Buffalo River Blog

What's New
in Buffalo National River Country

We update this Blog and NW Arkansas Vacation Calendar regularly so our guests will know what's happening each week-end in every season.

Just click on the orange "RSS" button in the upper left corner of this page to subscribe.

Buffalo National River Country's favorite rental cabins make a great USA vacation destination.

That way you'll never miss an opportunity to have fun in the Ozark Mountains. We're located just a short drive from lots of area attractions in NW ARK and SW MO.

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for more fun family vacation events

The articles below are just a sampling of current vacation news full of wonderful kid-friendly things to do when you travel to the Buffalo River National Park and stay at Bear Creek Log Cabins

Northwest Arkansas Travel Lodging Deals for Couples, Families, and Groups

Northwest Arkansas Travel Packages: Northwest Arkansas Travel DISCOUNTS on cozy log cabin lodging for friends and family outdoor recreation.

Continue reading "Northwest Arkansas Travel Lodging Deals for Couples, Families, and Groups"

Area News for 2013

The Searcy County Chamber of Commerce has just issued the 2013 calendar of events. Go to the link below for more information or find them on facebook at "Searcy County Arkansas Chamber of Commerce" for all the news that is news in Buffalo River country. The calendar will be updated on a regular basis, so check it out often.

Continue reading "Area News for 2013"

Best ATV Riding in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and mid-USA!

atv grandparents

ATV Riding in Natural Beauty:ATV riding in all seasons is great family fun on our PRIVATE farm roads. Buffalo River country is perfect for 4x4 trails and dirt bike trails.

Continue reading "Best ATV Riding in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and mid-USA!"

Flying Jam 2012


Air Show and Music Festival

Saturday October 6, 2012 expect lots of fun for the entire family in Marshall, AR .

Air Show in North West Arkansas

Searcy County Airport
Flying Jam Music Festival
Bring your lawnchairs and enjoy the day
Admission is FREE
Parking is FREE
This year, the Annual Fly-In features a mini air show with the famous Powerchutes.

Bluegrass, Country, and Gospel, Music will fill the airport hangar all day. Outside, you will find food tents, crafts, and plenty of interesting displays. Call Jack Treat at 870-448-4488 for more information. Also, learn more at the http://searcycountyarkansas.org/airport/2012-flying-jam.

Best Cabin Rental for Couples, Kids, Hunting, Fishing, and 4Wheelers

Voted Best Cabin by Our Guests

Continue reading "Best Cabin Rental for Couples, Kids, Hunting, Fishing, and 4Wheelers"

Buffalo National River Ozarks Mountains Family Vacation Trip Destinations

Bear Creek valley

Buffalo National River Ozarks Mountains Make the Buffalo National River in the heart of the Ozark Mountains your Arkansas and Missouri vacation trip planning headquarters.

Continue reading "Buffalo National River Ozarks Mountains Family Vacation Trip Destinations"

Have a Safe and Happy FOURTH of JULY

Family reunion games and activities at our Arkansas cabin rentals.Summer time is FAMILY REUNION time at Bear Creek Log Cabins in Buffalo National River country.

Families gather here from Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas and all over the USA.

Our rental cabins are great for reunion games and activites for all ages.

North Arkansas Celebrates AR Civil War

22nd annual North Arkansas Ancestor Fair: Focusing on Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial with speakers Russell Baker and James Johnston.

North Arkansas Ancester Fair .

FREE genealogy swap meet. Admission: Fee on June 3 for speakers.

Call 870-448-3308 for more information or visit www.ancestorfair.us

Ozarks Parade and Festival

Ozarks Hillbilly Daze ParadeSaturday, May 28 2011 come up on the mountain to Witts Springs, AR for the 24th Annual Hillbilly Daze if you like parades, good country fun, and great food.

Everyone is encouraged to enter the Parade and compete for CASH Prizes! All old cars, ATVs, Horses, Floats, Bikes, Wagons, and Marching Groups are WELCOME!!

Children love the special KIDS Parade and everybody has fun on the Treasure Hunt Plus there will be fried catfish, chicken strips and jojos and lots of music all day.

Ozark Mountain Market Opens

Leslie, AR Arts and Heritage Committee sponsors a local Farmers Market, Crafts Show, and open-air Music event every other Saturday throughout the Spring and Summer seasons.

The Ozark Mountain Market opens this Saturday April 23, 2011 on the square in downton Leslie with a special Spring Plant Sale

Call 870-504-1034 for more information.

Annual Branson World Celebration

April 1 - May 31, 2011 Branson welcomes everyone to enjoy all their American AND internationally inspired entertainment experiences.

Branson theaters, restaurants and shopping venues will be representing countries from all around the world with special shows, food and music.

For more information about the gala See the World in Branson events, call 417-348-1434

You can enjoy all the good things Branson MO offers while saving money and escaping from the crowds there by staying at our cabins. We're just an hour and fifteen minutes from the city center. But the nights are peaceful and quiet here.

Buffalo River ELK ARE BACK!

The wild elk have returned to our pastures big time!

