Rush Landing to the White (Cartney Access) on the Buffalo National River

Floating from Rush Landing to the White on the Buffalo River is a 25-mile overnight float through the remote and beautiful Lower Buffalo Wilderness Area. The duration of this float depends on the flow of the river. For our float, the Hwy 14 gauge read 5.08 ft at 1950 cfs. At this level, we had great flow and hardly had to paddle at all. We finished the float in a total of around 13 hours of actual float time. But we wanted to camp two nights, so we took our time, stopping often, setting up camp early, and not rushing to start the next day. At lower river levels, the flow will not be as fast, more paddling will be required, and it could up to 2.5 days.
Most people that do this float take out at Buffalo City on the White River. Instead of fighting the current to reach Buffalo City, we dumped into the White and floated 2-3 more miles down to Cartney Access. This is a little bit longer float, but an easier shuttle.
Watch out for Clabber Shoals at the beginning of the float. But after that, kick back and cruise...enjoy the Lower Buffalo scenery that is every bit as impressive as the other sections of the river. Soak up the peace and quiet and solitude of the Lower Buffalo, as you might not see other people for 24 hours or more. But you will see plenty of wildlife, including several bald eagles!
For all the details on this float, including Google map, access points, and more, visit our blog post here: www.arownbackyard.com/2024/05...
For more information on the Remote Designs 60L Dry Duffel, check out our video review on that here: • Floating Cow Shoals To...
Or our blog post review with a link to purchase here: www.arownbackyard.com/2023/09...
00:00
0:11 Crockett's Canoe Rental - Float info
03:08 Rush Landing Put-in
03:36 Packing Kayak for Overnight Float/ Remote Designs Duffel
06:02 Intro to Clabber Shoals
07:56 Portage at Clabber Shoals
11:09 First bald eagle sighting
12:49 More on the Remote Designs 60L Dry Duffel
13:42 First night campsite - "The Eagles Nest"
15:35 Start Day 2 - Eagles mating calls
18:20 Opinion of Lower Buffalo Wilderness Area - rapids, bluffs, scenery
21:25 Confluence of Big Creek
20:55 Take out at Maumee
22:40 Backflip David story
25:30 Bear Hollow
28:40 Approaching Leatherwood Creek/Leatherwood Shoals
30:00 Second night campsite
31:17 Start Day 3
33:17 Sounds of the Lower Buffalo Wilderness
34:49 Approaching Elephant Rock
37:03 Final stretch of the Buffalo
38:18 White River confluence
41:04 Approaching Cartney takeout - final assessment
#paddling, #ozarks, #arkansas, #kayak , #canoe, #kayaking, #kayakingadventures, #paddleboard, #paddleboarding , #canoeing , #outdoors, #getoutside, #nature, #explore, #buffaloriver , #buffalonationalriver

[@michaelwiley3221]

A good friend and I made that float every year for 20 years. We loved it for the fishing, scenery, and lack of day-trippers. Clabber Creek is a much easier float when the water is up, otherwise it has lots of big boulders that you have to dodge. Taking out downriver on the White was a good move. That current on the White, especially when the dam is generating, can be a real pain. Thanks for the video. Brings back lots of good memories for this geezer.

[@AROwnBackyard]

@michaelwiley3221 yeah, we had someone talk us out of Clabber. But after going around it, and learning that David made it on his paddleboard, I wish I had just paddled through. I will next time. This is definitely a quiet float with tons of scenery that I would do again. Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@GatewoodBrown]

So cool to see the lower section! We did the ponca to pruitt stubbornly just to see what its all about. Lower buffalo next! That duffel is getting put to good use on the Buffalo!

[@AROwnBackyard]

@GatewoodBrown there is nothing stubborn about doing Ponca to Pruitt! That is still my favorite section of the river. I love the rapids and the scenery on that stretch. But I do think the remoteness of the Lower Wilderness area is perfect for the style of videos you like to do. Man, you've got to give me a shout when you're up this way! Let's do a float! And yes, I'm loving the duffel. I just realized I forgot to drop the links in the comments for this video. They are there now.

[@GatewoodBrown]

@@AROwnBackyard Exactly seemed like the 'postcard' section would be worth it even with some dragging. Turned out to be plenty of water and only dragged a select few times. The lower wilderness gets pretty remote which is cool, you did a great job showing it off. Maybe next year!

[@AROwnBackyard]

@@GatewoodBrown Thanks man, I appreciate that!

[@aliciarhae]

Cold Springs Hollow has a really cool old schoolhouse up on the bluff. I have hiked in from close to Almus Knob to that schoolhouse.

[@AROwnBackyard]

@aliciarhae After floating through here, I see I definitely need to do some of the hikes around it. I'll have to check those places out. Thanks for the comment, as always!

[@neilwebb504]

Great trip. Glad we finally got to do it. Maybe next time Eric and I won’t bring as much stuff.

[@AROwnBackyard]

@neilwebb504 hahaha! There's NO chance ya'll are bringing less stuff! 🤣

[@GoPlacesEatThings]

Lol this video is cute! Me and my best friend did the whole buffalo during flood stage this year in full rain and river surging! We did the whole buffalo in 6ish floating days! We left april 24, 2024 and hit buffalo city on may 2nd, 2024! Us and 4 other ppl were the only ppl on the river! We were flowing at like 8mph! And the corner after rush landing had 6-8 foot swells! That water is so flat and clear! If you want to know how to do the whole thing hit me up!

[@GoPlacesEatThings]

Lol y’all went into the white river like you were riding rapids! Lol in flood stage you can stick left and go to Rileys pull out no issues at all! Y’all had a super clean float with no debris rapids etc!…

[@AROwnBackyard]

lol...what? lol Dude, this was our first time down this stretch and we got all kinds of conflicting info on Clabber.,,,lol. I know now I could have paddled it just fine. I have a lot of newbies that watch these videos. I don't need to be encouraging less experienced paddlers to do something that leads to an accident. And our outfitter handling our shuttle prefers Cartney and we were fine with that. We were here for a chill float.

[@themarcusallen]

I've been looking at this stretch and was planning to go to Riley's. Have figured using a ferry maneuver would work. Is that what you did or did you paddle up stream on the White and then come down?

[@shelliglasow609]

@@AROwnBackyard I am glad you showed how to portage around this spot and highlighted how it could be dangerous for inexperienced kayakers.

[@BootsLee]

Done this several times and have not portage any of it. And I am not a great paddler. In a wore out Old Town loaded to the gills.

[@AROwnBackyard]

@BootsLee I wasn't sure what to expect. Our outfitter talked it up and talked us out of it. I AM a good paddler and realized afterwards I could have made it just fine. But I'm not going to get on here and encourage inexperienced paddlers to do it.

[@BootsLee]

@AROwnBackyard I had a feeling you got talked out of it. I've watched your other floats in much rougher water. I used to do this float every year on Columbus day with a group of friends. We usually float down the White to Ships to get out.

[@AROwnBackyard]

@@BootsLeeI hope I get to do this float again, and if I do, I'm definitely paddling through. lol. Thanks for watching. And I appreciate the feedback!

[@BootsLee]

@AROwnBackyard The best part is having the river to yourself, and no signs of civilization.

[@AROwnBackyard]

@@BootsLee Absolutely! That was my favorite part. 100%

[@theozarkian7912]

Portaging Clabber is a watered down Lower experience👎 this should be an 8 min video and without fishing a 90 sec reel😂

[@AROwnBackyard]

Feel free to move on then. That's why it has chapters.