Reduction of visitor services on the Buffalo River

[Jesse Jefferson]

Here is the information released by the NPS today concerning the impact of the sequestrian.

Lost Valley - open, limited service, no camping
Ponca Launch - launch open, restroom closed
Steel Creek - launch open, limited service
Steel Creek Walk-In Sites - open, limited service
Steel Creek Horse Sites - open, limited service
Kyles Landing - open, limited service
Erbie - launch access open, no camping, no restrooms
Erbie Drive-In Sites - closed, no camping, no restrooms
Erbie Walk-In Sites - closed, no camping, no restrooms
Erbie Group Sites - closed, no camping, no restrooms
Erbie Horsecamp - closed, no camping, no restrooms
Cecil Cove Trailhead - restroom closed
Ozark - open, limited service
Pruitt Visitor Contact Station - open, hours variable
Upper Pruitt Day Use Area - open, limited service
Lower Pruitt Launch - restroom closed
Hasty Launch - open, limited service
Blue Hole - closed
Carver - open, limited service
Mt. Hersey - launch access open, no camping, no restrooms
Woolum - open, limited service
Bakers Ford - open, limited service
Tyler Bend Visitor Center - open, hours variable
Tyler Bend Drive in Sites - open, limited service
Tyler Bend Walk-In Sites - open, limited service
Tyler Bend Group Sites - open, limited service
Grinders Ferry - open, limited service
Shine Eye - open, limited service
Gilbert Launch - open, limited service
Maumee North - launch access open, no camping, no restrooms
Maumee South - launch access open, no camping, no restrooms
Spring Creek - open, limited service
Dillards Ferry - launch access open, no camping, no restrooms
Buffalo Point Visitor Contact Station - open, hours variable
Buffalo Point Loops A-D - open, limited service
Buffalo Point Loop E - closed, no camping, no restrooms
Rush - launch access open, no camping, no restrooms
Rush Launch- launch access open, no camping, no restrooms

Thanks,
Jesse
Buffalo River Canoes

[okieboater]

Looks like the powers that be are making it as difficult as they can for the public
instead of making management decisions that lessen the impact of a very small percentage decrease
in the planned increase of money they get.

[prophet]

where is Blue Hole? between hasty and carver where that drive in area is on the N. side?

[Eric Esche]

And of course, there is NO mention of a decrease in law enforcement services, so we can expect just as much harrassment on and off the river as before, just what we paddlers, hikers, and campers need.

and for the record, I have always tried to be the soul of politeness and kindness towards all NPS staff, even offering them cookies, pumpkin and banana breads, bending over backwards to help them in any way from participating in all the "formal" cleanups I can make (not that every trip isn't a clean up trip when we paddle), helping to move trailers by hand in a crowded parking lot, to granting them freedom to inspect anything in my boat or vehicle, until they started treating me like I was a criminal suspect or war criminal in a foreign country, were blantently disrespectful AND unsafe on the river, AND THEN I COMPLAINED VERBALLY AND IN WRITING UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, but only about those who did so. When any NPS staff deserved commendation for being an outstanding credit to the NPS, I was just as quick to write that they deserved recognition, hoping that it would be also recognised by their bosses. Have never received any confirmation that these were received.

IF I still sound like I expect nothing in this area to change, it is because I received nothing but a paper whitewash in response to my honest complaints, and with the same people and policies in place, nothing will change.

Eric Esche

[Faulkner]

Looks like the powers that be are making it as difficult as they can for the public
instead of making management decisions that lessen the impact of a very small percentage decrease
in the planned increase of money they get.

That's exactly what they are doing. There is no reason to close restrooms at a national park just because the federal government didn't get as big a raise as they'd like.

The current presidential administration has made it clear it's us against them, us being the free citizens of the United States.

[SteveGabbard]

Just in time for spring break. May take my kids to the cossatot camping instead.

[Canoe_Codger]

The river is still open and so are the gravel bars. And the concessioners. I haven't usually gone there for the NPS services anyway.

[cpresoz]

The river is still open and so are the gravel bars. And the concessioners. I haven't usually gone there for the NPS services anyway.

That's how I feel. If it means less people, that much the better. I don't need toilets and I carry out my trash and don't need any man-made facilities. Just had a few pleasant encounters with the federales and most of them are there for the drunks. So long as they don't close down access, I'm OK with it all regressing to wilderness. That's a little selfish, I suppose, and hope it works out for the general public.

