Floats / Lower District · 24.2 mi
Rush to Buffalo City
Low (scrapey)Challenging24-mile wilderness trip with no road access in between. (our judgment)
Put-in: Rush
Historic zinc-mining ghost town. Road crosses Rush Creek and can be cut off at high water.
GPS 36.12316, -92.55048 — directions · NPS campground coordinates
Take-out: Buffalo City (White River confluence)
Take-out at the mouth on the White River; lower Buffalo through the Lower Buffalo Wilderness has no road access in between.
No NPS coordinate published — ask NPS or your outfitter for directions
24.2 mi per the NPS mileage chart — about 12.1 h at NPS’s ~2 mph rule of thumb, before stops. Trip planner →
Dashed lines connect accesses, not the river channel. Not for navigation.
Hazards
- Remote wilderness — no exits, unreliable cell coverage
- White River at the mouth is dam-controlled and cold
- Strainers (downed trees) can appear overnight — scout blind bends.
Lower District outfitters (N. Maumee to Buffalo City)
- Buffalo River Float Service · 870-449-2042 · www.buffaloriverfloatservice.com
- Dirst Canoe Rental · 870-449-6636 · www.dirstcanoerental.com
- Wild Bill's Outfitter · 1-800-554-8657 · www.wildbillsoutfitter.com
NPS-authorized concessioners (NPS list); not an endorsement. Full outfitter directory →