Wild elk viewing on Bear Creek Log Cabins property. Photo by Lee Walsh of Searcy County Chamber of Commerce

They never really went away - in fact some of our guests reported seeing them all through the winter.

But SPRING is a GREAT TIME for wild elk viewing from the porches of our cabins and while you go 4wheeling on our ranch.

Our thanks to Lee Walsh of the SearcyCountyChamber.org for this elk photograph.

Buffalo River Visitor Centers Ready for Spring

Access to the national river is open all year.

Some facilities may be closed or have limited operating hours during the winter months. But things will soon be getting into full swing again as the weather warms up.

Most visitors come to float the river by canoe, tube, or kayak. While others may choose hiking, picnicking, horseback riding, fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing, visiting historic districts, and bird-watching.

Whether you prefer being on the river, exploring other areas of the park, or attending ranger lead programs, you can always find something to your liking.

You can contact the Buffalo National River Park personnel at the following phone numbers:

Tyler Bend Visitor Center
(870) 439-2502.

Buffalo Point Ranger Station
(870) 449-4311.

Pruitt Ranger Station
(870) 446-5373.

Blanchard Springs Caverns Underground Concert

Celtic folk songs and instrumental music will fillthe cathedral-like atmosphere of Blanchard Springs Caverns in honor of St. Patricks Day.

An elevator transports you down deep in the earth to enjoy the beauty of the cave rooms while listening to regional interpretations Celtic Classics. Matinee performances on Saturday Mar. 19 & Sunday March 20 start at 2:30 & 4:30 P.M.

More information is available at 1-888-679-2859

Become a Buffalo National River VIP

VIPs (Volunteers in Parks) help support and preserve the Buffalo National River in many ways.

A select number of Campground Hosts are needed each year to provide assistance to campers and other Park visitors.

To become a Buffalo National River Campground Host for the upcoming season 03/15/2011-11/15/2011 call the VIP Coordinator at 870-741-5443

Wild Cave Tours

NOW through March 1, 2011 Blanchard Springs Caverns will be offering their incredible 4-hour guided trip into UNDEVELOPED portions of Blanchard Springs Caverns where the public in not usually allowed. This exciting tour ends at the spectacular Titans formations.

Call 870-757-2211
or visit their website at
www.blanchardcavetours.com
for cave tour schedule and fees.

Buffalo River NPS Asking for Input

The National Park Service is seeking public and agency input for its Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Exotic Plant Management Plan proposed treatment plans.

The environmental assessment will evaluate potential impacts to the natural, cultural and human environment from treatment and management activities related to the proposed action.

The purpose of the project is to address the eradication of exotic and invasive plant species within the 14 parks that make up the Heartland Network, including Buffalo National River.

During this scoping period, the public is welcome to identify any issues or concerns they may have with the proposed project so that they may be appropriately considered in the environmental assessment.

We will post additional information about this important issue as more details become available.

Buffalo River Visitor Centers

Buffalo National River's visitor contact facilities at Tyler Bend (U.S. Highway 65) and Buffalo Point (state Highway 14) closed Friday and Saturday, Dec. 24 - 25 for the Christmas holiday and will be closed Friday and Saturday Dec. 31-Jan. 1 for the New Year holiday.

Tyler Bend will resume regular operations on the Sundays following each closure. Phone (870) 439-2502 for information. Buffalo Point will resume operations on the Tuesdays following each closure. Phone (870) 449-3411 for information.

Visitors are advised to call the park dispatch at (888) 692-1162 to report any emergencies.

Art Museum at Crystal Bridges

A WORLD-CLASS art collection will soon be available to NW AR visitors at Crystal Bridges near Bentonville.

The Sam Walton family is providing a one of a kind cultural and educational center in the natural beauty of the scenic Arkansas Ozark Mountains. They call it Art Framed by Nature.

Opening date for the new museum of 11-11-11 (November 11, 2011) will be here before we know it. We welcome the Crystal Bridges to our area and look forward to sending our visitors there.

Already, along the Crystal Bridges Bike and Walking Trail, Crystal Bridges Museum has installed an observation deck that will give visitors the opportunity to watch the museum construction progress. Several months before opening the museum they will take the structure down to revert that area back to nature.

For more information about the trails and the museum itself, visit the Crystal Bridges Museum website.

2011 ARKANSAS WILDLIFE Wall Calendar

Buffalo River country and more are featured in these scenic Arkansas wildlife viewing photos.

Once again
premier Arkansas outdoor photographer,
Tim Ernst,
presents some of his best nature photos
in his new
2011
Arkansas Wildlife Calendar
.

All of his guidebooks and gorgeous nature photography books,
as well his
Arkansas Calendar are available by calling 800-838-HIKE (4453) toll-free or visiting
his website

Eleven collections of Tim Ernst wilderness photographs have been published as coffee table picture books. His best-selling hiking trail guidebooks include The Ozark Highlands Trail Guide, Buffalo River Hiking Trails, Arkansas Hiking Trails, the Ouachita Trail Guide. His newest guidebooks include the Arkansas Waterfalls Guidebook, which details more than 130 great waterfalls all over the state and Arkansas Nature Lovers Guidebook.