Ep. 389: Camping in the Buff! - Buffalo National River, Arkansas | Ozarks RV travel hiking history

[@georgecarpenter4126]

Most people are surprised at just how beautiful the landscape in Arkansas is. We always enjoy our time there. Continued best wishes and stay safe.

[@GrandAdventure]

Wishing you the same, George. Arkansas can be truly gorgeous.

[@cloverhills1369]

The Buffalo River and the surrounding Ozark/St. Francis forest is beautiful. We spent the day out riding in the rain today. We may be partial since we live here. And we spend way more hours than required when we hike the Indian Rockhouse Trail...we just love exploring the area💚🌲Glad you enjoyed your time here

[@GrandAdventure]

@@cloverhills1369 we had a wonderful time, thank you, and it is indeed beautiful. Thanks to you and your neighbors for the hospitality.

[@cuz129]

Grew up floating that river. Now, have a cabin less than a mile outside the park boundary near Jasper. It is a beautiful place.

[@GrandAdventure]

It certainly is! What a wonderful place to have a cabin.

[@Darnabymom]

Brand new subscriber here. The BNR is special to my husband and I. We hiked it with friends before dating and after marriage. Our best man is the grandson of Mr. Compton who was responsible for make the Buffalo River protected and federalized. Looking forward to your next video which is nearer to our home in Tulsa.

[@GrandAdventure]

That's wonderful, and we're very happy to have you along. Yep, we were up near Grand Lake in next week's episode during that fall tornado outbreak you all had. That was "exciting," to say the least, for a guy who's not used to hearing tornado sirens.

[@cpwatching5647]

Enjoyed the video. We have RVed in that area a few years ago. Liked it. We were also unable to paddle the river. Our issue was a flood overnight. We will return and try again. Take care.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@cpwatching5647 Thank you! A little compromise between your flood and our drought would have been nice. 🙄

[@kenowxman]

Just found your channel a few weeks ago and enjoy the episodes so much. Keep producing. More like me will come and find them. Thank you.

[@GrandAdventure]

We're thrilled to have you, thank you so very much for your kind words in tonight's chat. Your handle gives me curiosity -- I get the WxMan part, but I'm not seeing a TV station with those call letters and only a Spanish-language radio station in Las Vegas with them. Where are you based?

[@gorrdd]

Interesting area, Marc. I liked all the walking trails you went on and the big cave didn't seem as big on the tube. The autumn foliage you were having back then is exactly what we're having now in the DFW area. Our foliage is usually all done by now. But this year for some reason the colors and leaves have held on for almost full month beyond normal. I've never seen it this late here. Also, the last bit of driving along the dirt road had some really attractive and artistic scenes worthy of landscape painting. It looked almost European like something out of an old Dutch landscape in the Netherlands. With it being so dry this year, the usual Arkansas bug population was clearly not present. I gather this was an exhausting travel season for you... hence, the 'burn out' comment. I'm guessing you're glad to be back at home base...😊🎉 Gord

[@GrandAdventure]

It does indeed feel good to he "home", Gord, but I give it only a month or two before I start getting the itch to get back out there. We always seem to want what we don't have. This year was indeed exhausting, but it was such a fun year that it made it all worthwhile.

[@gorrdd]

@GrandAdventure Thanks Marc. I appreciate your reflections... always. It helps me understand your experience based upon what we see and what you are actually going through. Often, two different things entirely... The experience, may have two or more sides to it... one is the enjoyment of just being there and the other the burnout of the pace necessary to keep all the necessary pieces in place, in order to get there. I'm guessing that this next year may be about a far less structured program, as you've done in prior years. I realize that going east this past summer required a tight schedule in order to meet all your necessary reservations. And I think I remember you saying something about an Alaska travelog. That's definitely going to be more about the journey than the destination. If you do Alaska, it's going to be a long haul but there are several neat stops along the way. It is a kind of tourist destination in the summer. That would really change things up for you. Gord

[@GrandAdventure]

@@gorrdd you guess correctly. Not only a slower pace, but also far less costly. This was a pricey year on top of everything else, with 10,000 towing miles and Eastern campgrounds. But it also enabled us to knock out a lot of what we wanted to see and do. It appears that Alaska is going on the back burner for now.

[@gorrdd]

@@GrandAdventure Indeed... the pace to Alaska would again be hectic and costly, on account of the distances required. Looking forward to whatever you choose to do, this coming year. Gord

[@arkansastraveler7698]

I live about 1 hour west in Bentonville, AR. My wife grew up south of the river. The drought has been bad, after you left they had a lot damage because of a flood, 7-10 in one day.Haven't had any more rain, so still in a drought. We usually go to Boxley Valley on the upper river. There is a large elk herd and so water falls.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@arkansastraveler7698 well that sure sucks! When it comes that fast and that hard, it doesn't do much to alleviate a drought because it all runs off instead of soaks in.

[@janemuir3546]

We were in that same part of Arkansas in October. And on the west side of the state in November. What a beautiful state!

[@GrandAdventure]

Indeed it is, Jane. Thanks so much for watching.

[@joyces3550]

Fabulous video Marc, thanks! Love that area of the Ozarks, so beautiful and so much to see and do. My home is less than 1.5 hours up the road in the Missouri Ozarks, best place ever to live. Looking forward to your next video in Oklahoma, also a wonderful state. Safe Travels.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks so much, Joyce! There sure is a ton there to keep one entertained. Our Oklahoma stop next week is still technically in the Ozark foothills at Grand Lake. I could've done without the tornado outbreak we rode out while there, though.

