Exploring The River With Family And Friends

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Buffalo River Trail Between Erbie And Kyles

It was Friday, April 8th and I just got a text from my younger sister that they had left Springfield Mo, and were headed my way. I was pretty excited. We had been planning a winter hiking trip for some time but every time she scheduled a visit we had a nasty snow and ice storm. She was lucky to be able to twice reschedule her stay  at the Airbnb in Harrison that she had rented, and so we finally got to hike together again. On her first visit we toured the Erbie area from the north side of the river. My plan for this visit was to tour the Erbie area from the south side of the river. Margaret and her long time friend Janet pulled into my driveway about 1 in the afternoon. We drove over to their rental to check in. They wanted to do a short hike to stretch their legs after a long drive so we decided to hike Lake Harrison.
It was 40° out and a brisk wind was blowing but we put on our heavy coats, drove down the few blocks to the park area  and took off down the loop trail. It is somewhat over a mile I think, and we walked for about a half mile, then decided to turn back and get out of the wind. We went back to the Airbnb and I went home to clean up and pick up my cooking gear. I had promised to make brats and fries on my grill pan and air fryer my sister had bought me for birthday presents over the past several years. It was very tasty. We visited for awhile and made plans for the Saturday hike which I outlined to them. They thought it would be just fine. They said to invite my friend Bill, so that night I gave him a call and he said he would enjoy coming along. We all met at my house at 10 am.
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Trail Winds Around Many Bluffs
The idea was to start at the river and work our way back to the highway, stopping at all the interesting spots. The thing I like about the Erbie area is the variety of terrain. It has river, bluffs, forests, trails, primitive camping, campground camping, just about anything one would want to do for a weekend or a week. The Buffalo River Trail (BRT) runs along the south side of the river in the Erbie area. An easy way to access it is to drive past the Parker-Hickman homestead and then park at the old Erbie Access and Campground. There is a trail that runs through the field and right up to the BRT. To the right is Kyles and to the left is back to the homestead and the New Erbie Campground. We parked, took off up the trail and turned to the right.
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Downed Trees Are Dangerous
It was a wonderful morning for a walk. At first we didn't see many canoeists but as the day warmed up we saw more taking advantage of the day. There are some delightful vista views on this trail and also several nice overlooks that make for good picture taking opportunities. We saw many a red bud in bloom, and wildflowers also. One thing we did notice was the number of very large trees either in the river or alongside on the gravel bars. There have been some pretty big rains and the trees pose a dangerous threat to inexperienced canoeists. The park service should remove them before someone gets trapped by one and dies. The girls thought that the mountains and the green water of the river were perfectly balanced. I had to agree. After some time we decided to turn back and head on to the next spot on our agenda. The Parker-Hickman homestead.
The homestead reflects a continuous journey from early settlers in the 1840's through to the early 1980's when the Buffalo River National Park was created. It is normally open to wander about, and the Cherry Hill Cemetery is behind and up the hill a bit. My sister and her friend found it quite interesting. Bill wandered off and took some very interesting pictures of their old outhouse along with great shots of how the different structures were built. Everyone needed a bathroom break so we headed down the road a bit to the Erbie Campground and Access.
This is one of my favorite spots to take visitors. You get a clear view of the river and a set of rapids, and its a popular launch site so you get to see lots of folks canoeing or kayaking. While we were there we saw several groups pull up and unload. There were also some tent campers that were starting to pack up now that others were showing up. I enjoyed watching one group that had a couple dogs that were eager to start canoeing. We used the facilities, then walked the launch area and also took a drive into the campground to see how busy it was. Not very crowded. It was time to head to our final stop, the Cedar Glade Picnic Area.
It was around 2:30 in the afternoon when we pulled in this spot. It's on the Erbie access road off Hwy 7. Usually there is no one here and you can enjoy a quiet picnic lunch while observing the river below. The BRT also passes this spot so you can have a nice day hike or shuttle hike with some ease. We got out the lunch and set the table and began to eat when we heard a little commotion down on the river. Looking over we could see two older men and two young men pulling on a rope, obviously trying to free a canoe from under a tree. As we watched it came free and they beached it on the gravel bar. Bill headed down the trail to see if he could get a picture of the rescue. The two men waited in the river to catch any equipment while the two younger guys walked upriver to retrieve some of their stuff. Myself, Margaret and Janet returned to lunch. Those two young guys were lucky to have experienced canoeists with the right gear to rescue them. We hung out here for awhile then packed up and headed back to town arriving back at my house at 4pm. The 6 hour Saturday hiking trip was definitely a success. That night we made pizzas.
For our Sunday hike I had arranged for us to visit a friend of mine who lives along the Little Buffalo River. I always enjoy coming here. The beauty of the Ozarks is reflected in the care my friend takes of her property. We arrived and introductions were made. My friend then led us down to the river for a short walk along the banks, and over to the swimming hole that gets well used in the summer time. We spent about an hour there then walked back up and took a tour of her gardens. It was early April but overwintered plants were ready for harvest and others had just been planted. Flowers were blooming everywhere. We had brought along our lunch and we all had a great time eating and visiting on her back deck. It was late afternoon before we headed home. It was a wonderful day.

Monday was sort of a rainy day so we took a drive over to The Osage Pottery Works. My sister bought a few pots for her garden and she bought me a nice, large coffee mug. About noon on Monday they headed back north and home. The Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas offer so many opportunities to get out and experience nature, the public parks and forests, and  your family and friends. I do hope you get the chance to visit and enjoy the area.