[Canoe_Codger]

The river is still open and so are the gravel bars. And the concessioners. I haven't usually gone there for the NPS services anyway.

That's how I feel. If it means less people, that much the better. I don't need toilets and I carry out my trash and don't need any man-made facilities. Just had a few pleasant encounters with the federales and most of them are there for the drunks. So long as they don't close down access, I'm OK with it all regressing to wilderness. That's a little selfish, I suppose, and hope it works out for the general public.

I floated that river during the "great War" and had a "Dam the Corps, not the river" bumper sticker. I gave money and a bit of time to the effort, though not so much as some did. Putting up with some Federal controls is still much better that fighting jet skiers on Buffalo Lake.

I do hate to see a political driven lessening of services and access, but it is what it is. And the river remains. I am actually astounded that it remains as pristine as it does in spite of the volume of people who go there each year. This spring when I go back, we'll see how accomodating they are to people with service animals. I noted that they have recently restricted a few areas from "pets". I guess we'll see if they know the difference.

[okieboater]

Bottom line the Buffalo is a jewel in the crown of places we are blessed to have within a few hours drive.

I remember back when I lived in north GA one of my boating buds did the buffalo when he was in the army post I think Ft Leonard Wood, up in southern MO. He did a lot of campfire talks on how beautiful the Buffalo River is. When I moved to Tulsa in the mid 70's, the Ponca to Pruit run With the Tulsa Canoe and Camping Club, was my intro to Ozark floating. I will add I had just met the young lady who was to become my life long partner from western OK. Her first canoe trip and probably first time ever to camp out. So, the Buffalo has a lot of excellent memories for me.

Later on Richard McFadden and Bobby Stout (plus others but these to were ring leaders in setting up trips) introduced me to many Buffalo trips. I got to know my good friend that I should have known but just seemed to always miss from NOC and Ocoee days Now retired to NW AR, Eric Esche on the Buffalo.

Some of my best memories are setting on a gravel bar with Richard watching the sun come up over a bluff with us both giving thanks for the blessing it is to enjoy this wonderful river.

Sorry for the long post, but as many have posted here, I could care less what the federales do as long as they keep the river clean and clear and let us float. All we need is very basic access and we will pick up trash left by others.

At the Lake Ft. Smith BOD meeting, I was visiting with several folks and the conversation turned to the Buffalo. One of us commented that it was not so much the challenge to paddling the Buffy as it was the beauty of just being on it. I totally agree. Many thanks to the Ozark Society and the many people in that group whose work gave us this river.

I will add that on a rainy cold spring day some years ago, Senors Dog, Fish and Ghost paddled out from Atkins Creek into the Buffalo a few hours after the water was flowing over the Hailstone take out bridge. It was just before the sun went down, one of my most exciting paddle adventures and that includes a lot of Central and South American floats. That day there were waterfalls every where we looked. Very similar to many streams down in Ecuador. Bottom line when the Buffy gets rocking and rolling there is a lot of good adrenaline producing little known jewels up in the Hail Stone area. :myday"

[Canoe_Codger]

As to less people, that is a two-edged sword. I just read the latest visitation report:

A new National Park Service (NPS) report for 2011 shows that the 1,169,802 visitors to Buffalo National River spent $38,232,000 in communities surrounding the park. This spending supported 528 jobs in the local area.

Mike Mills and the others who have become our friends over the years depend heavily on not only a continuation of current visitation levels, but an annual increase to help offset their steadily increasing business costs. Most of us who have frequented the river for years know how to avoid crowds. It isn't river surgery!

And... visitation levels = demand for services = slices of the budget pie.

I've never personally had any unpleasant run-ins with any of the Rangers, but I can imagine that things have changed on many levels in the past eight or ten years there. Likewise, besides personel and policy changes, I find that LEOs of every ilk, just like us regular citizens, tend sometimes to respond out of frustration and sometimes misinterpretaion. And like people everywhere in every occupation, their personal temprement and training varies widely. My worst experiences were when I visited intent on a rocket ride during the epic flood (1982?). My red Jeep with a canoe on top did not find a warm welcome anywhere as we worked our way upstream from GIlbert, finally ending up at Boxley. The Ranger at the Ponca bridge gave us the stink-eye when we landed there, but we weren't ticketed or arrested. Maybe we should have been. We sure set a bad example for all of the disappointed floaters gathered there.