Gear Updates and Day 1 of the Buffalo River Trail

#backpacking #buffalorivertrail #backpackingarkansas #backpackingthebuffalorivertrail #buffaloriver
We started at the Boxley trailhead and hiked in 10.5 miles to our first campsite.
The day started early that morning. My alarm sounded at 7:30. We planned to leave at 8:00. Most of my things were already packed, but of course there were still some things that needed to get put together. After getting everything together, and hoping i didn’t forget anything essential, I was ready to go. Mackenzie met me at my house and we took off for the Ozarks.
We got to the trailhead around noon and then to camp just before 5:00 pm. The day started with an extra cold creek crossing, followed by some steep uphills. The weather was nearly perfect at around 60 degrees and overcast most of the day. The views were incredible from the very beginning, making the constant cold, wet feet, and difficult climbs worth while. That night at camp, I enjoyed a beautiful sunset, and went to bed early.
Hope you enjoy this video! Stay tuned for days 2, 3, and 4!
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Water bottle holder: etsy.me/2CKSoty
Dome Life: / @codyandkellie
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Keep up with my hikes on instagram: @kellyhays23
If you would like to sponsor my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2021, I would be forever grateful. Thank you so much for your support!
cashapp: $kellyhays
venmo: @khays23
paypal.me/kell...

[@ArkansasLivin]

Beautiful area

[@janinedahl-labbe9220]

This is beautiful area is my home ..so much beauty so much to do never a dull moment Newton County arkansas !❤

[@monicaoliva5186]

Lol Buffalo River (And most of the Ozark Area Trails) have just SO MANY WATER CROSSINGS! Kinda love it though :) I wanna hike with you!

[@dan393]

Boxley valley is a beautiful part of our state. Great video. Looking forward to the next in this series. Happy trails!

[@nunohvrocha]

Very nice

[@judytombaugh2990]

Love your videos - I am running out of old ones to watch LOL so hopefully you are almost healed up and back on the AT very soon 💜💜💜

[@NickandRachel]

That place is really beautiful! Can't wait for all the trails to open up around here so we can get back to normal

[@kellyhays23]

Snooch tv same!!!!

[@NickandRachel]

@@kellyhays23 we love filming our adventures as well

[@Njmetsfan27]

Nice 👍🏼

[@nunohvrocha]

I really enjoyed watching the video because they are very different trails from the trails I do on the Azores islands in Portugal, the only thing that is the same is Go Pro 8 is the camera I use

[@ManiacalSurgeon]

First time watching and I thought you had said “welcome back to Kelly Hates Hikes” and I was like, umm… this is a hiking video… 😂😂

[@joetrippi7356]

Good adventure, once again, jealous.

[@rikkilandry8884]

Ex officio panties are a game changer! The creek crossing after lunch looked like picturesque arkansas hiking! I'm down in Louisiana, venturing up into arkansas but mostly doing the ouachita national forest. Thanks for showing the upper portion of the state!!

[@dubon6372]

I am gearing up again for the Ozarks and Ouichita trails for this season, after 7 years of staying off any trail due to life events. I will probably start with Ouichita to test my gear on some overnight easy hikes and go for the ozarks after that. I can't wait to get in those mountains.

[@dubon6372]

"THE TRAIL IS A CREEK" 😆😆😆😆😆. I'm stealing that phrase.

[@sarahgriffin6741]

I just found your videos. We want to hike the BRT also this spring. Thanks for sharing your adventure

[@Laserred01]

I'm definitely marking this down as a place to hike! I have so many hikes to do and so little time! Kinda new here to AR and slowly making my way out further and further.

[@michaelr.3325]

Nice. Thanks for the content Kelly

[@robalan57]

I have this Jetboil Jetset Stowable Camping Utensil Set on order. It might be good.

[@camojoe83]

Man.. probably walked by all kinds of morels... Pretty woods down there, thanks for sharing!

[@MTBMatthew]

This may be my next hike! I hiked Devil's Den last year, and had a great time. Thanks for sharing. 👍

[@jbrummitt]

Very cool. I needed this. Also great to see someone who shares a love of nature and especially waterfalls!!

[@WanderingBlock]

I love this trail! I was hoping to do it again this spring, hopefully next year!

