NOTE: As of 1 Jan 2020, we have discontinued our camp trips, referring customers to Wild Bills Outfitters (870)449.6235, or Cotter Trout Dock (870)435.6525.
On your trip down the Buffalo, this is the type of scenery you will see. You might like to read Charles Newland's trip down the Buffalo. Or a 1965 article in Outdoor Life (text) featuring Bill Newland (Charles' father).
Please be aware that since Buffalo is a "free-flowing stream", the possibility exists it may not be floatable (too high, or low) at the time of your trip. In this event we automatically change the trip to White River.
Newlands is an Approved Concessionaire of The National Park Service, Department of the Interior
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For an orientation to Buffalo River, refer to these maps. The Buffalo River website is here. Overall water levels can be found here. Another good source for water levels is here.
|
Area |
Very Low |
Floatable |
Just Right |
High |
Flood |
|
< 2 feet |
2 - 3.5' |
3.5 - 6 |
6- 10 |
> 10 |
|
|
< 3.5 |
3.5 - 4.5 |
4.5 - 8.5 |
8.6-12.5 |
> 12.5 |
|
|
< 4.5 |
4.4 - 4.7 |
4.8 - 6.6 |
6.7 - 8 |
> 8 |
|
|
< 2' |
3 - 2.5 |
2.5 - 4.9 |
5 - 6 |
> 6 |
There are put-in spots further upstream, but the highest we usually go is Hwy 123 (Carver). It's about six miles downstream to Mt Hershey; nine on down to Wollum; eleven to Baker Ford; four to Tyler Bend; one to Hwy 65 bridge; four to Gilbert; eleven to MauMee; ten to Hwy 14 bridge; eight to Rush; twenty-five to Buffalo City (about a mile upstream on the White River).
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Pristine gravel bars are numerous on the Buffalo.
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Generally, we use spinning or casting gear throwing Flukes (by Zoom), 5", pumpkin seed, lavender green, shad colors; Centipede (by Zoom), 4", pumpkin seed, green pumpkin; Gitzit, 3" or 4", pumpkin seed, green pumpkin; HulaGrub, 3", pumpkin seed, green pumpkin; Grubs, 3", root beer, lavender green. For the "lead heads" we usually use either 1/8 oz or 1/4 oz.
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View over the front of the jon-boat looking at some pretty rough water. Things can get "woolly" at times...so you might want to bring some water-proof bags to keep your things dry.
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More nice scenery from the Buffalo.
Even if you don't catch a fish, it's worth the trip just to see it.
Note - while this stream is really something to be experienced, keep in mind it is "free-flowing", meaning if it rains a lot it can get unfloatable. When we set up trips here, it is with the understanding that in this case, we revert to the White River which nearly always remains floatable because it is "not free-flowing" (it has a dam to hold the water back).
There are several outfitters operating along the Buffalo. Starting at the lower part of the river, and moving upstream these include:
Wild Bills (870) 449-6235 800-554-8657
Buffalo River Outfitters 870-439-2244, 1-800-582-2244
http://gilbertstore.com/Gilbert General Store 870.439.2888 439.2386
Buffalo Outdoor Center 870-861-5514
Buffalo River Float Service 1-877-350-6592 (870) 449-2042
Dirst Canoe Rental 1-800-537-2850 (870) 449-6636
Buffalo Camping & Canoeing (870) 439-2888
Crockett's Canoe Rental 1-800-355-6111 (870) 448-3892
Silver Hill Canoe, Inc (870) 439-237
Gordon Motel 1-800-477-8509 (870) 446-5252
Buffalo River Canoes (870) 446-2644
Lost Valley Canoe & Lodging (870) 861-5522
Riverview Motel Canoe Rentals (870) 446-2616