🚶 Float Guide
Buffalo River • White River • Spring River • Kings River • Crooked Creek
USGS gauge data — updated 4:45 PM CDT, Sep 24 — refreshes every 30 min
Upper Canyon
🪨 Too Shallow
4
CFS
1.29
ft gauge
13
mi section
🪨 Too shallow — dragging likely
▶ Put-in: Ponca Access
•
■ Take-out: Kyle's Landing
📌 USGS 07055646
Buffalo River near Boxley, AR — Hwy 21 bridge at Boxley Valley
Upper Buffalo
🪨 Too Shallow
2
CFS
1.58
ft gauge
7
mi section
🪨 Too shallow — dragging likely
▶ Put-in: Kyle's Landing
•
■ Take-out: Steel Creek
📌 USGS 07055660
Buffalo River near Ponca, AR — above Kyle's Landing
Middle Buffalo
🪨 Too Shallow
6
CFS
2.76
ft gauge
15
mi section
🪨 Too shallow — dragging likely
▶ Put-in: Pruitt
•
■ Take-out: Woolum Ford
📌 USGS 07055680
Buffalo River near Pruitt, AR — Hwy 7 bridge, Newton County
42
CFS
2.72
ft gauge
17
mi section
⚠️ Marginal — possible but scrappy
▶ Put-in: Woolum Ford
•
■ Take-out: Gilbert
📌 USGS 07056000
Buffalo River near St. Joe, AR — Searcy County
Lower Buffalo
🪨 Too Shallow
46
CFS
3.18
ft gauge
21
mi section
🪨 Too shallow — dragging likely
▶ Put-in: Gilbert
•
■ Take-out: Buffalo Point
📌 USGS 07056700
Buffalo River near Harriet, AR — above Buffalo Point
Conditions key:
😊 Too Shallow
⚠ Marginal
🚶 Good Float
🌊 High & Fast
🚨 Dangerous
2,134
CFS
Light Generation (1-2 units)
Dam status
3:00 PM CDT
As of
Marginal — possible but scrappy
ⓘ White River flow is controlled entirely by Bull Shoals Dam releases. Conditions can
change rapidly when generation begins or ends. Always check the generation schedule before
putting in — the river can rise several feet within hours of a new generation cycle.
📌 USACE Bull Shoals Dam — Lakeview, AR (primary flow source)
📌 USGS 07057370 — White River near Norfork, AR (downstream reference)
🌊 Full White River flow tracker & SWPA schedule →
Mammoth Spring to Hardy, AR • ~35 mi
291 CFS
2.81 ft
Good float conditions
Spring-fed — floatable most of the year. Mild rapids, excellent for beginners to intermediate paddlers.
📌 USGS 07069305
Spring River at Hardy, AR — Hwy 63 bridge, Sharp County
Kings River Falls to Trigger Gap • ~8 mi
19 CFS
2.65 ft
Too shallow — dragging likely
Wild and scenic. Kings River Falls is a natural landmark. Scenic float through Ozark National Forest — Class I-II.
📌 USGS 07050500
Kings River near Berryville, AR — Carroll County
Yellville area • ~12 mi
49 CFS
9.17 ft
Marginal — possible but scrappy
Flow-dependent — best after recent rain. Clear water, gravel bars, and good fishing. Check gauge before heading out.
📌 USGS 07055607
Crooked Creek near Yellville, AR — Marion County
ⓘ River gauge data from USGS National Water Information System, updated every 15 minutes. Buffalo River float thresholds based on NPS and USGS official data. White River conditions reflect current Bull Shoals Dam USACE readings.
ⓘ Always verify conditions before launching. River levels can change rapidly, especially below dams. Float conditions are advisory only — use good judgment and wear a life jacket.
📞 Useful contacts
870-741-5443 — Buffalo National River (NPS) — Harrison, AR
870-431-5311 — Bull Shoals Dam release info (Army Corps)
866-494-1993 — SWPA White River generation schedule
Live data: USGS National Water Information System
·
NPS Buffalo River Paddling Guide
