Adventure Itineraries

Plan your dream visit to the Buffalo National River’s beautiful wilderness.

If you’re seeking adventure, Buffalo Outdoor Center is the perfect “home base” for your trip. We have a wealth of adventure experiences for everyone, from couples seeking a romantic getaway, to parents surprising kids with a vacation, to those who strive for a thrilling adventure. Check out our suggested adventure itineraries – and when you arrive, our team can gladly offer more suggestions!

Springtime Adventure Itineraries

Day 1: Check In to Buffalo Outdoor Center

Romantic Getaway

After checking in to your secluded mountain-top cabin, take the evening to relax and soak in the hot tub on the deck of your cabin. As night falls, watch out for shooting stars as you stargaze in Arkansas’s first Dark Sky resort.

Vacation with the Kiddos

After check-in, get settled into one of our family-friendly cabins. Take time to unwind from your travel on the front porch swing, then take the energetic kids on a hike through the Lost Valley trail as a fun way to start your family adventure. Fire up the grill for dinner, or watch a movie in front of the fireplace.

For Adventure Seekers

Get on the trails after checking in to your cabin! Take a quick hike on the Smith Creek or Lost Valley trail and explore each trail’s waterfall areas and towering beech trees. Once you get back, check out the views from your cabin before getting some rest for your adventures tomorrow.

Day 2: Start the Adventure

Romantic Getaway

Catch the sunrise from your mountain-top cabin, then get ready to start the day. Fill the morning with an easy hike through some of Arkansas’s most beautiful trails. Enter into your own personal fairytale on a hike to the Hideout Hollow waterfall, and continue the romance by letting our deli staff pack you a hearty lunch to take to a picnic on the river.

Vacation with the Kiddos

Start the morning by delighting the (7+) youngsters with a morning zipline tour, and be sure to take pictures of their grins as soon as you’re back on the ground! Once you’re done zipping through the treetops, switch it up and get your feet wet by doing a little wade fishing in the river.

After refueling at the BOC Store & Deli, beat the heat in a Buffalo River swimming hole before taking the family on a kid-friendly hike on the Lost Valley trailhead – or over to Twin Falls for a gorgeous waterfall hike. Weather not right for swimming? Across the street from our store is the Elk Education Center, which offers a free, hands-on wildlife exhibit.

For Adventure Seekers

Wake up early and start with an adrenaline rush – hike Big Bluff and its narrow Goat Trail, a 6-mile round trip climb on the tallest sheer bluff face found between the Rocky and Appalachian mountains.

Kick it up a notch with a zipline tour through the canopies of the upper Buffalo River or a mountain-biking adventure on the BOC Ponca Downhill MTB Trail. Finish the day strong and catch a beautiful Buffalo River sunset from the Steel Creek Overlook, a 3-mile round trip hike high above the Steel Creek Access.

Day 3: Float the Buffalo

Romantic Getaway

Visiting us in spring or early summer? Get an up-close view of the gorgeous Buffalo National River on an all-day float trip. Show off your paddling skills in a day of leisurely fun on and in the water. Make sure to take lots of pictures! The scenic backdrop of the upper Buffalo will make the perfect background for your next couple’s pic.

Vacation with the Kiddos

Visiting us in spring or early summer? Delight the entire family with a float trip on the upper Buffalo National River. A natural treasure every kid should experience, the Buffalo offers Arkansas’s finest canoeing scenery. Book your trip, and start a new summer tradition that your kids will cherish throughout their lives.

For Adventure Seekers

Visiting us in spring or early summer? Float down the Buffalo in a canoe or kayak and take in the scenic icons of the river – the impressive Big Bluff and the majestic waterfall of Hemmed-In Hollow. If you have more than one day, up the adventure by taking a multi-day float trip on the Buffalo.

Have More Time at BOC?

Romantic Getaway

  • Take a morning hike to Buffalo River Overlook
  • Enjoy a picnic lunch at Steel Creek campground
  • Wander on an evening stroll to historic Beaver Jim Villines homestead in Ponca
  • All-Day Option: Shopping + dining excursion to Eureka Springs, AR or Branson MO

Vacation with the Kiddos

  • Take a 2-hour morning trail ride with nearby Rimrock Cove Ranch (ages 6+)
  • Drive to the Low Gap Café for the best fried catfish and cheeseburgers around
  • Go wade-fishing with the kids at the Steel Creek Campground or Ponca Low Water Bridge

For Adventure Seekers

  • Start fresh with a morning hike of the beautiful Smith Creek Trail
  • Enjoy lunch on the porch at BOC
  • Continue the adventure with an afternoon hike to towering Sweden Creek Falls
  • All-Day Option: Hike to magnificent Hemmed-In Hollow

Ready to Start the Adventure?

Find the perfect starting place for your Buffalo National River experience.

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