A number of restroom and camping facilities along the Buffalo National River have recently reopened, thanks to the volunteer efforts of a handful of area organizations.
Since Buffalo National River administrators announced March 1 that nearly 40 facilities along the river would close due to budget shortfalls, four organizations have come forward, volunteering their time to clean and maintain restrooms and campsites through the end of 2013.
Sheilah Roenfeldt, president of the Upper Buffalo River Merchants Association, said she and other members of her organization signed an agreement June 7 in Harrison with park Superintendent Kevin Cheri, agreeing to take over maintenance and cleaning responsibilities for the restroom facilities at Ponca.
“The surrounding area had been pretty bad,” Roenfeldt said. After signing the agreement at 11 a.m. Friday, park maintenance staff unlocked the restroom at Ponca, and by late afternoon, the facilities were once again open for public use.
Roenfeldt said the merchants association is drawing volunteers from three member businesses: Lost Valley Canoe, Ponca Bible Camp, and Cedar Crest Lodge and Cabin, which Roenfeldt owns. The association has agreed to clean, sanitize and restock the restroom facilities at Ponca with toilet paper and hand sanitizer and to help pick up trash around the low-water bridge, one of the most popular put-in points on the river.
Roenfeldt said that the association had committed to doing necessary maintenance three times a week, but that some volunteers were checking the area daily.
Members of the Buffalo River chapter of the Backcountry Horsemen of America have agreed to clean and maintain facilities at the Erbie Horse Campground, located between the river and Compton. Evelyn Mills, chapter president, said about 25 members of the group have agreed to take turns helping to clean the campground on a weekly basis.
“It’s kind of a hideous trail to get down there - it’s about six miles but feels like 16,” Mills said. “But it’s one of the prettiest horse camps along the river.”
Mills said that members of her group would clean the restroom facilities at thesite, which has 12 campsites, weekly.
Other organizations, including the Greater Searcy County Chamber of Commerce and the Scenic 14 Association, have agreed to clean and maintain facilities at Maumee South and Rush campground and landing, respectively.
Aaron Darnell, owner of Buffalo River Float Service near Yellville and a member of the Scenic 14 Association, said volunteers with the group managed to reopen the facilities at Rush on May 17, just in time for the Memorial Day weekend.
“It turned out to be a pretty good deal, when we got it opened, and it’s been full about every weekend since,” Darnell said.
Darnell said the campground at Rush is one of the most popular campsites along the river during float season and also typically takes camping overflow from Buffalo Point, several miles upstream.
“We’re out there about every day anyway, picking up canoe rentals and so on,” Darnell said. “Now we just take a toilet brush and a roll of toilet paper when we go. If we’re having a slow afternoon, we take a bucket and a shovel and clean out the fire rings.”
This is the first season in several years that rainfall throughout Arkansas has begun to return to normal levels, which in turn has meant a busy float season for both canoe and kayak enthusiasts and the vendors who support them. Darnell said reopening facilities at the Rush campground will provide camp space for dozens of groupsevery day.
“We’ve had a good year,” Darnell said. “The spring was cool and wet, but now the river’s perfect - you couldn’t ask for better. It’s a busy place right now, and we need all the campsites we can get.”
Arkansas, Pages 16 on 06/12/2013