Witts Springs is a
Top Arkansas Outdoor Adventure Community with
Waterfalls, Cycling, Horseback Riding, Hiking on the Ozark Highlands's Trail, Camping, Motorcycle Roads, Whitewater Kayaking on Falling Water Creek, Hunting, The Richland Creek Wilderness, Rock Climbing at Stack Rock, Dark Skies, and ATV & Jeep Rides!Witts Springs is the gateway to the Richland Wilderness of the Ozark National Forest! At approximately 1,900 feet in elevation, Witts Springs is a launching point for hiking the nearby Ozark Highlands Trail, experiencing the Richland Waterfalls Welcome Center, visiting a Civil War Historic marker, horseback riding in the Ozark National Forest, following the Arkansas Quilt Trail, rock climbing at Stack Rock, area ATV rides, whitewater kayaking and waterfall photography along the Falling Water Creek and Richland Creek watersheds, hunting, camping at the Richland Creek Recreation Area & Campground, riding the Growl and Lasso and Lost Mine Run motorcycle routes, and viewing the amazing naturally dark night skies! The Ozark National Forest is designated as an "Important Bird Area!" Richland Creek is designated a National Wild & Scenic River!
Great horseback riding in the Ozark National Forest with Boston Mountain Horse Camp!
Witts Springs is hands down one of Arkansas' most hospitable cycling stops! Visit the rider's village in Witts Springs while riding the Ozark Grinder Trail gravel grinder bicycle route, the annual Pedestal Rock road bike ride and Lick Fork gravel grind that takes place here each October, as well as the 1,000+ mile Arkansas High Country Race, an epic bikepacking adventure race that transits the area each June! For more information visit https://wittssprings.org/.
The Ozark Highlands Trail has been noted as one of the top ten long distance hiking trails in the US by the Guardian! Also noted by Outside magazine as one of the World’s Seven Great Winter Backpacking Trips! From Outside Magazine: "The Ozark Highlands Trail (OHT), currently 270 miles long (with 50 more trail miles in the works), travels through a little-known stretch of the American wilderness in the northern half of the state. The Forest Service calls it “one of the most scenic trails in the US,” and we’d tend to agree. The best part? With little-to-no thru-hiker traffic, you can have this oasis of wildlife, waterfalls, and ridgelines all to yourself."
The Ozark Highlands Trail named The 8 Best Long-Haul Backpacking Trails in USA for 2022 - Travel your way | Best things to do | Best travel destinations | Road trip planner | Best countries to visit | Cheap places to travel The Ozark Highlands Trail, which encompasses the Buffalo River Trail, enters western Searcy County near Falling Water Creek and proceeds north to a point across the Buffalo National River from Woolum.
Witts Springs is also a great Fall Foliage destination!
Coming soon! The WOMPA off-road vehicle park for ATVs, jeeps, and dirt bikes!
Get your lodging here: Witts Springs, Arkansas | Searcy County Chamber of Commerce (searcycountyarkansas.org)
The Richland Creek Wilderness was created by the 1984 Arkansas Wilderness Act and contains 11,801 acres in the middle of the Boston Mountains. Richland Creek Wilderness, Ozark-St. Francis National Forests - Recreation.gov
Gilbert is a Top Arkansas Outdoor Adventure Community with Canoeing & Kayaking on the Buffalo National River, Cycling along the Ozark Grinder Trail, Horseback Riding, Hiking along the Buffalo National River, Camping, Cabins, Swimming, and Dark Skies! The "Coolest Town in Arkansas," Gilbert is an amazing Buffalo River Resort Town with a mix of adventure and art! Local outdoor art on display at the fabulous Buffalo River Art Gallery! Gilbert also sports a wonderful Buffalo National River Outfitter, Buffalo Camping & Canoeing! Canoes, Kayaks & Rafts! The Gilbert RV Campground is a great RV destination in walking distance to the river! Gilbert has the closest lodging to the Buffalo River! Find your lodging here: Gilbert, Arkansas | Searcy County Chamber of Commerce (searcycountyarkansas.org) The historic Gilbert General Store is still in operation! Built in 1901, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places! Ben's Place, beside the general store, features wonderful food, and Live Music in the warmer months! Gilbert is also a Wedding and Events Destination! Contact Buffalo Camping & Canoeing for reservation information at (870) 439-2888. Gilbert is part of the Arkansas Quilt Trail and is also a Tree City USA!
