters the Buffalo - otherwise you'll have to cross it too!  The river levels were pretty low the day we went so crossing was relatively easy. 

Note: If the water level is high and you cannot see the bottom DO NOT attempt to cross. This is a wild river and could be very dangerous at high river levels.

Once you cross the Buffalo River, the trail follows the river upstream for a few hundred yards and then curves to the left higher up on the river bank and then curves to the right. This is easy to follow and is actually a jeep road. If you have a 4WD and conditions are right you can drive right up to the base of the Nars. But it's a scenic and easy hike so I recommend just hiking it. 

The trail follows this road the rest of the way and this is actually miles 164-165 on the Ozark Highlands Trail. You can actually drive in on this road from the south and the Richland Wilderness area also.

After crossing the river, the trail goes another .4 before hitting a wilderness sign. 

At the sign, the main trail continues straight and follows along a bluff line. There is also a spur trail to the right that heads out across a pasture. That spur trail goes to Skull Bluff. We'll come back to it later.

To get to The Nars, remain on the main trail for another .8 miles. At this point, look to your right for a dip in the bluff height. At its lowest point, there is a "trail" that leads up to the ridge. You'll have to scramble up to The Nars here. 

From the Nars, you'll get a beautiful view of both the Buffalo River and Richland Creek valleys. It's a great spot to sit for a snack, relax, and enjoy this vast world we live in. 

As with all bluffs in Arkansas, be very careful as it is a very narrow bluff and it can be a long, steep fall in many places, so exercise caution.

When you are finished, hike back the way you came. Along the way back, you may see a couple of other trails that lead up to the bluffs -- feel free to explore -- there are many great views to be had from atop the bluffs.

Skull Bluff

The trail head and initial trail for Skull Bluff are the same as for the Nars. However, once you get to the wilderness sign, take a RIGHT along a spur trail that heads out across the pasture. 

This trail follows through this pasture most of the way. At one point you'll pass the Hamilton Cemetery - -which is small, old, and not maintained.

 The trail continues through the pasture with river bluffs off in the distance. Unlike the trail to the Nars, this is not a maintained trail so it is really rough in places and at times will have a lot of thorny vines. I'd highly recommend not doing this in the middle of the summer or without long pants on. 

After approximately 1 mile from the sign, the trail heads down the hill into some trees and comes out at the Buffalo River. Skull Bluff is just upstream from here (to your left).

The best way to see Skull Bluff is to cross the river here (again, be VERY careful at river crossings and do not cross during high water) and turn left along the shore until you come to Skull Bluff.

Very impressive indeed! 

When you've enjoyed the bluff, you can head back across the river and back the way you came.

Trail Notes

The Nars:

Distance: 2.8 miles round trip

Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult. The trail is flat and mostly easy. However, the combination of the need to wade across the Buffalo River and the scramble up to the Nars make this a bit challenging.

Kid-Friendly: No

Footwear: Trail shoes or hiking boots are great. Bring some water shoes for the river crossing if you don't want to hike with wet feet.

Trail Guide: Tim Ernst's Nature Lover's Guide

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Skull Bluff

Distance: 3 miles round trip. Or, add 2 miles to above to hike to both places

Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult. There isn't much elevation change here either, but there are two water crossings to get there which ups the difficulty significantly.

Kid-Friendly: No

Footwear: Trail shoes or hiking boots, and again, water shoes for the water crossings

Trail Guide: Tim Ernst's Nature Lover's Guide

Star Rating 4 out of 5

 Other trails in the area: Buffalo River Trail; Woolum to Highway 14, Ozark Highlands Trail toward Richland Creek Campground, and Tyler Bend Trails and Gilbert Area Trails are also nearby

Buffalo River Trail -- Steel Creek to the Steel Creek Overlook

The Buffalo River Trail is among the longer trails in Northern Arkansas. In fact, enjoying all of the Buffalo River Trail would take at least three days and a couple of overnight stays.

But if you're more of a casual hiker, or day hiker, don't let "through trails" like the BRT scare you, because even many of these trails can be enjoyed as a series of short, out-and-back hikes.

While I've never hiked a portion of the Buffalo River Trail that wasn't thoroughly amazing, the short hike from the trailhead in Steel Creek to the Steel Creek overlook is among my favorites. It's a great hike to an amazing view of the Buffalo R iver below.

Getting There

The trailhead is in the Steel Creek area of the Buffalo River. Take Highway 74 East out of Ponca for approximately two miles. The road curves up a steep, windy hill. Just at a very sharp "U" curve, there is the entrance to the Steel Creek area. There are signs and it's well marked. Take the paved road down the hill to the Steel Creek area. 

When you get to the bottom of the hill, the pavement ends. To the right will be a horse camp and river access. To the left is the campground. Find a place to park in this area. 

