News & Updates

For those planning to do trail building with Ken Smith on the Buffalo River Trail Extension, please note this IMPORTANT CHANGE: The campsite for the Buffalo River trail work (Oct 14 through Nov 12) has been changed from South Maumee Access to the group campsite at Tyler Bend. To get there, take US Highway 65 to the Tyler Bend Visitors Center entrance road one mile south of the Buffalo River Bridge. Take the Tyler Bend road straight through for three miles to the group camping area by the river.  The campsite will have a big white canvas tent, in plain sight. For more information, contact Ken Smith at or kennethsmith616@yahoo.com

Click below to see a slide show of the Colorado Trip this year. Colorado Trip 2014 Photo Album   More pictures are available at: https://picasaweb.google.com/LukeParsch  

The fall general meeting will take place the weekend of October 4-5, at Buffalo Point.  We have Pavilion #1 reserved for our day use, and we have also reserved the group campground adjacent for Friday and Saturday nights. Registration and continental breakfast will take place from 8:30 - 10 on Saturday, and the business meeting will start at 10am. Saturday afternoon will be open for recreation and there will be our usual potluck on Saturday evening, when we will have the election of board members and music by Harmony.  A river cleanup is scheduled for Sunday.  The meeting will be hosted by the Buffalo River chapter. There are campsites at the park, or  you can inquire about cabins at : Buffalo Point Concession & Cabins 2261 Ark. 268 East Yellville, AR 72687 http://www.buffalopoint.net/ Please save the date and we will post more details as they become available.

There are many ways to see the Grand Canyon by trail, water, and air. One efficient way to experience the Grand Canyon by water is a motorized raft trip, and an enjoyable month to take this trip is April. Canyoneers, a Grand Canyon concessionnaire, has an April 19, 2015 launch date for an All Grand trip from Lee's Ferry to Lake Mead. This trip originates and terminates in Flagstaff, Arizona, and in between covers 280 river miles in 7 days, spending 6 nights on the river. Details concerning the trip, including logistics and cost, can be found at www.canyoneers.com. This trip provides Ozark Society members an opportunity to enjoy the entire Grand Canyon by river in a relatively short period of time compared to oar powered trips. If you are interested you can register for the trip on line. If you have any questions about the trip, please call Mike or Sheri at Canyoneers at 800-525-0924800-525-0924. Canyoneers advises that this trip may fill early, so if you want to go, it is suggested that you register soon. To help gauge our member's response to this trip, and since registration will be through Canyoneers, please notify Stewart Noland at bosshq@aol.com if you [...]

Please note the trip to Zion National Park in late September is full.  If you would like to be added to the waiting list, please contact  Bob Cross, email racross@uark.edu or 479-466-3077.

A Notice from Alice Andrews: On Tuesday, June 3rd, the Coalition of the Ozark Society, Buffalo River Watershed Alliance, Arkansas Canoe Club and the National Parks Conservation Association sponsored a media float trip from Grinders Ferry to Gilbert.  There were 11 reporters from Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee plus volunteers, about 32 persons. The Ozark Society gives our heartiest thanks to these Buffalo River businesses, serving the food, recreational and tourism needs of thousands of people who come to enjoy the River and its environs.  They care deeply about protecting the Buffalo and understand how important a beautiful and healthy river is for business and for the economy of Arkansas. Our warmest thanks to: Wayne Thompson, owner of Fergusons Restaurant and Country Store, 121 E. Highway 333, St. Joe, AR, which provided cinnamon rolls, coffee and a place to meet; Monty Smith, owner of Silver Hill Float Service, 9862 Hwy. 65 (South Hwy 65) St. Joe, AR, who provided complimentary canoes and shuttle service; Melissa Welbourne, owner of the Gilbert Café, in the “big middle of Gilbert”. She served sandwiches, chips and drinks, kindly opening her café on Tuesday when it is normally closed; A huge thank you goes to the Pulaski Chapter of the [...]

Ozark Society Arkansas Delta Cycling Tour November 1-4, 2014 are the dates for the Society’s first cycling tour.  This ride is all about learning the history of the Arkansas Delta and seeing the delta during harvest and the beginning of fall migration. We will begin in Poinsett County on Saturday, November 1 at the Tour duh Sunken Lands (sunkenlands.com).  This 52 mile ride begins at the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum in Tyronza, AR and makes a loop to the museums of the Sunken Lands in Marked Tree and Lepanto.  It also travels to the home of Johnny Cash in Dyess. We will then travel by car to Arkansas County and make 3 day trips to historical or scenic locations.  We will learn the history of this area by staying at a former school house on the national register, going to St. Charles and the White River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center and on to Arkansas Post, the first capital of the Arkansas Territory(nps.gov/arpo). We will be staying in duck lodges that are beautiful and fun.  The longest ride will be the 52 mile ride on the Tour duh Sunken Lands.  The typical routes will be in the 40 mile range.  This [...]

PLEASE NOTE THIS TRIP IS FULL.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED TO THE WAITING LIST, CONTACT  BOB CROSS, racross@uark.edu or 479-466-3077. You may have seen the previous Pack & Paddle announcement that because of the success of the Colorado trip, the Ozark Society will add additional major adventures to our activity list.  I now have further details of the proposed hiking trip to the Southwest Canyon Country in the fall.  The Needles District of Canyonlands National Park was mentioned as the probable destination but because of logistical problems with Canyonlands the trip will go to Zion National Park.  The dates are from September 21st to the 28th. We will stay in Group Site #1 in Watchman Campground that is next to the Visitor Center. There will be flush toilets and running water available but no showers. Only tents are allowed in the group sites, i.e., no RV nor pop-up camp trailers. The cost will be $4 per night per person plus park admission fees if there are 15 of us camping.  It will drop to $3 per night per person if there are 20 people. You will need to furnish all of your camping gear and food. Adjacent to [...]

Mary Virginia Ferguson passed away in Conway on May 8.  She will be greatly missed. Mary Virginia and Hubert Ferguson were founding members of the Ozark Society.  Most members will remember that they and their family played a key role in saving the Buffalo River from planned dams on the Buffalo.  They were active leaders, canoeists, hikers and devoted "birders", gardeners and ranchers for many years.  Their home is in Ponca, near Boxley. Cards may be sent to Hubert and Family c/o Hubert Ferguson, 1447 AR 43 Hwy, Ponca, AR 72670 (please note this is an updated address) or c/o John Ferguson, 3285 Chrysler Cove, Conway, AR 72034-7289. Follow the link below to Mary Virginia's obituary: http://www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/services.asp?page=odetail&id=34529&locid=14  

Dear Ozark Society Members and Friends, I hope you will read the linked information below and consider submitting personal comments.  Banning new medium and large confined swine operations in the Buffalo River Watershed will give the Buffalo a level of protection that is sorely needed at this point.  The number of comments as well as their content will be important in the approval process.  I hope that hundreds of you will respond. Thanks for your help. Bob Cross, President 3rd Party Rulemaking - Public Comment Information