Buffalo National River
Steel Creek Campground is situated along the Buffalo River under the towering and picturesque Roark Bluff. Steel Creek has 26 tent only sites and 13 sites for campers with horses/stock animals (six people and four stock animals allowed per site). The Buffalo National River flows free over swift running rapids and quiet pools for its 135-mile (217 km) length.
max Stay
30 nights
Concise planning notes based on the public Recreation.gov campground information.
Steel Creek has 26 tent only sites and 13 sites for campers with horses/stock animals (six people and four stock animals allowed per site). All sites are available by reservations only. There are no electrical amenities or water hookups, but flush restrooms and water spigots are available from approximately March 15 through November 15 each year.
The Buffalo National River flows free over swift running rapids and quiet pools for its 135-mile (217 km) length. One of the few remaining rivers in the lower 48 states without dams, the Buffalo cuts its way through massive limestone bluffs traveling eastward through the Arkansas Ozarks and into the White River.
Paddling conditions in the upper (westernmost) district of Buffalo National River are extremely dependent upon rainfall. On an average year, the upper river is only navigable by boat in the spring and early summer when consistent rainfall feeds into the watershed. Some sections on the upper end of the river are technical and should not be attempted by novices. For current paddling conditions, please check with an outfitter (visit our Guided Services web page ), call the Tyler Bend Visitor Center at 870-439-2502, or check the Buffalo National River Float Guide Dashboard
The Buffalo River Trail runs through Steel Creek and offers great day hiking or overnight backcountry opportunities. Boxley Valley is nearby and is home to Lost Valley, an easy to moderate trail that leads hikers past geologic and water formations. Visit the park's Hiking Trails web page for more information..
Site markers come from Recreation.gov campsite coordinates.
A sample of official campsite metadata for scanning equipment fit before booking.
Horse Camp
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vehicle
6
people
Yes
shade
Main Loop
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Horse Camp
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Main Loop
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vehicle
6
people
Yes
shade
Main Loop
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vehicle
6
people
Yes
shade
Horse Camp
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Main Loop
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Horse Camp
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Horse Camp
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Main Loop
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Horse Camp
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Horse Camp
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Main Loop
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Main Loop
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Main Loop
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Main Loop
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Main Loop
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Horse Camp
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Horse Camp
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Horse Camp
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Main Loop
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Main Loop
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Main Loop
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vehicle
6
people
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shade
Main Loop
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vehicle
6
people
Yes
shade
Other tracked campgrounds from the same park or area.
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Tracked page
31 sites open
Scanned 7h ago
Official link
Booking
Other tracked campgrounds within driving distance, nearest first.
Reservations are handled by Recreation.gov, not by Kestrel. Use the official reservation link on this page to book. Kestrel only watches availability and tells you when a site frees up.
Kestrel rescans every two minutes, and every 30 seconds during the provider's daily release window. Alerts go out by email as soon as a matching site appears.
