Buffalo National River: River View/Rock Wall Loop at Tyler Bend (Blog Hike #845)

Trails: River View, Buffalo River, and Rock Wall Trails

Hike Location: Buffalo National River, Tyler Bend Visitor Center
Geographic Location: northwest of Marshall, AR (35.98591, -92.76197)
Length: 4.2 miles
Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: May 2021
Overview: A loop hike, mostly rolling but with a couple of steep areas, featuring Buffalo River's natural scenery and human history.
Park Information: https://www.nps.gov/buff/index.htm
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=872330
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From Marshall, take US 65 north 9.4 miles to the signed entrance for Buffalo National River's Tyler Bend Area on the left.  Turn left to enter the area, and drive the area's main road downhill 2.3 miles to the Tyler Bend Visitor Center on the left.  Park in the lot beside the Visitor Center.

The hike: Flowing for 153 miles from west to east across northwest Arkansas, the Buffalo River is one of the longest free-flowing/undammed rivers in the contiguous 48 states.  Much of the river is lined with 500-foot tall rock bluffs and cozy cliff-lined hollows, but the rugged topography did not prevent human settlement along the river.  In fact, archaeological evidence indicates people have lived along the river for 10,000 years, and small subsistence farms covered the riverside lowlands after European settlement.

            During the mid 1900's, several plans were made to dam the river, but in 1972 those plans came to an end with the creation of the Buffalo National River, the nation's first national river, by an act of Congress.  Buffalo National River protects the river's lower 135 miles, and many of the area's most scenic sites are contained within its boundaries.  The national river offers many recreation opportunities including whitewater rafting, camping, fishing, and of course hiking.

            For hikers, one of the national river's better frontcountry hiking options is found at the Tyler Bend Visitor Center, which offers a nearby developed campground and access to several trails.  The trail system at Tyler Bend features 5 different trails, including the Buffalo River Trail, a 37-mile backpacking trail that is one of the best backpacking trails in Arkansas.  The route described here forms the longest loop through Tyler Bend's trail system, and it samples both the scenic and historic sites Buffalo National River has to offer.

Start of Riverview Trail

            The hike starts at the parking loop to the left (west) of the Visitor Center, where the signed Riverview Trail begins.  The somewhat narrow trail descends slightly as it heads southwest along the perimeter of the Buffalo River's floodplain.  The river remains out of sight across the grassy area to the right, and the forest here is young with a dense green understory that includes some poison ivy you need to watch out for.  Wooden bridges carry you over small side streams, which were dry on my visit.

Hiking beside the river floodplain

            At 0.4 miles, just as the river comes within sight on the right, the trail curves left and begins heading up a side ravine.  The river's side ravines have steep walls and rocky streams, and you head up two of them before switchbacking to the right and climbing the back side of a larger riverside bluff.  At 0.8 miles, you crest the bluff and reach an unofficial overlook of the Buffalo River.  This point stands about 150 vertical feet above the river, and I could see numerous rafters taking a break on the sandy river banks below.

View from first Buffalo River overlook

            After heading further up the bluff for a few hundred feet, you reach a signed trail intersection where the Return Trail exits left.  Angle right to remain on the Riverview Trail.  The grade intensifies until, 1 mile into the hike, you reach a developed overlook.  The overlook stands above Arnold Bend, a sharp northward curve in the river that features wide and fertile bottomlands.  The bend is named for the family of William Arnold, who farmed these bottomlands throughout the mid and late 1800's.  This overlook provides this hike's best Buffalo River view, so take some time to see what you can see.

Buffalo River view at Arnold Bend

            Past the overlook, the trail assumes a wide and flat treadway as it heads directly away from the river.  At 1.3 miles, you reach the rustic Sod Collier Homestead, which consists of a house, fence, and shed.  Built in 1928 by Solomon "Sod" Collier, an immigrant from Kentucky, the log house with metal roof reminds me of similar structures I have seen from the early 1900's in Kentucky and Tennessee.  Take some time to observe the homestead and read the interpretive signs that describe the Collier's way of life.

Collier Homestead

            The Buffalo River Trail enters from the right just before you reach the gravel parking lot that serves the Collier Homestead, where the Riverview Trail ends.  To continue this hike, walk through the parking lot and head eastbound on the Buffalo River Trail, which is marked with white rectangular paint blazes.  The Buffalo River Trail crosses the main park road before embarking on a fairly level course on the north side of the park road's ridge.  The soil is quite rocky here, and the many small rocks in the trail make for tricky footing.  Some large oak trees live along this ridge, but the rocky soil and nearby park road make this part of the hike rather uninspiring.

Hiking the Buffalo River Trail

            Ignore the Spring Hollow and Buck Ridge Trails that exit left; they offer opportunities to shortcut this hike.  After curving left to pass over a finger ridge, the trail descends moderately to reach a signed intersection with the Rockwall Trail at 2.9 miles.  Turn left to begin the Rockwall Trail; the Buffalo River Trail continues straight and heads out of the park.

            Narrow and rocky, the Rockwall Trail crosses back up and over the finger ridge before beginning a moderate to steep descent using a single switchback.  Upon reaching the bottom of the ravine, you rockhop the watercourse, which was dry on my visit, and begin heading downstream.  At 3.4 miles, the trail exits the mouth of the ravine and curves left to begin following the rock wall for which this trail is named.  The wall is about 4 feet high, and while I could not find any information about this specific wall, it appears to be of the type that were constructed beside farm fields 150 years ago.

Rock wall along Rockwall Trail

            3.8 miles into the hike, the Rockwall Trail ends where it comes out at the campground access road.  To find the last segment of this hike, angle first left on the road and then right to begin following the left (west) arm of the developed Tyler Bend Campground loop.  The trail going back to the Visitor Center is marked only by a small wooden sign that says "Visitor Center," and it begins on the left just before you reach campsite #24.

Start of final trail segment

            The wide dirt trail heads moderately uphill through a forest of red cedar trees.  After crossing the paved park road that accesses the picnic area and canoe launch, the trail comes out at the east end of the Tyler Bend Visitor Center, thus marking the end of the hike.  While you are here, be sure to check out the Visitor Center, which offers interesting exhibits on the Buffalo River's human and natural history.