Footloose and Fancy Free Hiking at the Buffalo River

in #travel6 years ago

Last week Ini's sister was in from Canada. We decided to go on some adventures to show her the area and get some exploring in ourselves at new (to us) places.

One of our stops was at the Buffalo River in Arkansas, one of the few natural flowing, undammed rivers in the United States. We had seen this place on the way home from our trip to Central Arkansas looking for America's Native Caffine Plant, the Yaupon Holly. We knew we wanted to come back through as it's stunningly gorgeous! It's also a kayaker/canoer paradise!

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Ini and his sister


The Buffalo National River was established by an Act of Congress on March 1, 1972, ending the recurring plans of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct one or more dams on the river. The National River designation protects natural rivers from industrial uses, impoundments and other obstructions that may change the natural character of the river or disrupt the natural habitat for the flora and fauna that live in or near the river.

We decided to hike a secton just east of Ponca, Arkansas. We got lost on the way there so we were quite relieved to hop right in when we arrived at the trailhead.


Incredible Rocks

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The gorgeous rock faces drew us in immediately to the ancient beauty of the area. These towering monoliths have been carved by water slowly over time

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We had to wade a lot of river crossings, but it was so refreshing in the humid heat characteristic in these parts.

We saw many people floating the river and camping and vowed to come back to this beautiful place to do the same!


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I think we came at the perfect time when the light was reflecting beautifully off of the water.


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We stopped for a while in this beautiful area after taking a dip near a gentle falls.



Then waded back in absolute beauty.

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I have always loved hiking as the peace of nature can enter you then and relax all of our human worries. The trees create such a nice habitat that soothes and enlivens us as the water washes away anything we may be carrying. So much gratitude to nature for these (and many more reasons).

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Oh my gosh!!! Definitely adding this to my list of places to go! Thanks so much for sharing with us. :)

Wow this is so beautiful, so lush and vibrant, I want to be transported there now! Love how happy Ini you look and your sister together xxx

yes, our area has erupted into a bright vibrant -humid- jungle of sorts. this was a very special outing at a beautiful river. we were definitely happy! :) <3

Beautiful place. I spent sometime in SE Kansas growing up and we did float trips in Missouri, Arkansas, and even NE Oklahoma. Lots of slow peaceful rivers...

sure is! i thought you'd appreciate this after your comment on the last one. beautiful to be here with all of these towering rocks and slow peaceful rivers, as you say.

It's so gorgeous! Honestly, i have sort of always written off so much of the middle of the US, but this is every bit as gorgeous as western nc or colorado, though different, of course. Thanks for sharing and helping me shed my prejudices!

hahah ;) you're welcome. i can totally here that and sometimes i long for the beatuy of the west or the big mountains, but there is so much majesty here, too! i've been beginning to wonder if it's that way this whole earth round if we have eyes to see ;) (methinks it is ;))

I agree. So much beauty on this planet. I have the travel itches so, so bad.

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