National Parks Guide: Arkansas' Buffalo National River

— -- Clark Fletcher, 61, of Mountain Home, Ark., will never forget the first time he saw a canoe on the Buffalo National River.

"I was about 10 and was fishing with my brother when we met four postmen from Memphis," Fletcher recalls. "They had dumped their canoe, and we helped them retrieve their gear from the river. I believe my mom still has a letter from them, thanking us."

Like the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon, the Buffalo National River in northern Arkansas has carved its way through sedimentary geology, leaving soaring, multicolored limestone bluffs which tower above the river. It's surrounded by nearly 100,000 acres of pristine wilderness.

For many, floating on the Buffalo is the main draw. Its 135 miles of free-flowing water offer spectacular views. Some visitors come to hike some of its 100-plus miles of trails. Others come to camp or to commune with nature. "The diversity of experiences the park offers make it appealing to a wide range of people," says Caven Clark, chief of interpretation and cultural resources for the park. "It's a special, unique park. It's the nation's first national river."

***

About the park

Size: 95, 730 acres, with 36,000 acres designated as wilderness area

Visitors: 1,169,802 in 2011

Established: 1972

History: After a decades-long battle in the 1960s between conservationists and those wanting to dam the river, then-president Richard Nixon signed a law in 1972 designating the Buffalo as the nation's first national river — meaning the river was free from the threat of impoundment. It's one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower 48 states.

When visiting: The main park visitor center, Tyler Bend, is 11 miles north of Marshall, Ark., on U.S. Highway 65. Visitor-contact stations are at Buffalo Point, 17 miles south of Yellville, Ark., on state Highway 14/268, and at Pruitt, Ark., 5 miles north of Jasper, on Highway 7 South. Visitor info: 870-439-2502.

Of note: At approximately 204 feet, Hemmed-In-Hollow Falls is the tallest waterfall between the Rockies and the Appalachians, according to the National Park Service.