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Arkansas | Ozark Highlands
Buffalo River
Tyler Bend to Grinder's Ferry
Check current paddling conditions for this Buffalo River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route snapshot
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Today
Get the answer fast, then scan the route.
Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.
Today's conditions
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Best window today
Checking weather.
Today by hour
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Quick facts
Plan
Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.
Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.
Access plan
Access, shuttle, and map
Launch at Tyler Bend and take out at Grinder's Ferry for a short middle-Buffalo float often used for tubing. Use the direct St. Joe gauge as the decision point, and avoid the route when water is too low to carry or already pushing into unsafe flood conditions.
Put-in
Tyler Bend river accessOpen mapNPS says Tyler Bend has two launches. The upper launch may be reserved for concession operations during busy hours, while the lower launch is loading/unloading only with parking up at the picnic area.
Take-out
Grinder's Ferry access / gravel barOpen mapGrinder's Ferry is a primitive gravel-bar access that can flood and soften. Confirm that the vehicle approach, turnaround, and take-out path are workable before launching.
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- NPS says Tyler Bend has two launches. The upper launch may be reserved for concession operations during busy hours, while the lower launch is loading/unloading only with parking up at the picnic area.
- Grinder's Ferry is a primitive gravel-bar access that can flood and soften. Confirm that the vehicle approach, turnaround, and take-out path are workable before launching.
- Even on this short reach, Buffalo access roads and GPS routing can be unreliable. Carry a real park map and do not assume cell service.
- This route uses a community-calibrated St. Joe minimum-only threshold paired with official NPS route and safety evidence. It is not a full ideal-range recommendation.
Watch for
- Swift current, wood, strainers, and pushier water when the St. Joe gauge rises.
- Low water below about 120 cfs at St. Joe, when dragging and shallow lines become likely.
- Very high water approaching or above the NPS 8,000 cfs Grinder's Ferry unsafe level.
- Crowded tubing traffic, swimmers, and concession traffic near Tyler Bend and the short-access middle corridor.
- Soft gravel bars, hot-weather complacency, afternoon storms, and cold-water swims when rain refreshes the reach.
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Sources
Check the data behind today's call.
Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.
Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking
Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking data confidence notes.
- Checking data confidence cautions.
OutlookTomorrow and weekend
This is a cautious early look. If the data is too thin, we leave it out.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Buffalo River near St. Joe, 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 120 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Data confidence behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Rivers.MOHERP Buffalo River St. Joe gauge bands and same-route trip evidence |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official route shapeTyler Bend to Grinder's Ferry, about 1.1 miles
NPS publishes Tyler Bend to Grinder's Ferry as a 1-mile float, and the Buffalo River mileage chart lists 1.1 miles between those access points. Paddle Today uses the 1.1-mile chart value so the route length stays consistent with the mapped access spacing.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 07056000
Direct USGS Water Services for Buffalo River near St. Joe showed same-day values of 184 cfs and 3.37 ft at 2026-07-14 18:45 CDT during review.
- Low-water floor120 cfs minimum-only
Rivers.MOHERP lists the St. Joe gauge Low band beginning at 120 cfs. Paddle Today uses only that conservative floor and does not infer an ideal range.
- High-water cutoffNPS unsafe above 8,000 cfs at Grinder's Ferry
NPS says Buffalo River levels greater than 8,000 cfs at the Grinder's Ferry / Highway 65 gauge are unsafe.
- Access coordinatesTyler Bend 35.986715, -92.763903; Grinder's Ferry 35.986017, -92.743686
NPS publishes Tyler Bend Campground and Grinders Ferry primitive camping GPS coordinates, which serve as practical launch and take-out anchors.
- Route characterMostly flat short middle-Buffalo float
NPS says this reach is mostly flat, commonly used for tubing, and has a short shuttle of about 10 minutes between accesses.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Photos, paddler notes, and updates.
See what others have shared, then add a condition report, upload photos, or flag anything that needs fixing.
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More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Buffalo River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Buffalo River?
Paddle Today watches Buffalo River near St. Joe, AR and uses 120 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Buffalo River route start and end?
This route starts at Tyler Bend river access and ends at Grinder's Ferry access / gravel bar, about About 1.1 mi on the water.
Is this Buffalo River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.