Walk back up the paved road about 100 feet and the Buffalo River Trail crosses the road. Taking the trail to the right takes you to Ponca (trail notes to that section of the trail are here). Today, we'll turn LEFT and go toward Kyles Landing.

 The Trail

The trail is a nicely maintained trail and enters into the woods here, and starts to gradually go up some stairs. You'll be able to see the horse camp to your left, and a steep hill and some nice, small bluffs off on your right.

You'll hike along the trail for awhile, pretty high above the horse camp and the Ranger Station. The trail will then swing right and head back into a drainage area. There are a lot of large rocks back in this area that make for some nice scenery.

Past the drainage, the trail heads back down the hill. At about .5, the trail gets low into the Steel Creek Valley (Steel Creek runs into the Bufflo River just downstream). The trails swings sharply to the right upstream on Steel Creek and  away from the Buffalo River The trail goes past a fire pit, and through an open area (with a couple of power lines that go to the ranger station) and then back into the woods again, past a another campsite.   This would definitely make a great place to spend the night!  

At .6, the trail will turn to the left and you'll have to cross Steel Creek. We were able to rock-hop across the creek here without getting wet, but I can definitely see how during the very rainy season that this would be a wet crossing -- so be prepared for that. 

Once you cross the creek, the trail heads up the hill and to the right -- continuing up stream. You are now beginning the 400 foot climb to the Overlook. The trail continues up, fairly steeply, and then makes a complete turn to your left. At this point, during high water, there is the makings of a very nice, large waterfall just down the hill in front of you. There's no trail to it, and it could be pretty steep, but on a wet day it's probably worth checking out.

Continuing on the trail as it curves to your left you'll continue hiking UP the hill. The trail continues up and eventually cuts through a series of very large rocks. It's a great stretch of trail that we really enjoyed. 

Then, at 1.4 miles, you get to the overlook. And it is amazing. 

At roughly 450 feet above the river, you get a great view of the Steel Creek recreation area, as well as some fantastic views of the Buffalo River as it continues downstream and winds through the valleys amongst a series of large bluffs. 

I highly recommend spending some time and enjoying the view. They don't come much better than this.

After you've enjoyed the view, you can make your way back. The trail itself continues another 6.5 miles to Kyle's Landing...but for the sake of seing the overlook, you can make your way back down the hill, across the creek, and back to the parking area.

This is a really great hike, that, if it were just it's own hike and not part of the much longer (and more intimidating) Buffalo River Trail, would be extremely popular. But it's a great overall hike, to one of the best views in the Buffalo River area.

Details

Date Hiked: July 3, 2014

Distance: 2.8 miles round trip

Difficulty: Moderate -- mostly due to elevation change, although may be more difficult during high water at the water crossing.

Footwear: Trail Shoes or Hiking boots

Kids: Youngsters should probably sit this one out.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Guidebook: Tim Ernst's Buffalo River Hiking Trails

Ways to enjoy Northwest Arkansas in spite of the Government Shutdown

Earlier this week, the government announced it was "shutting down" until further notice while they work through their egos differences in opinion that are leading to an unbalanced budget. In addition to the many people who's jobs (and livelihoods) have been put on hold while Congress is at a stalemate, the government has decided to shut down it's national parks. In spite of what I think about the government making an attempt to shut down mother nature, alas, I'm not sure then potential $150 ticket is worth the protest -- especially when there are a lot of other great options.

Yesterday, Buffalo Outdoor Center posted its "20 Cures for the River Shutdown Blues" -- with a list of 20 great activities that can be enjoyed very near the Ponca area.

The have a great list, and I wouldn'd disuade anyone from anything on their list.

But I'll add to the list.

The entire Upper Buffalo Wilderness is open -- which means the Boen Gulf access and the hike to Magnolia Falls. There may not be much water this time of year, but the scenery is no doubt still beautiful.

Arkansas boasts a fantastic state parks system. All of the state parks are open, including Withrow Springs, Mount Nebo,  Petit Jean and all of the other great parks.

The Rut has begun in the Boxley Valley, which is the can't miss event of the year.

There are also a lot of nice trails around Crystal Bridges in Bentonville.

I'm also looking forward to taking more hikes in the Smith Creek Nature Preserve.

It's also worth mentioning that there are several great Missouri State Parks just a short drive away. The Missouri State Parks System is a finalist this year for the Gold Medal Award for best State Park system, so there are lot of great options there.

When you're finished enjoying the outdoors, wrap up with a little dinner at the Low Gap Cafe. They have a great new outdoor patio with a great view to go along with their typically outstanding food.

I'm still trying to get confirmation on the the National Forest Service Lands and whether or not those trails are open, but, needless to say there are still a lot of great options. The weather is great. The leaves will be turning in a few weeks and there is never a better time to get out and enjoy this fall weather.  Don't let the feds keep you down.