The Buffalo National River is the 1st park in Arkansas to be named an International Dark Sky Park and Gilbert is the 1st Dark Sky Lighting Compliant City in Arkansas! Searcy County has some of the darkest night skies in the Eastern United States with Bortle Dark-Sky Scale Two designations for sites along the Buffalo National River from Woolum to Tyler Bend to Gilbert With a designation of two, the Milky Way can be seen in great detail!
One of Arkansas' most spectacular overlooks is near Gilbert, the Red Bluff Overlook! Gilbert is also a great Fall Foliage destination!
Snowball/Eula is a Top Arkansas Outdoor Adventure Community! Snowball is a cycling crossroads community in Searcy County! Snowball sits at the foot of Rollins Point (2,021 feet) and Point Peter (2,040 feet) and is visited by the The Ozark Grinder Trail, the Arkansas High Country Race route, the Lick Fork Gravel ride, the Snowball Adventure Race, and the Arkansas Graveler! Eula hosts fabulous rock climbing at the Stack Rock Special Interest Area, the Devil’s Tower of Searcy County! Located just off the Richland Creek Road. Eula also hosts great backcountry aviation here in Searcy County! The Richland Creek Airport 4AR9 near Snowball is a superb Ozark Mountain airport in the "Heart of the Buffalo National River" country!
Snowball and Eula are also frequnted by Jeep excursions and ATV riders! The Ozark Highlands Trail has been noted as one of the top ten long distance hiking trails in the US by the Guardian! Also noted by Outside magazine as one of the World’s Seven Great Winter Backpacking Trips! From Outside Magazine: "The Ozark Highlands Trail (OHT), currently 270 miles long (with 50 more trail miles in the works), travels through a little-known stretch of the American wilderness in the northern half of the state. The Forest Service calls it “one of the most scenic trails in the US,” and we’d tend to agree. The best part? With little-to-no thru-hiker traffic, you can have this oasis of wildlife, waterfalls, and ridgelines all to yourself."
The Ozark Highlands Trail named The 8 Best Long-Haul Backpacking Trails in USA for 2022 - Travel your way | Best things to do | Best travel destinations | Road trip planner | Best countries to visit | Cheap places to travel The Ozark Highlands Trail, which encompasses the Buffalo River Trail, enters western Searcy County near Falling Water Creek and proceeds north to a point across the Buffalo National River from Woolum, then continues downriver to Tyler Bend!
Wild elk roam the area and attract photographers and hunters! The elk may be hunted with permit during hunting season. Searcy County is the Elk Hunting Capital of Arkansas! Since habitat work in Richland Valley began, Wes Wright, elk program coordinator for the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission,says he’s seen as many as 300 elk in one morning at that location. Richland Creek and the Buffalo National River are both designated National Wild & Scenic Rivers! Eula/Snowball offer multiple access locations to America's 1st National River! The Buffalo National River is also designated as an "Important Bird Area!"
There's spectacular horseback riding in the Snowball/Eula area to include the Peter Cave Road on the Buffalo National River! The Peter Cave Overlook, the "Nars," and the Bat House (aka Skull Bluff,) are three of the most recognizable natural wonders along the entire length of the Buffalo National River! Snowball/Eula is also a great Fall Foliage destination!
Marshall is a Top Arkansas Outdoor Adventure Community! One of Arkansas’s finest mountain towns and holds the distinction as the largest city in the Buffalo River Watershed! Located just a few miles south of the Buffalo National River, Marshall is also centrally located between two segments of the Ozark National Forest and is a base camp for a large variety of Ozark’s outdoor fun! Wild elk roam just outside the city limits! The scenic overlook above Marshall is one of the finest panoramic scenes in all of Arkansas and comes with a roadside park, coffee shop, historic marker, and interpretive sign. This is a great selfie spot! Just northwest of town along US Highway 65 sits the Smith Barn, one of the most photographed barns in all of Arkansas!
