Camping

This chart of campground amenities and fees is on the Fees & Passes page in a larger format.

Buffalo National River maintains numerous campgrounds throughout the park. They range from primitive with just vault toilets, no water and no designated sites to developed with electric and water hook-ups for RV camping. Descriptions of the park's campgrounds are below and a chart of all campgrounds, amennities, and fees can be found on the Fees & Passes page. Payment for all first come, first served sites can be made at the self-pay stations, which accept cash or checks only. You'll need the correct fee as no change is available at campgrounds or ranger stations. Visit the Camping Rules page for specifics on how to make your trip safe and enjoyable!

 

Upper District

(Upper Buffalo Wilderness to Carver)
The upper or western end of the park includes 5 campgrounds. Fees for sites in four of these developed campgrounds are $16 - $20 per site per night with 6 people permitted on each site. Camping fees are charged during the season (March 15 through November 14) when water is available. Camping fees are not charged November 15 through March 14 when flush restrooms and water systems are shutdown.

 

View of walk-in tent campsites at Steel Creek.

NPS

Steel Creek Campground is about 3 miles east of Ponca, Arkansas, off of Highway 74. The tent campground has 26 campsites and the horse campground has 14 sites. All sites are $20 per site, per night. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern hook provided. The campground is open year round on a first come, first served basis and reservations are available March 15 - November 14 for tent sites 1 - 13 and horse sites 27 - 32. The flush restroom and water system in the tent campground and at the Steel Creek launch will be closed November 15 to March 14 and no fees are charged during this time. The vault toilet in the tent campground will be open but with very limited servicing during the winter. Trash pick up provided. No RVs allowed. Please see the Steel Creek Campground page for more details and to make a reservation. Campground map link.
GPS Coordinates: 36.0407758, -93.3440483

 

Kyles Landing Campground is about half way between Ponca and Jasper, Arkansas, off of Highway 74. The entrance road into Kyles is gravel and very rough, so a 4 wheel drive, high clearance vehicle is recommended. The campground has 33 sites and is open year round on a first come, first served basis. All sites are $20 per night. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern hook provided. Trash pick-up provided. The water system and flush restroom will be closed November 15 to March 14 and no fees are charged during this time. The vault toilet will be open with limited or no servicing during the winter. No RVs allowed. Campground map link.
GPS Coordinates: 36.0557563, -93.2812997

 

Erbie Campground is located 7 miles down a gravel road off of Hwy. 7 north of Jasper, AR. The campground has 14 drive-in campsites and 2 walk-in campsites, each with a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern hook. The drive-in sites are suitable for RV or tent camping but the campground has no hookups, no running water, and no dump station. All sites are available on a first come, first served basis. There is a vault toilet at the boat launch. This is a pack in/pack out facility with no trash service provided. Five group sites are available. Group sites #1 and #5 are first-come, first served, while sites 2, 3, and 4 can be reserved by calling the Tyler Bend Visitor Center at [phone] at least 5 days in advance. No fees are charged. Campground map link
GPS Coordinates: 36.0734394, -93.2177326

Erbie Horse Camp is located 7 miles east of Compton and is reached via gravel and dirt roads and is north of the Buffalo River. Open year-round, no water available, vault toilet with limited or no servicing. This is a pack in/pack out facility with no trash service provided. Use is limited to those with horses only on a first come, first served basis. Campsites allow a maximum of 6 persons and 6 horses per site. No fees charged.
GPS Coordinates: 36.0800929, -93.2342205

 

Buffalo River swimming hole at Ozark Campground.

NPS

Ozark Campground is located 3 miles down a graded gravel road off of Highway 7 north of Jasper, Arkansas. The campground is open year round and has 31 campsites available on a first come, first served basis. All sites are $20 per night. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern hook provided. The flush restroom is closed November 15 to March 14 and no fees are charged during this time. A vault toilet will be available throughout the winter. Trash pick-up provided. RVs allowed, but the campground has no hookups and no dump station. Campground map link.
GPS Coordinates:36.0621317,-93.1597244

 

Carver Campground is located near the bridge crossing the Buffalo River along Hwy 123. The campground has 8 campsites and is open year round on a first come, first served basis. All sites are $16 per night. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern hook provided. Drinking water and a vault restroom is available. Fees are not charged November 15 to March 14. This is a pack in/pack out facility with no trash service provided. Campground map link.
GPS Coordinates: 35.98518232 -93.03818673

 

Large group camping sites are available at Tyler Bend Campground.

