On
my two most recent hikes, I’ve encountered lots of ticks, it’s my own
fault really. I know better than to get
off the trail this time of year, actually they’re around all year but spring
seems to be the worst. I’m told (by our veterinarian)
that ticks are a year round pest, but during the winter they mostly stay down
in the ground under the dead leaves. On
those two recent hikes (228 Indian Creek, and 229 Little Eleven) I would
probably have been fine, if some of the ‘trails’ hadn’t basically been a
bushwhack.
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beautiful Buffalo River
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So
today I’ve decided to hike the ‘other’ trails at Buffalo Point, we have hiked
to Indian Rockhouse twice over the years (78 and 170). I never have had a strong desire to
check out the rest of Buffalo Point’s trails (namely: Campground Trail, Vista
Trail and Forest Trail), honestly I just didn’t expect much. Two reasons bring me here today: first the
place is so popular, the trails should be wide, clean and very well used. And second, with all that popularity, every
tick within a mile of the trail should already be on someone else. |
manicured trail down to the river
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I’m
just kidding of course, and I shouldn’t underestimate these ‘other’ trails,
after all Buffalo Point was chosen for a state park way back almost a hundred
years ago, for much more than just the river.
I make a right at the ranger station/visitors center and head down the
hill, at the bottom I keep left into the main campground, cruising all the way
through the camp loops I see it’s pretty empty, no more than one in five
campsites are occupied.
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| river through the wildflowers |
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trailhead in the campground
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Coming
back out, I stop at one of the restrooms and across the road next to campsite
54, is a wide manicured trail down to the river. Which isn’t far maybe 100 yards, the water
levels look perfect for canoes and kayaks, the current is moving right
along. Speaking of kayaks, two are
downstream 200 yards from where I stand on the long narrow sandy gravel bar. And of course the Buffalo River is just as
beautiful as ever. |
| on volunteer trail |
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impressive amphitheater
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Returning
to the truck, I drive back down to the beginning of the campground and park in
a small lot at the satellite ranger station next to a couple Coke
machines. The trailhead is about 50 or
60 feet up behind the soda-pop stop, and after a liberal dose of bug spray, I
head that way. I haven’t had much luck
with this DEET 40% spray, the ticks just lap it up, maybe it’s time to
try something else, I’ve heard ‘Permethrin’ is good stuff.
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| CGT 'Campground Trail' |
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bluff behind amphitheater
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Just
past the trailhead sign, stone steps head up the rocky hill and I soon arrive
at a junction. Campground Trail
obviously turns left here, but I go right on what is probably a volunteer
or social trail through a scenic area of huge rocks at the beginning of
a bluffline. The trail heads downhill,
ending at the impressive amphitheater with a big movie screen and row after row
of bench seating. |
| impressive setting for a concert or movie |
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short pedestal rock
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But
what’s most impressive is the setting in the big boulders with the bluffline in
the back. There are two short paths out
from the amphitheater down to the campground, I head back up the way I came. Campground Trail continues uphill with more
stone steps, where I come to a short pedestal rock and a short side trail to a winter
vista rock ledge on the bluff top.
Headed northwest, the good trail keeps climbing for the next third of a
mile, but nothing steep.
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clean and wide Campground Trail (usually)
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Soon
after the trail heads downhill (just briefly), is an intersection where Forest
Trail branches off to the south, I stay on Campground Trail going northwest. The gentle climb resumes for the next 400
yards to the next trail junction. The
signage here is kind of vague, either way to the trailhead, Campground
Trail continues to the left and Vista Trail heads right, I go right. Vista Trail follows along the top of a bluff,
mostly north for about 200 yards. |
scenery along Vista Trail
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Then
after crossing the little creek just above a 10 foot wet weather waterfall, the
trail heads east. The next 400 yards
along the bluff top, is on the bare caprock with loads of wildflowers all
around. There are also many spots that
will probably have some great views after leaf-off. This bluffline the trail follows isn’t all
that tall, maybe 15-25 feet, but all that is about to change when I reach the
vista for which this trail is named.
