#2: [15-Mar-17] (incomplete)

29-Mar-2001 -- First attempt, using the approach suggested by USGS topos and Delorme Street Atlas, and again we ran into a gate. So we took a look at the map and decided that we were going to have to hike in from another road. Looking at paper maps and the USGS topo maps we figured that we were very close to the Buffalo National Park property line. We drove in to a point as close as we could with the '86 Audi 4000 and parked. This was on the next road just east of the confluence by about a mile. We thought that a hike of only one mile couldn't be too bad. Off we went, down the ATV trail and then decended about 500 feet, just to find another ATV trail that took us by the river, really nice scenery. This was the first time that either of us had visited this part of Arkansas. So we pushed on, following the river to a small stream, crossed it, just to find that we were on the south side of a large ridge that separated us from the confluence. It had been raining in the recent days, so the climb up the ridge was a slippery one. Jon had a little more wind in him, and was able to get up this faster than Jody, but we both were able to make it up. We had to pass through some fences, obviously remnants of when that was private property before being aquired by the federal government. We came to a flat prairie which turned out to be that property behind the gate that we first approached.

We were possibly on private property here, but according to the USGS, we were in a national park, so we pressed on.

We knew we were close and Jon could taste it! So, just one more quarter mile in and we found it, almost on the flat of the next ridge. Just one mile hike in, three ridge climbs and one stream crossing later we found the confluence. The site was almost perfect, there was a south facing bluff overlooking the Buffalo River, with some great scenic views.

It was near dark so we had to make tracks back to the car. Jody was pretty worn out by the time we got back to the car and was muttering something about being out of shape or something. Day one, two down five to go. Next stop, the Buffalo River National Park campsite. Next confluence, N36 W92.