188 Flatiron Bluff Loop

     Almost two months ago I did a little exploring downstream from Pruitt, (see: 184 Pruitt Bushwhack) on that hike the loose plan was to ‘scout’ a possible route for a ‘future’ segment of the Buffalo River Trail.  Today I’m going back a little further down river, with that same loose plan of scouting possible routes for a future BRT, that’s my excuse, any reason to get out for a hike is good enough for me.

above Little Buffalo River

    From Scenic Highway 7 about two mile east on NC 3200 (Maintenance Yard Rd.) I pull in at a cable gate across an old road with small signs stating ‘no motor vehicles’.  Around the gate I head up the old road which is in great shape (at least here at the start).  On the ridge there is lots of blown down trees everywhere but the sawyers seem to keep on top of things, soon comes the first junction.

easy access off road parking

yucca along old road

    Turning right this old road follows the ridge for a while passing a rusty old barrel, then lots of downed trees off the road and a thick pine nursery all along the way.  Leaving the ridge the road turns downhill and I soon come to the next intersection where I turn right again, since this choice looks more ‘used’.

following faint trail through cane-break

winter wonderland on Little Buffalo

    All downhill but not steep I soon start noticing lots of yucca everywhere and since yucca isn’t native I assume there must have been a house around here back in the day.  Then to confirm the assumption, a telephone pole leaning next to the road.  But I don’t find any ruins of a house or barn then pretty soon the road ends, with a faint trail continuing down to the Little Buffalo River.

Little Buffalo River

mossy falls on Flatiron Bluff

    This faint trail winds its way through a thick cane-break then down a muddy bank onto the flood plain along the Little Buffalo.  Down here next to the river evidently doesn’t get much sun, as the snow from last week is still blanketing the gravel bar along the river.  I walk up and down the length of this snow covered gravel bar, the river doesn’t look too deep I think this would be a good place for a crossing (for that future BRT).

near beginning of Flatiron Bluff

Little Buffalo below edge of Flatiron

    Heading back up the muddy bank I begin to make my way downstream toward the confluence with the Buffalo River.  This is when things start to get a little dicey, no more trail this is all bushwhack with thick undergrowth consisting mostly of cane but also lots of greenbrier and blackberry.  I angle my way uphill hoping that the base of the bluffs ahead will be easier going, I don’t really have a choice since the Little Buffalo soon curves in close to the bluff.

rugged hiking along face of Flatiron Bluff

    Near the beginning of Flatiron Bluff is a moss covered wet weather waterfall, here at the falls Flatiron is only about 20 feet tall, it will get taller as I ‘inch’ closer to the rivers confluence.  About a thousand feet from here to the point, rugged and dangerous the whole way.  I follow little ledges until they dead-end, then backtrack to steep jagged bluffline breaks.  This happens three times, these ledges are either very narrow or quite steep with loose rock underfoot, and the frequent greenbrier is no fun either.

on top of Flatiron Ridge

approaching Flatiron Point

    Once on top naturally the hike gets a lot easier, an obvious trail on the bedrock ridge heads straight out to Flatiron Point which gets narrower the closer I get.  Here on the point as far as I can go, Flatiron Bluff is about 150 feet above the confluence where the Little Buffalo pours into the Buffalo River, the perfect spot for me to take a long break after the hair-raising adventure getting here.

confluence of two rivers from 150' above

Flattop Pedestal and Slanting Rocks

    The view is just fantastic, behind me back to the west the Little Buffalo slides in under the bluff.  Looking into the sun, south the wide Buffalo heads downstream with Judea Mountain and Red Rock Point in the distance.  I can’t see much of the Buffalo upstream from here, but directly below at the bottom of Lost Hill is round Flattop Pedestal with two massive slabs of stone below at river’s edge known as Slanting Rock aka Sliding Rock.

Buffalo River downstream to the south

Ashe's Juniper and Cedar thrive on the edge of rocky bluffs

    Heading back up Flatiron Ridge crossing a big flat mossy rock then 100 yards further to what might be a faint trail, left goes west along the ridge and the Little Buffalo, right which is the way I go gradually heads down to the Buffalo.  Over half a mile to the river through wide open and clean woods, although the trail vanished right away this is very easy hiking.  Along the way I cross a little drainage with a nice ten foot wet weather fall, today having some 3-4 foot icicles.

moss covered rock patio on Flatiron Ridge

icicles in a little drainage

    The wide open woods give way to the wide flood plain along the Buffalo River, the ground having been churned up by recent flooding consists of half frozen mud and chopped leaves with patches of snow for good measure, this is a new terrain for me not difficult, just different.  Soon as I get closer to the river the landscape changes to soft sand on a long strip 50-60 feet wide above the rivers bank.

soft sand above the river

Buffalo River below the sandy bank

    As I head away from the river something ‘bright white’ catches my eye in the woods northwest.  Soon I come to a homesite with nothing to show for it other than a little GE refrigerator.  Now close to that ‘bright white’ I see a rock ledge above me with lots of long icicles, in a small grotto.  With warmer temps and more water this will be a lovely 12-15 foot  tall waterfall.  Below the waterfall 100 feet is a concrete boxed spring and the start of an old road.

sand and snow along Buffalo River

    Thinking this road will take me back to the trailhead/parking I follow it around a sweeping bend then north, but soon the road fizzles out in a large area of downed trees everywhere.  I make the mistake of climbing up onto a low ridge having even more downed trees and briars, plus this ridgetop gets further and further from the old road.  Realizing the error of my ways I cut a bee line east down into a steep ravine and eventually find my way back to the right road.

nice wide waterfall in April

impressive icicles in January

    Now my way is clear, although all uphill it’s pretty easy going on this old road and about half a mile later, I’m back at the truck.  Even with mud snow lots of greenbrier and the dangers along the face of Flatiron Bluff, this was a great outdoor adventure in the Ozarks.  Today my hike was about half on old roads and half bushwhack, the total mileage was 4.5 (that would have been less, had I not lost the road), and 673 feet of altitude gain.

concrete boxed-in spring

back on the road

Flatiron Bluff Loop: Statistics Chart 188     Getting to the trailhead/parking is pretty easy, about 1 mile south of the curving Highway 7 bridge over the Buffalo River go east on NC 3200 (Maintenance Yard Rd.) for just under 2 miles to a cable gate on the left with room for maybe four to park.