Floats / Upper District · 8.0 mi
Steel Creek to Kyle's Landing
GoodModerateUpper-river current and bluff corners over 8 miles; good second trip. (our judgment)
Put-in: Steel Creek
Paved road with a steep descent; launch below Roark Bluff. Day-use parking near the river.
GPS 36.03946, -93.34600 — directions · NPS campground coordinates
Take-out: Kyle's Landing
Reached by a steep, rough gravel road; NPS recommends high-clearance vehicles. Not for trailers in wet weather.
GPS 36.05560, -93.28045 — directions · NPS campground coordinates
8.0 mi per the NPS mileage chart — about 4.0 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
- Bluff-wall corners where current pushes into rock
- Strainers on the outside of bends
- Strainers (downed trees) can appear overnight — scout blind bends.
Upper District outfitters (Boxley to Carver)
- Buffalo Outdoor Center · 1-800-221-5514 · www.buffaloriver.com
- Buffalo River Canoes · 870-446-2644 · www.floatthebuffalo.com
- Lost Valley Canoe & Lodging · 870-861-5522 · www.lostvalleycanoe.com
- Rio Buffalo Outfitter · 870-204-1566 · www.riobuffalo.com
- Riverview Motel · 870-446-2616 · www.riverviewmotelandcanoe.com
NPS-authorized concessioners (NPS list); not an endorsement. Full outfitter directory →