Buffalo River

I have canoed the Buffalo probably 60 times over the last 30 years. Always amazing to see other's opinions. Here is the scoop. No doubt the Buffalo is a beautiful river. I love it indeed. Please protect it if you go, it has suffered with much camper and floater pollution for a long time, pollution in the form of cans, trash, etc... Please help keep it clean. I have not floated the Harpeth, the Duck, other western Middle Tn streams, but best I can tell from crossing them, they don't compare to the Scenic beauty of the Buffalo. I understand the Buffalo of Ark was named such because it resembled the Buffalo of Tn so much. Water quality, fair, some sediment, fishing is really good, I have had only fair success, but not much of a real fisherman, the smallmouth fishing is rated very good. Float difficulty: This is a class 1 float - from Metal Ford (Natchez trace Pkwy ) to Flatwoods bridge - the most floated portions. Couple of rapids approach class 2 in good water. But be aware ! stumps, downed trees, logjams, etc abound and in my opinion, bring the difficulty up to solid class 2, and is borderline for beginners. As a practical matter, the river is full of beginners flipping, pinning canoes, etc....I'm just telling you that compared to a class II whitewater river, this is actually harder with all the strainers, etc But worth the float if you get a chance

Quick section summary:....

Metal Ford to Grinders creek - best for mild whitewater, couple of ez class II - rapids, fun and short float, scenery nice.....

Grinders to N Riverside - watch out for logjam area - floated it twice and had to portage both times, probably 15 yrs between those floats, this is not one of the better floats, I recommend you avoid this very flat and less scenic (roadside much of the way) ......

N. Riverside to Bell Bridge- Most scenic float - very long float - several good shoals, have floated in 1 day many times, but allow for a long day..and hard for first timers to go this far in 1 day......

Bell to slink shoals - scenic, lots of stumps, etc. waterside waterfall, nice cave, lots of pools.......

Slink Shoals to Flatwoods..-not recommended....take out at Slink Shoals ! very flat section, floated only once, can't recall much...