News Release

Buffalo National River Is Modifying Operations To Implement Latest Health Guidance

Date: March 27, 2020
Contact: Cassie Branstetter

Buffalo National River announces that beginning the morning of Monday, March 30th, 2020, overnight stays in designated park campgrounds are being suspended and these areas are temporarily transitioning to day use only, 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.  This additional modification to park operations is in response to the latest guidance from the U.S. Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state health officials in support of slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).  
 
At Buffalo National River, the following is a list of services and operations that are now suspended in order to comply with federal, state and local health guidance: 
 

• Overnight stays at designated campgrounds.  Temporarily, these locations are for day use only, 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

• All shower facilities  

• Pavilions throughout the park

• Tyler Bend Visitor Center

• Steel Creek Visitor Contact Station

• Buffalo Point Visitor Contact Station

• Buffalo National River Headquarters Office in Harrison, AR

• Volunteer service groups of more than 10 people

• Educational and interpretive programming

 

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, communities, and partners at Buffalo National River is our number one priority. The National Park Service (NPS) is working service-wide with federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. We will notify the public when we resume full operations and provide updates on our website www.nps.gov/buff/planyourvisit/conditions and social media channels.  

Outdoor spaces at Buffalo National Riverremain accessible to the public in accordance with the latest federal, state, and local health guidance.

If contemplating a visit to a national park during this pandemic, the NPS asks visitors to adhere to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local public health authorities to protect visitors and employees. As services are limited, the NPS urges visitors to continue to practice Leave No Trace principles, including pack-in and pack-out, to keep outdoor spaces safer and healthier.