Buffalo National River — Attraction in Harrison

When we arrived on Saturday the middle and lower river was closed (opens at 10.4ft Harriet gage), so we camped at Rush. It is $16 cash, pay at the camp place. We had to wait for the river to drop to get across the creeks. There was a Jeep that had not made it across and was pushed down river. The gage was 1ft but we waited until it was 6 inches. The next day we got on the river at Dillards Ferry. It was moving about 4 miles per hour without paddling. Not any crazy rapids until Clabber Creek. The waves were about 4ft. We decided to try to go left through the flooded trees. Three first 2 made it but I got stuck. When I tried to pull it through the water pulled the boat from me. While my friend saved my tandem kayak with my gear, he lost his paddle. We had to camp just after the clabber creek shoals to regroup and make a paddle. We had 4 full days of food and gear and the water was moving 3.5 miles per hour so we could make up ground fast. After clabber creek there was a few large rapids but nothing impassable. The bluffs were amazing to see. There were 5-7 chances to see bald eagles. After 2 hours in from Dillards ferry, we saw 2 boats and 4 total people before the White river. After hitting the White river things get very boring you coast until the end. We went through Buffalo River Float Service and they brought our truck to us a day early with the water going so fast. We went 10 miles day one, 19 miles day two, and 10 miles day 3 all without much paddling and the river between 10ft and 6ft at Harriet gage. Relaxing and...

Kayaking the Buffalo River was hands-down one of the best outdoor experiences we’ve had. The mix of peaceful paddling, bursts of excitement, and natural beauty makes this stretch of river something truly special.

The scenery is incredible from the moment you launch: towering bluffs, dense forests, and the kind of calm that makes you slow down and take it all in. The river has a great balance of mellow and thrilling. There are long, gentle stretches where you can float lazily and just soak up the views, but also some sections with fast-moving current that give you a little adrenaline kick. We hit a few of those swifter spots, and they were so much fun to navigate, nothing too dangerous, but enough to keep things exciting.

One of the absolute highlights of our trip was stumbling upon a hidden waterfall tucked along the river. You can hear it before you see it, and once you do, it feels like you’ve found a secret tucked away from the world. We pulled over, climbed up a short trail, and were rewarded with a cool cascade surrounded by greenery. It’s the perfect place to take a break, explore a bit on foot, and even take a dip if it’s hot, which it definitely was when we went. The water was crisp and refreshing, and honestly, it was hard to leave.

There were a few very shallow spots where the water wasn’t deep enough to paddle through, so we had to hop out and drag our kayaks. It wasn’t a big deal, part of the adventure, and gave us a chance to wade through the cool water barefoot. It added to the fun and variety of...

Gorgeous!!! We visited in February (2019) this time. Think this is our 4th (maybe 5th!) time to stay here. Definitely worth the time to visit! Kids and grandkids love it too! We stayed in Dewey's Cabin, an old moonshiner's cabin, updated enough to be very comfortable, but not enough to lose it's charm. Fridge, stove, microwave, coffee pot, toaster, and tankless hot water heater. No dishwasher or washer/dryer. Linens are supplied. It has a queen bed in one bedroom, twin beds in the other, the most comfortable sofa sleeper I've ever seen in the living room, and a roll around bed if needed. There's a grill on the front porch and a fire pit in the yard (please be ultra careful with this, don't want any forest fires!). It's the perfect place to stay! Beautiful view of the mountains, only minutes from the river. Great swimming holes nearby, awesome hiking trails with spectacular views of the river! LOTS of deer, I saw them every morning from the kitchen window while drinking my coffee, and we saw them going to & from the Kenda Drive-In movies (which is absolutely AWESOME, you gotta go!!!) Perfect place for hunters to stay during hunting season! If you are looking for a quiet, secluded getaway, this is it! Perfect place to write that novel or paint that masterpiece! There's also an old farm house nearby, that had been remodeled too (charm intact also!), that is perfect for larger groups. These are the only two for several miles, so it's really quiet out there. We will be going back...