Marshall is a great motorcycle town and the gorgeously beautiful
Growl Lasso Motorcycle route runs through Marshall. Marshall is also a
cycling town! The
annual Arkansas High Country Race transits Marshall each year! This epic, self-supported event attracts some of the
greatest long-distance cyclers in the world to tackle a course that is approximately 1,034 miles with approximately 84,000 feet of total elevation! The very first
Arkansas Graveler is a new cycling event that will send up to 400 cyclists 336 miles along the state’s northern gravel roads across Searcy County from Fayetteville to Jonesboro! The Arkansas Graveler is set for June 23-29 next year and features a route that begins on the University of Arkansas campus and travels through Oark, Jasper,
Marshall, Mountain View, and Cave City before finishing at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. The cyclists will
spend the night at our amazing tourism attraction the Kenda Drive-In of Marshall!
Close to Marshall are some of the finest horseback trail riding experiences east of the Rocky Mountains with miles of scenic trails at both private horse camps and on public lands! Marshall sits near one of the greatest long-distance hiking trails in Middle America, the Ozark Highlands Trail! The Mountain Homestead Natural Area is just outside Marshall at the very end of Range Street! 1.46 miles of Multiuse Trails! Mountain Biking & Hiking! Nature Trail! Dark Night Sky Viewing! Bird Watching! Great place to walk and soak up nature! Marshall is also part of the Arkansas Quilt Trails for painted barn quilts!
The area is also well known for its embracing of agritourism. Ratchford Buffalo Farms near Marshall operates a working buffalo farm that can be toured by their lodging guests! The Flintrock Saddle Club Rodeo arena in Marshall hosts rodeos, summer playdays for children, an annual horse show, and an annual Bull Bash!
Outdoor recreation takes to the skies from Searcy County “Buffalo River” Airport-4A5, Marshall AR! Buffalo River Air Tours of Marshall brings customers the awe-inspiring beauty of the Ozarks and the Buffalo National River from an altitude of 2,500 feet—a rare experience that few have the opportunity to encounter! The
Searcy County “Buffalo River” Airport-4A5, Marshall AR is also a Fly-In destination! A Level 2 general aviation airport regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics for the benefit of the flying public. The airport has a Precision Approach Path Indicator, (PAPI) and features a 4003′ x 75′ lighted (MIRL) runway, runway strength 12,500 SW, rotating beacon, 120′ x 150′ hangar, 18′ side walls, 60′ stack doors, 8′ loading dock, and a large paved apron. One hundred octane aviation fuel is available and credit cards are accepted. A courtesy car is available at the airport along with a bathroom and wonderful pilot’s lounge!
Ozark Trail Life of Marshall! Authentic Ozark Adventures -
Hiking and 4x4 Guided Tours! Daisy Mae and her expert guides offer
hiking expeditions, backpacking/camping trips, and Jeep expeditions! Call 870-409-1884. Great Eclipse guide as well! Insured!
https://ozarkmudlife.com/
Marshall has nearby tent camping, cabins, lodges, cottage-style, and apartment-style lodging facilities, and an RV park! For information, contact the Greater Searcy County Chamber of Commerce at 870-448-2557. Marshall is also a great Fall Foliage destination!
Marshall has two nice parks. Raccoon Springs Park has a small fishing lake, pavilions, and a walking track near the courthouse square. The Searcy County Park is located near the Dr. Charles D. Daniel Civic Center where there’s a swimming pool, ball fields, and tennis courts. Marshall is also a great Fall Foliage destination!