NPS

Middle District

(Mt. Hersey to South Maumee)

The middle area of the river includes one developed campground at Tyler Bend. The campground is open year round. Fees at Tyler Bend are $20 per night per site with 6 people permitted per site. Reservations, March 15 through November 14, are available at www.recreation.gov for Main Loop drive-in sites 2 - 13 and walk-in tents only sites A - E. Group sites 1-5 are reservable for $50 per night. All other sites are available on a first come, first serve basis. See the Tyler Bend page for campground details. GPS Coordinates:35.9867152, -92.7639029

Mt. Hersey Primitive camping is available year round. There are no designated sites, picnic tables, fire rings or potable water. A vault toilet is open with limited or no servicing. This is a pack in/pack out facility with no trash service provided. No fees charged.

Woolum camping area is open year round. Woolum is located 7 miles southwest of St. Joe on paved and gravel roads. There are no designated sites, picnic tables, fire rings or potable water. Driving and camping are not permitted in the agricultural lease fields. A vault toilet is open with limited or no servicing. No fees charged. Horse camping is permitted. This is a pack in/pack out facility with no trash service provided. Woolum serves as overflow camping when Tyler Bend is full.
GPS Coordinates:35.9721127, -92.8819327

Grinders Ferry is a large gravel bar available for drive in camping. The river regularly floods so some areas may be too soft for vehicles. No designated sites, picnic tables, fire rings or potable water is available. A vault toilet is open year round with limited or no servicing. This is a pack in/pack out facility with no trash service provided. No fees charged.

Shine Eye One designated site has a picnic table, fire ring and lantern post. No potable water is available. Camping on the gravel bar is walk-in or float-in only. Limited parking is available near the vault toilet. Driving and camping are not permitted in the agricultural lease fields. A vault toilet is open year round with limited or no servicing. This is a pack in/pack out facility with no trash service provided. No fees charged.

Gilbert gravel bar, downstream from the access point, is available for drive in camping. The river regularly floods so some areas may be too soft for vehicles. No designated sites, picnic tables, fire rings or potable water is available. A vault toilet at the start of the access road near the store is open year round with limited or no servicing. This is a pack in/pack out facility with no trash service provided. No fees charged.

South Maumee is open for camping all year on a first come, first served basis. South Maumee is located 7 miles off Hwy 27 north of the community of Morning Star on paved and gravel roads. The campground has 5 campsites, each with a picnic table, fire ring and lantern hook. A vault toilet is available with limited or no servicing. This is a pack in/pack out facility with no trash service provided. No fees charged. Drive-in camping is not permitted on the gravel bar at South Maumee.
GPS Coordinates: 36.0394107, -92.6299021

No fees are charged for any camping area in the Middle District except for the Tyler Bend Campground.

 

One of the pavilions available by reservation at Buffalo Point Campground.

NPS

Lower District

(North Maumee to Lower Buffalo Wilderness)

The lower or eastern section of the river provides camping at Spring Creek, Buffalo Point, and Rush Campgrounds.

Spring Creek Campground has 12 designated sites with a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern hook at each site. The campground has a vault toilet with limited servicing and no water. This is a pack in/pack out facility with no trash service provided. No fees charged and the campground is open all year on a first come, first served basis. No RVs allowed. Campground map link
GPS Coordinates: 36.0285289,-92.5800835

Buffalo Point Campground has over 100 designated sites. See the Buffalo Point page for campground details. Reservations available and fees charged. GPS Coordinates: 36.0853650, -92.5656549

Rush Campground is located about 5 miles off of Highway 14 between Yellville and Buffalo Point. The road is paved until you enter the park, then becomes graded gravel. The campground is accessed across Rush Creek and may not be accessible during periods of high water. Rush has 12 sites available on a first come, first served basis. Each site includes a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern hook. Sites are $16 per night and the campground is open all year, but fees are not charged November 15 to March 14. A vault toilet is available with limited servicing. This is a pack in/pack out facility with no trash service provided. No RVs allowed. Campground map link.
GPS Coordinates: 36.1228757,-92.5507485