Buffalo National River
The Buffalo National River, in Northern Arkansas, was the first National River to be designated in the United States.
A national river, 3 mi west of Gilbert
Visits fell 17% in 2025
The National Park Service counted 1,393,246 visitors in 2025, down from 1,686,348 the year before. Visitors ↓
You can sleep inside the park
7 places to stay are inside the park: Lost Valley Canoe & Lodging and Walnut Grove Cabins. The nearest town with more is Gilbert. Where to stay ↓
Gilbert is inside the park
Gilbert sits inside the park’s boundary. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Sep and Oct
September and October are mild and quieter than average, with highs of 73–83°. When to go ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
Crowds and weather, month by month
Bars: average monthly visitors, 2022–2025. Line: the typical afternoon high. Green months are mild and quieter than average.
Buffalo National River
The Buffalo National River, in Northern Arkansas, was the first National River to be designated in the United States. The Buffalo River is 153 miles (246 km) long. The lower 135 miles (217 km) flow within the boundaries of an area managed by the National Park Service, where the stream is designated the Buffalo National River. The river flows through Newton, Searcy, Marion, and Baxter Counties, from west to east. The river originates in the highest part of the Boston Mountains of the Ozarks, flows out onto the Springfield Plateau near the historic community of Erbie, and finally crosses a portion of the Salem Plateau just before joining the White River. The Park is home to the state's only elk herd. The upper section of the river in the Ozark National Forest is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and is designated as a National Scenic River and a National Wild River.
- Type
- National River
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Listed
- International Dark Sky Park (2019)
- Wikipedia readers
- 17K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/buff
Before you go
Where to stay near Buffalo National River
You can sleep inside the park (7 places). The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Gilbert (7) and St. Joe (3).
Stay in the park
- Lost Valley Canoe & Lodging lodge or cabins
- Walnut Grove Cabins lodge or cabins
- Buffalo National River Kyle's Landing Campground campground
- Ozark Campground campground
- Centerpoint Campground/Horsecamp and lodge campground
- Tyler Bend Campground, Buffalo Natl River campground
Gilbert
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
25 people · 49% vacation homes
3 mi east of Tyler Bend Visitor Center
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilbert 49% vacation homes | inside the park | 5 min | 7 1 hotel · 3 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds | 25 | — | — |
| St. Joe | 4 mi northwest | 5 min | 3 1 hotel · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park | 132 | $67K | — |
| Marshall | 9 mi southeast | 15 min | 4 2 hotels · 2 motels | 1,320 | $100K | C |
| Branson 32% vacation homes | 53 mi northwest | 1.5 hr | 235 162 hotels · 25 motels · 15 inns & B&Bs · 16 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 11 campgrounds · 5 RV parks | 12,921 | $251K | D− |
| Bull Shoals | 28 mi north | 45 min | 24 5 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 14 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 1,888 | $158K | B+ |
| Cotter | 25 mi northeast | 35 min | 14 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B · 8 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 946 | $193K | — |
| Jasper | 24 mi west | 35 min | 12 5 hotels · 4 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 516 | $184K | — |
| Harrison | 27 mi northwest | 40 min | 13 9 hotels · 2 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 campground | 13,802 | $170K | C |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
Also near Buffalo
Other well-known places within 66 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
56 mi Theme parkSilver Dollar City
149 mi LakeTable Rock Lake
59 mi LandmarkChrist of the Ozarks
252 mi MuseumTitanic Museum56 mi CaveMarvel Cave
60 mi State parkPetit Jean State Park
335 mi CaveBlanchard Springs Caverns
65 mi GardenBlue Springs Heritage CenterPhoto credits
Silver Dollar City: Nan Fry, CC BY 2.0 · Table Rock Lake: KTrimble (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Christ of the Ozarks: Bobak Ha'Eri, Public domain · Titanic Museum: Brad A. Totman, Public domain · Petit Jean State Park: ErgoSum88, Public domain · Blanchard Springs Caverns: Eric Hunt, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Blue Springs Heritage Center: Mitchel23, CC BY-SA 3.0
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1,393,246 visitors in 2025
Every full year the Park Service has counted. 2020 (gold) was the pandemic year. Green is the record (2016).
Visiting Buffalo
What town is Buffalo National River near?
Gilbert, AR, about 3 miles east.
When is the best time to visit Buffalo National River?
September and October, with highs of 73–83°. June is the busiest month (about 276,197 visitors).
How many people visit Buffalo National River each year?
1,393,246 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 1,785,359, set in 2016.
What is the closest airport to Buffalo National River?
Boone County (HRO), about 29 miles away. The nearest big hub is Frederick W. Smith (MEM), about 170 miles.
Where should I stay near Buffalo National River?
Inside the park: Lost Valley Canoe & Lodging, Walnut Grove Cabins and Buffalo National River Kyle's Landing Campground. Nearby: Gilbert (3 mi, 7 places to stay), St. Joe (4 mi, 3 places to stay) and Marshall (9 mi, 4 places to stay).
Tips from people in Gilbert
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Gilbert’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.