Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Arkansas / Buffalo National River

Buffalo River Trail: Ponca to Kyles Landing

Buffalo National River, National Park Service (Upper District, Ponca Wilderness)

A tent site at Kyles Landing Campground
“A tent site at Kyles Landing Campground” by National Park Service , Public domain · Source · Cropped for the web

The Buffalo River Trail follows the Buffalo National River, which Outbound notes was declared America’s first national river in 1972. The stretch from Ponca to Kyles Landing runs through the Ponca Wilderness past towering bluffs, old homesteads, and side canyons, including the trail to Hemmed-In Hollow. The NPS calls the matching river float from Steel Creek to Kyles Landing hands-down the most beloved section of the upper river.

Hiking it means climbing well above the river at times, with big views of Big Bluff along the way.

The hike

Wikipedia says Kenneth L. Smith coordinated the development of the Buffalo River Trail, and that the Ozark Highlands Trail joins its eastern section at Woolum Ford, where volunteers from the Ozark Highlands Trail Association maintain it. Buffalo River Canoes says the Steel Creek and Kyles Landing campgrounds are the most popular in this stretch, with room for up to three tents and six people per site.

Wikipedia also says the Buffalo River Trail’s western section runs from Boxley Valley to Pruitt and stays on the south side of the river to avoid river crossings. ArkOkHiker describes the whole trail as 36.5 miles from Boxley to Pruitt and the Ponca-to-Kyles section as about 10 miles. Its writers broke the hike into two days, camping one night in the backcountry.

Near the start, the trail passes Steel Creek. ArkOkHiker says the trail follows along the Steel Creek campground, with a great view of it, then drops to Steel Creek for the first stream crossing. The NPS says Steel Creek Campground, about 3 miles east of Ponca, has 26 walk-in tent-only sites. It describes Roark Bluff there as three-quarters of a mile long and more than 200 feet tall, a sheer slab of streaked sandstone over the river.

The trail climbs high above the river in places. One AllTrails reviewer says the route gives a great view of Big Bluff and of the Ponca area from 250 to 300 feet above, and warns that steep inclines make it a difficult trip with a heavy pack. AllTrails lists Fisher Point among the top sights.

The NPS lists landmarks of the Steel Creek-to-Kyles river stretch, which the trail parallels: Big Bluff, Jim Bluff, Granny Henderson’s cabin, Hemmed-In Hollow Falls, and “Hell’s Half Acre.” The Happiness Function says the trail to Hemmed-In Hollow reaches one of the tallest waterfalls in mid-America, cascading more than 200 feet from the bluffs. Reviewers on AllTrails mention side trips to the Goat Trail and Hemmed-In Hollow. AllTrails also lists the Sneeds Creek and Hemmed-In Hollow Loop as the park’s top-rated camping trail, though Wikipedia says camping isn’t allowed in the Hemmed-In Hollow area itself.

The trail ends at Kyles Landing. The NPS says its campground, roughly halfway between Ponca and Jasper off Highway 74, has 33 walk-in tent-only sites and unreliable cell service. It recommends high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicles for the Kyles Landing road, and puts the shuttle between Steel Creek and Kyles at about 40 minutes.

Water and logistics shape the trip. One AllTrails reviewer warns there’s little to no water between Kyles Landing and Steel Creek and suggests filling up at Steel Creek. AllTrails says river and seasonal creek water must be filtered or treated.

For a loop through the Ozark National Forest, see the White Rock–Shores Lake Loop.

Tips

Camping

AllTrails and The Happiness Function say no permits are required for backcountry camping at Buffalo National River. Outfitter and Outbound pages say you can camp along the river or trail at a site you choose, as long as it’s at least half a mile from a designated NPS campground or park-maintained area. The NPS campgrounds at Steel Creek and Kyles Landing are tent-only walk-in sites. Check with the park for current backcountry rules. Wikipedia says camping is generally allowed throughout the park except in the Hemmed-In Hollow area, on Big Bluff, in historic structures, on private property inside the park, or within 100 feet of any trail or watercourse.

Inside Intel: ArkOkHiker’s writers camped the first night at Steel Creek, finding its sites more open and spread out than Lost Valley’s, then split the 10 miles with a night in the backcountry. A January 2026 AllTrails reviewer on a three-night loop from Kyles Landing spent the last night on a sandy river bank just outside the Steel Creek campground. AllTrails notes many campsites in scenic spots along the river on the nearby Old River Trail.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

A sandy bank on the Buffalo:

Camping on a river gravel bar or sandy bank goes better with a comfortable pad. See which sleeping pads testers recommend.

See the picks →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.