Tyler Bend/Silver Hill is
a Top Arkansas Outdoor Adventure Community! Tyler Bend/Silver Hill hosts two super
Buffalo National River outfitters, Silver Hill Float Service and Buffalo River Outfitters! Both sit just outside the entrance to the Visitor Center for the Buffalo National River, the
Tyler Bend Visitor Center! Searcy County is home to approximately
48 miles of America’s 1st National River! 1.3 million visits to the Buffalo River in 2022! Clear, cool water, towering ridges and bluff lines, and miles of gravel and sand beaches await
floaters, fishermen, campers and sunbathers! The Buffalo National River is a
National Wild and Scenic River! Canoeing, kayaking, hiking, horseback riding, campgrounds, the Tyler Bend Visitor Center,
elk viewing, bald eagles, swimming holes and fishing for smallmouth bass await you in the heart of the Buffalo National River! The Buffalo National River is a
Blueribbon Smallmoth Bass Stream!
The Tyler Bend/Silver Hill area is one of the top locations anywhere along the Buffalo National River for sunbathing, swimming, and hanging out on the gravel bar beech! Locations like Tyler Bend, Grinder's Ferry and Shine Eye! Beware of the dangerous currents when in the water! Wear a life preserver! The Shine Eye sand beech is the "Caribbean of Searcy County!
Searcy County is the shoreline for an ocean of stars! The Buffalo National River is the 1st park in Arkansas to be named an International Dark Sky Park! Searcy County has some of the darkest night skies in the Eastern United States with a Bortle Dark-Sky Scale Two designation for sites along the Buffalo National River from Woolum to Tyler Bend to Gilbert to the Spring Creek Access to Buffalo Point! The Bortle Dark-Sky Scale runs from one to nine. Very few places in the United States achieve one. With a designation of two here in Searcy County, the Milky Way can be seen in great detail!
Nearby
Bear Creek Log Cabins is home to Arkansas'
annual Dark Sky Festival! Lodging locations are available locally that provide access to a great natural night sky!
There's
wonderful hiking at Tyler Bend! The Riverview, Spring Hollow, Buck Ridge, and Rock Wall Trails can be accessed from the Tyler Bend Visitor Center and Campground area.
Leashed dogs are allowed on all of these except the Riverview Trail. These trails form a network of trails that connect to the
Ozark Highlands Trail/Buffalo River Trail. Hikers can plan loops of varying lengths to suit their time and ability. Two highlights on this trail system include the
Sod Collier Homestead and the view of the confluence of Calf Creek and the Buffalo River from the Riverview Trail.
Horseback trails abound on both sides of Tyler Bend and both upstream and downstream! Wild elk roam the area and Searcy County is the "Elk Hunting Capital of Arkansas!"
Tyler Bend has a developed campground in the middle section of the Buffalo National River. 10 walk-in and 28 drive-in sites on a first come first served basis. The campground provides flush toilet restrooms, one with hot showers. Water spigots are located throughout the campground. A dump station and tank filler are located near the park entrance at Highway 65 but there are no RV hookups in the campground. The campground is open year-round. For pricing and reservations, go to the Recreation.gov website or call (877) 444-6777.
Grinders Ferry and Shine Eye Both offer easily-accessible but primitive camping right on the Buffalo National River. Vault toilets will be open year-round with limited or no servicing. No trash services will be provided. No fees are charged. Also, a great Fall Foliage destination!
Harriet/Big Flat is a Top Arkansas Outdoor Adventure Community! Home to the Buffalo National River (Spring Creek and nearby Dillard's Ferry access points), the Ozark National Forest and the Loafer's Glory Wildlife Management Area! Hunting for whitetail deer, black bear, wild hogs, wild turkey, varmints, and small game!
Crockett's Buffalo River Canoe Rental of Harriet is the local Buffalo National River outfitter. Fabulous floating and fishing along the Buffalo River! Canoe and kayak service! Great Lodging throughout the region! In addition, there are twelve Buffalo River camping spots at Spring Creek Campground.
Shelton's Big Flat Getaway is a large horse stable, trail riding and lodging destination in Big Flat. Shelton's Big Flat Getaway has 30 full-service RV hookups! Six cabins! Magnificent trail-riding scenery! Named one of “15 Perfect Arkansas Getaways!” Also has a large outdoor stage and covered horse barns! View the stunning Ozarks on horseback!
