🚶 Float Guide
Buffalo River • White River • Spring River • Kings River • Crooked Creek
USGS gauge data — updated 7:00 AM CDT, May 4 — refreshes every 30 min
Upper Canyon
🪨 Too Shallow
82
CFS
2.38
ft gauge
13
mi section
🪨 Too shallow — dragging likely
▶ Put-in: Ponca Access
•
■ Take-out: Kyle's Landing
USGS 07055646
Upper Buffalo
🛶 Good Float
222
CFS
3.98
ft gauge
7
mi section
🛶 Good float conditions
▶ Put-in: Kyle's Landing
•
■ Take-out: Steel Creek
USGS 07055660
Middle Buffalo
🛶 Good Float
216
CFS
4.14
ft gauge
15
mi section
🛶 Good float conditions
▶ Put-in: Pruitt
•
■ Take-out: Woolum Ford
USGS 07055680
Lower Middle
🛶 Good Float
632
CFS
4.63
ft gauge
17
mi section
🛶 Good float conditions
▶ Put-in: Woolum Ford
•
■ Take-out: Gilbert
USGS 07056000
Lower Buffalo
🛶 Good Float
824
CFS
4.63
ft gauge
21
mi section
🛶 Good float conditions
▶ Put-in: Gilbert
•
■ Take-out: Buffalo Point
USGS 07056700
Conditions key:
😊 Too Shallow
⚠ Marginal
🚶 Good Float
🌊 High & Fast
🚨 Dangerous
662
CFS
Not Generating
Dam status
6:00 AM CDT
As of
Good float conditions
ⓘ 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.
🌊 Full White River flow tracker & SWPA schedule →
Mammoth Spring to Hardy, AR • ~35 mi
512 CFS
3.09 ft
Good float conditions
Spring-fed — floatable most of the year. Mild rapids, excellent for beginners to intermediate paddlers.
USGS 07069305 — Hardy gauge
Kings River Falls to Trigger Gap • ~8 mi
347 CFS
4.23 ft
Good float conditions
Wild and scenic. Kings River Falls is a natural landmark. Scenic float through Ozark National Forest — Class I-II.
USGS 07050500 — Berryville gauge
Yellville area • ~12 mi
89 CFS
9.84 ft
Good float conditions
Flow-dependent — best after recent rain. Clear water, gravel bars, and good fishing. Check gauge before heading out.
USGS 07055607 — Yellville gauge
ⓘ 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
