Buffalo River in March?

We went mid-April last year with the kids. The weather was perfect, but the water was a bit cold. Water levels were great for kayaking at that time of year. We used Buffalo Outdoor Center and kayaked from Ponca to Kyle's Landing in around 5 hours if I remember correctly. Zero complaints about using them as an outfitter.

We tent camped at Buffalo Point Campground. Woke up early, and drove to BOC outfitters. We gave them the car keys and hopped on a bus to the drop off point. They shuttled out car to the take out landing so that was super convenient.

Responses to far have confirmed what I was thinking. Cold water but decent level. No green leaves in the woods but also no crowds. I would like to swim so I may push it back to summer and fight the crowds.

March: No leaves, few ticks, no snakes. Decent water but can be cold and sometimes dangerous. Few crowds until Spring Break. First wildflowers and great views due to less canopy.

April: Great combo of the above. Awesome month. Avoid dangerous water if we’ve had big storms.

May: Water is often great and swimable. Ticks get bad near the river. Flowers are beautiful. College kids start emerging from hibernation and can ruin a section of the river.

June: If rain has been good all Spring, wonderful combo of air + water temps. Watch for snakes in narrow sections of the river. Ticks get horrible in early June, don’t go in grass near river. College crowds thin out. River is often not floatable by late June in many of the more desirable areas.

You can always float the White River and then hike the Buffalo of water is too low. Day 1: Float the White or Kings Rivers. Can’t swim the white, too cold. Day 2: Hike Buffalo around Goat Trail/Hemmed in Hollow. Swim at Jim Bluff.

How do you deal with the ticks? We are heading up there first week of June.

Ponca to Gilbert. 3-4 days. Apri-may. Tent on the beaches. Bring a pole for smallmouth. Climb some cliffs. But many people wrap their canoes around a rock so kids should be pretty experienced. But don’t go later than May. Too much portage and people. Trip of a lifetime.