Between Big Flat and Harriet is the grand and fabulous Shepherd of the Ozarks! One of Arkansas' premier resorts! Shepherd is a year-round, 460-acre Christian Conference/Retreat center near Harriet deep in the Ozarks! Amazing location for Church Retreats/Camp, Family Reunions, Corporate Retreats, College Retreats, Women and Men's Retreats! Activities such as hiking, exploring, horseback riding, swimming, canoeing, fishing, floating, snorkeling, volleyball, disc golf, ropes course, wilderness paintball, as well as visiting the petting zoo and watching the natural wildlife! Nestled in this wilderness setting are ten luxurious log-cabin-style lodges varying in decor and size to sleep from six to a group of 400 people! All of them include kitchens, meeting rooms, private bedrooms and bunk areas. Massive rock fireplaces, rocking chairs on the porch and comfortable beds! Named one of the Top Places for Team Building or Company Retreat in Arkansas by Arkansas Money & Politics https://armoneyandpolitics.com/amp-best-of-2023-2/
Fantastic agritourism at a farm stay destination! Loads of family fun on the farm and gluten-free cooking awaits at Dogwood Hills Guest Farm of Harriet.
Searcy County has some of the darkest night skies in the Eastern United States with Bortle Dark-Sky Scale Two designations for sites along the Buffalo National River! With a designation of two, the Milky Way can be seen in great detail!
The fabulous Ozark Highlands Trail (aka Buffalo River Trail) is an amazing hiking destination that hugs the high bluffs of the Buffalo River, America's 1st National River! Two great motorcycle routes, the Push Mountain/Sylamore Scenic Byway and the Leslie Lasso wind, dive, and climb along gorgeous State Highway 14. This area is also home to the Arkansas Quilt Trail, the annual Cast Iron Cookoff, and the annual Water Creek Knap In. Enjoy some of America's darkest night skies and practice your milky way photography!
The Ozark Grinder Trail for cyclists comes through the area on it's loop trail! Almost 151 miles and 13,000+ feet of elevation! Mixed surface cycling! Take in gorgeous scenery as you encircle Marshall and hit spots such as Harriet, Leslie, Witts Springs, Eula, Snowball, Silver Hill, and Gilbert! The cycling challenge of the Ozarks! Created by cyclist Dirk Merle!
Also, a great Fall Foliage destination!
Leslie/Oxley is a Top Arkansas Outdoor Adventure Community! Also, one of Arkansas's Best Food Towns! Leslie has some of the finest places to eat in all the Ozarks! Serenity Farm Bread bakes old-world sourdough bread in a wood-fired brick oven at its downtown location on Main Street and has world-class pastries at its pastry shop on Highway 65! The Skylark Café is known for its gourmet cuisine and scrumptious desserts, and Ryan’s Main Street Grill is renowned for its mouthwatering and delicious steaks and desserts! The Red River Cafe is a great restaurant of Southern Food sited along the Middle Fork of the Little Red River! Leslie is a favorite destination of car clubs who come and enjoy the fine dining! Antiques, fine woodworking, and equisite pottery await shoppers in the historic downtown!
Leslie is a quaint Ozarks town that retains historic charm from a bygone era, a throwback to a simpler time in America! This is clearly evident on Main Street, which hosts a Commercial Historic District! Geographically, Leslie sits at the foot of two mountains, is nestled along Cove Creek, and is the starting point of a rich, flat agricultural cove, Wiley’s Cove, named after a Native American, Chief Wiley.
The Leslie Lasso Motorcycle Route is a 64-mile round trip loop on some great roads! The curves, hills, and scenery of our lightly travelled Ozarks highways are ideal for riding! The climb out of Leslie on State Highway 66 is on an 11 percent grade! The Leslie Lasso combines with the Bear Creek Growl to form the heralded 120+ mile Growl-Lasso route!