[@kingthetonto]

Love the Buffalo River.

[@GrandAdventure]

As did we.

[@cuz129]

Not long after you filmed this, a huge rainstorm of 16 inches caused a massive flood of the river. Did a lot of damage to camp areas and trails.

[@GrandAdventure]

From one extreme to the other. Sorry to hear that.

[@laughingram7287]

Click Bait!!! 😉 Glad you made that hike down to the Indian cave. Didn’t look like there was much of a trail in some spots. Hope you carried a flashlight! There were some beautiful views. Thanks for sharing. Ram 👍🏼👍🏾

[@GrandAdventure]

@@laughingram7287 click bait? You bet. 😄 Glad I made it down there too. What I didn't mention when I was saying that it was getting dark was that I had forgotten my headlamp in the truck. 🙄

[@sholinwright2229]

I was there in May chasing Warblers. Great camping facilities, like you mentioned flush toilets. Great trails and beautiful territory. I like Kyles Landing a lot.

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks for that, Sholin. Kyles Landing was one place we never got, a bit further upstream of where we were. It's always good to have places still on the list to return to.

[@sholinwright2229]

@ man there’s a lot to the Buffalo River area. I spent 2 wks out there but hit Sequoyah NWR and Wichita Mts NWR. Could have spent all of it in the ozarks. Best pic I got was of six fingers falls. Glad you scoped it out, I’ll be back for sure. I also loved the facilities, flush toilets were a plus!

[@GrandAdventure]

@@sholinwright2229 we'll definitely be back. We loved the Wichita Mountains NWR, too: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5SlmmijrqZ0edE

[@LeslinAdventures]

Looks like a great destination. Thank you for sharing it with us

[@GrandAdventure]

It is indeed a wonderful destination. Thanks for coming along!

[@skpjoecoursegold366]

beautiful country that Arkansas.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@skpjoecoursegold366 indeed it is, Joe.

[@TommyBreland]

As always, i enjoy your adventure

[@GrandAdventure]

@@TommyBreland as always, thank you Tommy!

[@akgobears]

Nice little campground...Unlike yourselves, we fancy the shaded areas as we dont do internet except for wifi here and there now and then...Hope the the knee/ankle thing is better by now...stay safe🤪and be well....

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you, back to normal now. For us those unobstructed skies are a working necessity, but truly every other campsite in the place would suit your desires.

[@gina50gina]

I enjoyed this video so much, I had to watch it again. The log cabin at Tyler Bend was so cool.I found that most of the scenery could have been the subject of a spectacular paining with such unique colors. Everything is beautiful there. No wonder you wanted to spot there. Suzane

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you! It truly is a beautiful part of the world. I can only imagine how it would've been with normal fall colors after a normal summer.

[@gina50gina]

@GrandAdventure It would be stunning in a different way. 😁

[@geraldsouthard7092]

Loved the episode Marc. Thanks

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you Gerald!

[@grillinandchillinwithdeb]

Absolutely loved it, hope ankle and knee are better for skiing. Take care and enjoy

[@GrandAdventure]

Thank you, and you both do the same! Back to normal by now, thanks.

[@ronaldmorse3654]

Marc, another awesome video! You really had a good aerobic pace going on that trail. Take care of your ankle and knee. We've driven through Arkansas on our east-west trips. We look forward to next week's video. We stayed at Brushy Lake Park in Sallisaw, OK.

[@GrandAdventure]

@ronaldmorse3654 Thank you very much! Next week will be in the far northeastern corner of Oklahoma, on Grand Lake.

[@grillinandchillinwithdeb]

​@GrandAdventure that's fantastic

[@normgibson6565]

Good video nice area. A little cool in the Q today but back to the 70's tomorrow.

[@GrandAdventure]

Nice! We'll see you down there soon enough, Norm.

[@WILDEBILL308]

Another interesting area. Interesting road, I would be worried a low branch would damage the kayak.

[@GrandAdventure]

@@WILDEBILL308 Thank you Bill! I was watching my overhead clearance very carefully. 😉

[@camperbum]

Hey Mark, I haven't been getting your videos, but I did get this one today. Glad to see you made it to the Ozarks, you're about 100 miles south west of where live, if you go east on 62/412 their's lots to see, we're north of mountain Home Arkansas about 45, let me know if you come this way...

[@GrandAdventure]

Thanks, and happy to have you back! We actually filmed this in October, and we're now back in Utah. But we'll surely wander through that neighborhood again.

[@camperbum]

Cool, my cousin's and husband are in Arizona already, then came down from Reno, they've been trying to me to come out to Quartzsite again 🙃 David

[@GrandAdventure]

@@camperbum come on out! We'll have a blast.

[@camperbum]

I would love to, but we have some medical bills to deal right now, but if I do, I'll drop by 😊

[@williamleopold507]

Thanks for sharing

[@GrandAdventure]

@@williamleopold507 thanks for watching, William!

[@e-square9976]

All I have to say is as mildly disturbing as in the Buff hiking and camping may allow one to believe; we could accept the concept. We’re just happy the Park was not named Bison National River….not that there would be anything wrong with it…. 😅 Great video sir! We hope your injuries have either dissipated or are completely healed.

[@GrandAdventure]

😆 Thanks so much, bud. It took longer than I would've liked, but had all but resolved by the time I put ski boots on.

[@stephenmarechek2753]

I'm sure glad you didn't show any real buff 😂😂

[@GrandAdventure]

So is the rest of the world. 😁