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rocks and flowers on Vista Trail
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At
Buffalo Point Vista are great views south upriver, and in wintertime I’m sure
the views will open up downriver too. The great thing though about this vista
is the beautiful stonework performed by some fine craftsman, working in the CCC
back in the 1930’s when Buffalo Point State Park was built. Continuing east from Vista Point the
bluffline gets taller and taller, but Vista Trail makes a hair-pin turn here
and heads uphill northwest.
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more from Vista Trail
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Not
far after leaving Buffalo Overlook are more stone steps, and 1000 feet further
another example of CCC stonework at a culvert built into the trail. Under 200 yards more Vista Trail ends at the
top with a parking lot. This lot is
often full as this is the main trailhead, Indian Rockhouse Trail, Vista Trail
and Campground Trail all originate here.
Today there are only three parked here, one form Oregon, one with Iowa
plates and another from Missouri. I stop
for a short break at a convenient picnic table.
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Point Vista
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This
is also the top of today’s loop, now I’ll be mostly headed south back
downhill to the campground, starting with Campground Trail. For the next 400 yards the trail is down
below rental cabins spaced out in the woods, from here on the trail these all
look very nice. I’m soon at a junction
with a short spur trail that leads to the ranger station/visitors center,
Campground Trail turns left then starts downhill slightly steeper.
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at the top
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From
here it’s pretty much all downhill for the next three quarters of a mile, mostly
following wide ridges through the open woods.
Along the way, first is the trail intersection with Vista Trail where I
passed through earlier, then further southeast is the junction with Forest
Trail where I leave Campground Trail. Now
heading mostly south the trail soon levels out in a small lush creek drainage.
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Forest Trail a typical Ozark trail
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Up
until entering Forest Trail, all the trails followed today have been wide, very
clean almost ‘manicured’. Forest Trail
is ‘none of the above’ this is more like the typical trail seen everywhere in
the Ozarks, it’s still easy to follow, just narrow and a little overgrown. I keep checking for ticks, but haven’t seen
one yet (knock on wood), the trail soon heads uphill and a little steep. I’m climbing up to the road, Forest Trail
crosses Buffalo Point Road.
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more of Forest Trail
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Here
after the road crossing, Forest Trail heads up the steep grassy bank (quite
narrow), this is where I cross paths with an elderly lady hiker. I get completely off the trail to give her
some room, this has got to be the worst possible place at Buffalo Point for two
hikers to pass. She squeezes around me
with her furry little 'mop dog' clutched in her arms, then as she heads on down to the
road calls back to me “watch for ticks, I found two on me yesterday.”
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fence around sinkhole
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About
500 feet beyond the road is another junction, here a spur trail heads west to
the group campground, I go east gradually downhill on the wide ridge. Near the end of the ridge I spot a small
square fenced enclosure, thinking it might be a gravesite I go the short way
off the trail to check it out. Not a
grave, it’s a small narrow (and possibly deep) sinkhole. Just past here the trail turns more west and
heads down off the ridge.
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| nice cabin with AC |
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tight deep sinkhole
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Forest
Trail snakes it’s way down to the road in Campground Loop A, circles around the
north end of the loop, then leaves the road on the east side. Loop A is a little ‘tight’ I wouldn’t try to
bring a big rig into this loop, that said, the small sites are still very
nice. Now the trail goes north above and
parallel to the road for almost 300 yards, then ends on the road just south of
the junction at the bottom of the hill. And
from there it’s a short walk on the road of about 100 yards back to the little
parking area where this hike began.
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rock formations before Vista and stone culvert after
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Well
sure, Indian Rockhouse Trail is definitely the ‘premier’ hike at Buffalo Point,
but don’t write off the ‘other’ trails here.
They’re all easy, and each has its own personality, all three together
in the loop I hiked today was still an easy, scenic and very enjoyable hike of
3.7 miles with 502 feet of elevation gain. Oh, and by the way, I didn’t see a single tick all day.
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back to where I began
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B. P. Other Trails: Statistics Chart 230 Buffalo
Point isn’t hard to find, at the intersection of Hwy.14/268 about 1.7 miles
north of the Highway 14 bridge over the Buffalo River turn east on Highway 268
(Buffalo Point Road) and go about 2.25 miles just past the ranger station turn right,
go down the hill just over a mile to the campground and river. Turn right for loops B, A and the river. Turn left for the small parking lot on the
left that I used today, and continue down the road for loops C, D, E and
walk-in tent camping.
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