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
