Bufallo River Trail: Boxley to Pruitt

The Buffalo River Trail (BRT) is a great backpacking trail. You can start either near Boxley or Pruitt if you want to do the whole thing, or you can do a segment of it.

This is a beautiful area to hike. The trail is up and down a lot as far as altitude and you are in the forest most of the time. There are however great views all along the way. There are some cool bluffs and some great waterfalls as well. There are a lot of Springs in this area, which makes for some good waterfalls.

The first section is from Boxley to Ponca. It is about 11 miles. be careful in this section because it is easy to lose the trail. The best part about this section is the forest and the wildlife. There are elk, hogs, deer, and other animals you may see as you are hiking. When you come near Ponca don't be surprised if you hear an elk bugle!

The next section is Ponca to Steel Creek, about 2 miles. This is one of the shorter sections, and it goes by quickly. Steel Creek has an exceptional campground if that is what you are looking for. You can also swim at Steel Creek as well.

The third section is by far my favorite, Steel Creek to Kyle's. This 8-mile hike has the most beautiful views of the whole trail. The path leads you up to the top of some bluffs where you can see the winding buffalo river far below, and how it has carved its way through the rocks. It is simply amazing. It is also worth noting that there is a great spot to camp in between Steel Creek and Kyle's. It is not a designated camping area, but it is out of the way, and very quaint.

In the last section, I have merged. From Kyle's to Pruitt is just over 15 miles, but there are a few other put-outs in-between Kyle's and Pruitt that you will see. These are: Erbie, Ceader Glade, and Ozark. This section features some cool scenery as well as some good hiking. There is an old graveyard for instance, pretty neat. There is also an old farmstead.

The entirety of the trail is about 25 miles long and is at least a 3-day adventure. However, you can do sections of this trail very easily. It is a great experience to backpack in the Ozarks. You should not miss this opportunity.