Is the upper Buffalo runnable in Aug

Wilderness Tripping
#1

Hello everyone,



I was planning on planning a three day float down a section of the Buffalo for the middle part of next month. I’ve never been on the river, but have been looking forward to squeezing a trip in. My concern is that I’m hearing the water levels are very low this time of year and certain sections may be unrunnable.



I was hoping that someone familiar with the Buffalo might recommend one of the more senic three day floats that would be runnable this time of year. I would like to do something in the upper portion of the river. And if anyone might recommend an outfitter with quality rental canoes, that’d be great.



Thanks a bunch, I’ll let ya’ll know how the trip goes.

#2

To clarify,
thats the Buffalo in Arkansas

#3

Check out this site
http://www.buffaloriverandrain.com/

You can see recommended floatable levels and current and historical river levels as well as rainfall records for several sites on the Buffalo starting at Ponca & downstream.



I’ve never paddled Buffalo then but we did try once (lower reaches) in late Sept. and Oct. and decided it was too low.

#4

Not likely in August
We floated the Buffalo from Pruitt to the confluence with the White River two years ago in May. It was too low to begin any higher up stream and pretty boney for the couple of days below Pruitt.



It would be an unusually wet year to be able to float the Upper Buffalo in August. I’m not too far away in Dallas, Texas, and this year has been dry.



If I were you, I’d plan on starting in Gilbert, or downstream (depending how hard you like to go) and end up in Norfork on the White River (Buffalo City is a little upstream from the confluence and hard to get to if there’s any release from the dam upstream on the White).



It’s a pretty run and, for good or bad, doesn’t have much in the way of rapids at all.

#5

Thanks for the info
I’ll take a look see at the website and maybe think about changing my run.

#6

middle buffalo
we have had a few hard showers that lifted the gauges to the point you might drag a few but not all? >>> hope this will help?http://www.buffaloriverandrain.com/cgi-bin/levelreport

#7

middle buffalo
we have had a few hard showers that lifted the gauges to the point you might drag a few but not all? >>> hope this will help?http://www.buffaloriverandrain.com/cgi-bin/levelreport

#8

Rush to Buffalo City
We did this the 3rd week of July. Its pretty low, but doable, especially in 3 days. There is some great scenery and solitude in this end, we only saw 2 other canoes.

If you’re interested I’ll elaborate.