See all 13 routes on Buffalo River
Arkansas | Ozark Highlands
Buffalo RiverErbie to Hasty
Upper Buffalo continuation from Erbie to Hasty, linking the exact Erbie-to-Ozark, Ozark-to-Pruitt, and Pruitt-to-Hasty paddles into one longer fallback-friendly day. The direct Pruitt gauge remains the same-corridor low-water decision point.
Checking current river conditions…
Route location
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch at Erbie and take out at Hasty for a longer Buffalo continuation below Ozark and Pruitt. Use the direct Pruitt USGS gauge as the low-water check, and skip the route when the river is rising fast, very low, or above the NPS unsafe level.
Access map
Put-in
Erbie Campground / river access (imagery-derived water-entry edge)Erbie is a signed NPS campground access, but the road, parking, and river-right landing downstream from Erbie Ford can still be confusing or crowded on good-water weekends.
Take-out
Hasty river access / Chimney Rock Bluff take-outHasty is the sandy river-right take-out across from Chimney Rock Bluff. It is a rural access with limited services; do not assume cell coverage or quick rescue response.
Road shuttle
Stage the take-out at Hasty, then drive back to Erbie. NPS component shuttles are about 30 minutes from Erbie to Ozark, 15 minutes from Ozark to Pruitt, and 25 minutes from Pruitt to Hasty, but upper Buffalo park roads can still be slow, rough, or muddy after storms. Inspect both accesses before launching.
Additional access notes
- NPS says no road follows the river, access roads may be unpaved or rocky, and GPS can be unreliable in the park. Carry a real map and do not assume cell service.
- This route uses the direct Pruitt gauge with minimum-only scoring. It is not a full ideal-range recommendation.
More route and safety guidance
- Cold water, wood, long mileage, and limited bail-out options make this more than a casual scenic float even when the whitewater is modest.
- Use the direct Pruitt gauge and current park alerts before launching. Very low water creates scraping and obstacle dodging, and NPS says flows above 2,000 cfs at Pruitt are unsafe.
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.
Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.
Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.
Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.
Conditions
Check how the river is changing and what weather to expect.
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampDetailed weather
Weather
Hourly forecast
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Buffalo River at Pruitt, AR. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
Look for recent access, obstruction and hazard observations. Context photos may show a different part of the river.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Share a recent access update, hazard observation or photo.
Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
- Checking data sources and update times.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Buffalo River at Pruitt, AR |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 100 cfs |
| High threshold | Water-level guidance unavailable |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | NPS Buffalo National River Float Guide Pruitt gauge bands |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official route shapeErbie to Hasty, about 14.4 to 14.5 miles
NPS publishes Erbie to Ozark as 5.4 miles, Ozark to Pruitt as 2.1 miles, and Pruitt to Hasty as 7 miles, while the Buffalo access mileage chart lists about 14.4 miles from Erbie to Hasty.
- Gauge check during route review · 2026-07-15USGS 07055680
This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.
- Low-water floor100 cfs minimum-only
The NPS-linked Buffalo National River Float Guide uses Pruitt bands of Very Low below 100 cfs, Low from 100 to 200 cfs, Moderate from 200 to 1,000 cfs, High from 1,000 to 2,000 cfs, and Flood above 2,000 cfs. Paddle Today uses only the start of Low as a conservative floor.
- Route characterBluff-lined upper Buffalo continuation into the lower-water Pruitt-to-Hasty fallback
NPS says Pruitt to Hasty is a popular alternative when the river above Pruitt is too low for paddling and that the river typically gains velocity after the Little Buffalo River enters halfway through that lower section.
- Access coordinatesErbie 36.070346, -93.211886; Hasty 36.008993, -93.08242
NPS Getting Around lists Erbie coordinate anchors, and the NPS Pruitt-to-Hasty route page identifies Hasty as the sandy river-right take-out across from Chimney Rock Bluff.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- NPS Paddle Erbie to Ozark
- NPS Paddle Ozark to Pruitt
- NPS Paddle Pruitt to Hasty
- NPS Buffalo River accesses and mileage
- NPS Buffalo National River paddling
- NPS Buffalo getting around / coordinates
- NPS Buffalo camping
- NPS Buffalo National River Float Guide
- USGS 07055680 Buffalo River at Pruitt
- USGS Water Services 07055680 latest conditions
Other routes nearby
More on Buffalo River
All 13Nearby routes within 75 miles
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.