Land purchase opens up public space

The National Park Service has purchased a 64-acre tract of land within the legislated boundaries of Buffalo National River.

“This formerly private inholding was an important key to completing a segment of the Buffalo River Trail/ Ozark Highland Trail,” according to a news release.

Visitors can now hike a 42-mile section of the trail from Woolum to Dillards Ferry, said Cassie Branstetter, branch chief of interpretation at the Buffalo National River. She said a dirt trail already ran through the private property.

Branstetter said the plan is to eventually have the Buffalo River Trail going along the entire length of the national park, but for now it’s complete in two sections: from Boxley Valley to Pruitt and from Woolum to Dillards Ferry.

Branstetter said the park service purchased the 64 acres for $ 71,000 from the Buffalo River Foundation, a nonprofit land trust that bought the land a few years ago from the Roberts family. Some families retained property within the park’s legislated boundaries after creation of the Buffalo National River in 1972.

The National Park Service used Land and Water Conservation Funds to purchase the property, according to the news release.

Located on the south side of the Buffalo River in Searcy County, between Rocky Creek and the South Maumee River Access, the newly acquired property will provide great views of the river and more land for visitors to explore, bird-watch, backcountry camp and hunt, according to the release.

Park Superintendent Mark Foust thanked the Buffalo River Foundation and volunteers from the Ozark Society and the Ozark Highland Trail Association for helping to build and maintain the Buffalo River Trail/Ozark Highland Trail in that area, according to the release.

The Buffalo National River flows freely for 135 miles and is one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower 48 states.

The park has 94,293 acres (a total of 95,730 acres are legislated), according to https://www.nps.gov/ buff/ learn/index.htm. Park visitation has averaged more than 800,000 visitors a year.