[@sdsurfer8152]

Definitely bring a small container of vaseline for chaffing. My buddies definitely will always go with vaseline because when you chaff, you cake it on and helps a lot. We used to put a lot of miles on each day so. I need to go back to your most recent gear list to see what size liter pack you got on your Osprey. At the military surplus there is a 75 liter pack with a rainfly for $95. I also bought me a top and bottom from Kryptek dot com for a top and bottom good for hunting and hiking around a lot to keep warm because it is wind proof and waterproof for my wind and rain gear in one outfit. And will get a poncho from truspec dot com that doubles as a small tent rainfly. I am also going to get a poncho liner that zips up that is made from a company called Rothco. You can get it at military surplus stores but once it is zipped, it can serve as a light sleeping bag or a layer inside or outside your sleeping bag to keep extra warm. It is $50.

[@jenschmoeger4251]

Nice video. Fellow Midwesterner here. Headed to the OHT in a couple weeks. Will be watching your journey next year. My plan is for 2022.

[@kellyhays23]

Thanks for watching! Love the OHT!

[@buckeye8480]

Cool trip! I like the Kelty gear! I've got the same tent in 2 person I use on kayak trips, and when traveling. It's held up great though some high wind, and rain storms.

[@kellyhays23]

Buckeye nice! Yes I love this tent!!

[@Wondering_Fireball]

Kelly, for you shoulder water bottle you need to check out Miyagi hikes video we’re he uses the Sourceoutdoors.com water bottle conversion kit to make a water bottle into a cool water drinking straw. Makes it easier to drink water without removing the bottle.

[@Wondering_Fireball]

Also when you vlog, let us know we’re you are at; how far you have gone and how far you have to go to the camp site. I’m not being mean, I just want your subscribers to feel as if they are part of your journey.

[@dowowens6214]

Buy some water proof socks. They work great while hiking in the rain.

[@robalan57]

Good idea! I bought some around 15 years ago but they suck. My guess is they have much better ones now. What ones are best?

[@rexreeves4012]

How’d you like that water bottle holder on the strap? Don’t know that I’ve seen one for the big bottle before. I like the idea I just wondered how a full liter was up there or if you found it was in the way?

[@kellyhays23]

Rex Reeves i loved it! Didn’t even realize it was there! 10/10 recommend!

[@jaydavee]

are you going to switch to water shoes for the wet crossings in the future? You brought those awesome orange ones, but didn't use them.

[@kellyhays23]

jaydavee no I don’t plan on it. I’m prepping for the Appalachian Trail and don’t want the extra weight, and it’s too tedious to change back and forth for me. On this trail, there was no way to avoid not getting feet wet on this trail even if I did have water shoes, I would of been wearing them the whole time! Luckily my Altras dry fast!

[@jaydavee]

@@kellyhays23 that makes sense. I wouldn't want to change shoes often either. 5 days after that ⬆, I was reading about water shoes and ran across this thing called neoprene socks. I have no recommendations, since I have only read that they exist at this point. We're really only talking about cold weather. Entering that creek in your vid sounded painful. In summer here in hot and humid Georgia, we would wear water shoes on bare feet.

[@peterjames01]

Love the reggae, who is it?

[@Wondering_Fireball]

It would help if you showed us on a map your plan of attack for what you planned on doing for the day. Your vloging is great, just keep up informed of what your goal is and how you are doing/ feeling. You will keep us informed as if we were doing the trail with you. Keep up the great job.

[@Wondering_Fireball]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5mol3ScjLqlocU, here’s his link.

[@johndonahue4777]

I like everything to eat but dog fennel and gin. Plus those hemp seeds. Yuk. Why not some cashews or toasted wheat germ maybe. I also couldn't eat brown aspic my Korean neighbors made by collecting and boiling and fermenting all the acorns in our neighborhood. Maybe if I was trapped in north Korea. . .to just survive. Can you say super bitter Jell-O?

[@redshot1015]

my fiance like who is kelly lmao

[@theamericanhiker7206]

Great video. Although I live near Springfield, MO, I’ve hiked all over NW Arkansas and it’s absolutely beautiful. I’ve hiked about 175 miles on and off trail, but, wow!!! those Ozark hills are steep, rugged and wild. A great way to relax, see nature. Keep up the videos 👍

[@Waynegoproductions]

Yeah that first hill is the hardest part of the hike. Turns into a really nice hike above/along the river

[@johnwilliams640]

I sure do enjoy your videos Kelly. Stay safe lil lady.