Buffalo National River

Eden Falls Cave


Useful Information

Location: Buffalo National River is long and narrow, crossed by three main highways: Hwy 43, Hwy 7 and Hwy 65. It is located south of Harrison, where the Park Headquarters is located.
Open: Park: all year daily.
Tyler Bend Visitor Center: Memorial Day to Labor Day daily 8-17. Labor Day to Memorial Day daily 8:30-16:30. Closed Thanksgiving Day, 25-DEC, 01-JAN.
Buffalo Point Ranger Station: all year daily 8:30-16:30.
Pruitt Ranger Station: MAR to SEP daily.
[2007]
Fee: free.
[2007]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: bring torches
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography: G. O. Graening, Michael Slay, Chuck Bitting (2006): Cave Fauna of the Buffalo National River, Journal of Cave and Karst Studies, December 2006, v. 68, no. 3, pp. 153-163. Worldonline verion
Mark R. Hudson, David N. Mott, Charles J. Bitting (): Geologic Framework of Karst Features in Western Buffalo National River, Northern Arkansas, In Eve L. Kuniansky, editor, 2001, U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, Water-Resources Investigations Report 01-4011, p. 16-17 Worldonline verion
Address: Buffalo National River, 402 N. Walnut, Suite 136, Harrison, AR 72601, Tel: +1-870-741-5443, Fax: +1-870-741-7286.
Tyler Bend Visitor Center, Tel: +1-870-439-2502.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1972 declared a National River.

Description

Buffalo National River is one of the few remaining unpolluted and free-flowing rivers in the lower 48 states. It was the first river protected by declaring it a National River in 1972. A course of 217 kilometers is protected, including both swift water and calm stretches. The river flows mostly through the massive limestone bluffs of the Ozarks. This limestone plateau is karstified and as a result the Buffalo National River has 340 known caves, including the longest cave in the state of Arkansas called Fitton Cave (L=28,164 m). About a third of the caves are home to bats, twelve different species are found in the park boundaries, three of these species are on the endangered list.

The Lost Valley Trail is one possibility to see caves in the Park. The 3.4 km long round trip leads to a natural bridge, Cob Cave, Eden Falls, and Eden Falls Cave. Eden Falls Cave is the highlight of the park. It is about 60 m long and ends in a large room with a 10 m high underground waterfall.

Indian Rock House Trail at Buffalo Point is 11 km long and a little strenuous. But it winds across hillsides and offers beneath river overlooks Indian Rock House Cave and Coon Cave. Indian Rock House Cave is not a big cave, but a spectacular rock shelter with prehistoric bluff-dwellings. Coon Cave is a cave with spleothems and may be visited as part of a ranger led activity. Contact the park interpreters at Buffalo Point Ranger Station for more info.