The Ozark Grinder Trail for cyclists passes over the Cove Creek Bridge in Leslie and transits through Oxley as part of an epic gravel-grinding route of almost 160 miles and 13,000 feet of elevation between the Ozarks resort towns of Gilbert and Fairfield Bay! The trail covers some of the most wild, scenic, and remote parts of the north central Arkansas Ozarks. There are both 14-mile and 18-mile loops connecting Leslie with Baker and Rail Roads. Each December, local cyclists ride the loops in an event called the “Chocolate Roll” in tribute to Searcy County’s famous local specialty dessert that is baked at the Red River Cafe! The Arkansaw High Country Race for cyclists comes through town each year. The race brings some of America’s greatest long-distance, multi-surface bikepackers into town in the midst of a 1,000+ mile journey that involves approximately 84,000 feet of climbing!
The Leslie Fun Park has a nine-hole disc golf course that is free and open to the public as well as horseshoe pits, playground equipment, a quarter mile walking track, basketball court, and pavilion!
Just outside Leslie at
Pine Grove Trails along Trace Ridge Road is
fabulous horseback riding on miles of scenic Ozark Mountain riding trails! Featuring RV sites, western style bath house, and clean horse stalls. Out on Highway 66, the
Stem Rock Natural Area offers a gentle hike through pine and hardwood forest to an amazing geographic feature known as Stem Rock. It also has a hidden
geocache!The Leslie Homecoming is held the third weekend in June and is the largest event of the year! A main attraction of the homecoming is the Leslie Rodeo! Other events include the annual Mountain Man Rendezvous at Crown Mountain Canvas in Oxley in October. This is a living history of the pre-1840 mountain man lifestyle!
Leslie has multiple
cottage-style lodging facilities and RV parks! For information, contact the Greater Searcy County Chamber of Commerce at 8704482557.
Also, a great Fall Foliage destination!
St. Joe/Pindall is a Top Arkansas Outdoor Adventure Community! The gateway to the Buffalo National River access points of Woolum and Baker Ford! Canoeing, kayaking, camping, and fishing along the Buffalo National River! Visitors can also learn local railroad history and tour the educational St. Joe Depot Museum and then get delicious BBQ, smoked meats, and cheeses at the superb Big Springs Trading Company restaurant of St. Joe! Craw Billy's Seafood Boil of St. Joe brings outstanding Cajun cuisine and BBQ to the Ozarks along US Highway 65 right next door to the legendary Ferguson's Country Store & Restuarant with those famous cinnamon rolls! Dry Creek Mercantile of Pindall is a great stop for outdoor supplies, excellent food, and vintage merchandise!
St. Joe is home to the Tomahawk Loop of the Ozark Grinder Trail for gravel grinding cycling! St. Joe also has motorcyclists ride through the area on The Lost Mine Run!
The
Woolum camping area of the Buffalo National River is open year-round and located seven miles southwest of St. Joe on paved and gravel roads. Vault toilet will be open with limited or no servicing. No fees are charged.
Horse camping is permitted. This is a pack in/pack out facility with no trash service provided. However, almost right next door is
Humming Pines RV Campground! 12 RV spots! Located approximately one mile from the Woolum access, Buffalo National River. All sites are full hookups with 30 and 50 amp service.
The "Nars," and the Bat House (aka Skull Bluff,) are two of the most recognizable natural wonders along the entire length of the Buffalo National River!
The Buffalo National River is the 1st park in Arkansas to be named an International Dark Sky Park! Searcy County has some of the darkest night skies in the Eastern United States with a Bortle Dark-Sky Scale Two designation for sites along the Buffalo National River from Woolum to Tyler Bend to Gilbert to the Spring Creek Access to Buffalo Point! The Bortle Dark-Sky Scale runs from one to nine. Very few places in the United States achieve one. With a designation of two here in Searcy County, the Milky Way can be seen in great detail!
Full View Farms RV Camping of Pindall! Located on 640 beautiful acres about one mile off of US Hwy 65 near the Buffalo National River! This is a
working farm with 100 head of cattle and 200 sheep.
Three RV sites with 30 and 50 amp conections with water, sewer, and wifi! Campfire allowed.
Those traveling with horses are welcome also. They have three spacious stalls with turnouts for your horses.
Spend the day exploring their beautiful farm, fishing, hiking, or riding. They have five large guard dogs to protect the sheep. Pets are not allowed.
Also, a great Fall Foliage destination!
