3-Day NW Arkansas Adventure

The Buffalo River is America’s first National River, stretching over 135 miles through the Ozark Mountains.

As Nebraskans, we frequently look for weekend getaways that offer different outdoor recreation experiences than the Great Plains. Although we love our wide open spaces, paddling through tight caverns and hiking to 40-foot waterfalls is always a nice treat. Northwest Arkansas is about 7.5 hours away from Omaha. With a nice mid-day lunch stop in Kansas City, the road trip down feels doable in a day. We’ve gone to this area of Arkansas three times now and have established a weekend itinerary that provides the perfect combination of adventure and relaxation. Take a Friday-Monday and head south!

WHERE TO STAY

Ever tried Hipcamp?

It’s essentially Airbnb for land. Have a big farm or acreage? Let people throw up their tent, park their camper, and let them stay. It’s a great way for folks to camp without the crowds of State Parks. Hipcamp Hosts often only have 3-10 spaces available, keeping the location low-key and relaxed. Quite often, the owners are hospitable and kind, sharing stories of their property.

We stayed at Valley of Peace right outside Mt. Judea, about 30 minutes from Jasper. Owner and host, Walter, greeted us with fresh eggs from his chickens and shared a heartfelt story of growing up on this piece of land. We settled into our creekside campsite and enjoyed the sounds of the babbling brook as we unloaded our camper, Lil’ Boochie. There are 8-sites total, each with their own unique view. They’re spread out and quiet and there’s a compost toilet nearby.

There are lots of places to stay near the Buffalo River. Many campsites are located on the river itself. However, we wanted something a bit more private and closer to other hiking options. It’s important to note that this area of Arkansas is quite remote - make sure you’ve got gas and maps downloaded. Walter did a great job of having signage to guide to his property, but it would be tough to view if you were coming in at night. Sometimes part of the Hipcamp adventure is just finding the location!

ITINERARY

After a few trips down to NW AR, we’ve finally found the right combination of duration, adventure, and relaxation. Here is our itinerary for a Friday-Monday trip (counting Monday as a drive day back home).

AM Drive down
Halfway lunch stop in KC
Groceries and beer before you hit the dry counties (!!!).
Arrive to campsite before dark. Camp setup and easy dinner. Plan for next day. Early to bed.
PADDLE DAY!
9AM Rent kayaks through Buffalo River Outfitters. *Reservatios were made 2-weeks in advance
Drive to put-in
10AM Long float down the Buffalo. Routes vary due to river levels and crowds. Normal trip takes approximately 4-6 hours.
2PM Off the river. BRO offers a shuttle service to bring your car down to the take out. Highly reccomend!
After paddle, do early dinner and drinks in town. Check out some local shops and people.
8PM Back to camp, fire and hang
HIKING DAY
Sleep in, big camp breakfast.
There are so many options for hiking around Buffalo River. Check out AllTrails for suggestions, but don’t be afraid to find your own adventure. This time we did Thunder Canyon Falls and it was a delight.
Allow for ample drive time to get to the trailhead. This part of AR is very rural spread out.
Lunch on hike
Late afternoon finish hike. Drive back to camp.
Big celebratory camp dinner + drinks
Pack up small things, get organized for drive home.

There ya have it! The last day is just a hit-hard drive home day, no stops and power through. You’ll be sweaty and tired and ready for bed so we don’t plan anything other than a long car ride and listening to podcasts.

The paddle and the hike can be swapped depending on the weather. I’d recommend kayaking on your sunniest day, as some clouds and rain are covered by trees on a hike anyway. Check out your nearby towns - there aren’t many - but a few have some fun restaurants and shops. We definitely don’t go to NW AR for the nightlife, it’s mostly nature-based.

The Ozark Mountains are an adventurer’s paradise. I often tell folks it reminds me of the Appalachians in North Carolina. Heavily wooded, winding roads, and lots of beautiful water features. I’ve rock climbed, paddled, hiked and camped in NW AR and have enjoyed it every time.

Have fun out there!