Steel Creek Campground
Steel Creek campground is must stop location for photographers and sight seers alike if you are visiting the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. The Buffalo River is America’s first National River and one of the last un-dammed rivers in the United States, flowing free for 135 miles. Roark Bluff, one of the largest on the Buffalo River is easily viewed from almost anywhere in the campground and makes for a fantastic photo opportunity. The campground also serves as the primary canoe lunch for the upper section of the river during springs canoeing season.
What to Photograph:
This area offers almost limitless opportunity for photographers any time of the year. Access to the river and the gravel bars along the river the photographer with canoeists floating the river in spring to great fall reflections in quiet pools in the fall. Roark Bluff provides one of the most scenic views in the central US, at least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
The Arkansas Elk are often spotted in the green grasses of the campground in the early morning and late evening.
Best Time for Photographers:
Just about anytime can be good for photography here, of course midday light can be very high contrast and hard to work with and the use of HDR photography can be the solution. Since you are in the bottom of valley there is little opportunity to photograph sunrise and sunsets. In the early mornings there is often a good chance of fog on the river, which can make for really nice images.
In the spring is normally the rainy season and the water levels will be up and the river will fill with canoes. During the summer and fall the river will slow to a crawl with too little water to float, and it becomes a great place for photographing reflections of the bluffs and trees.
Where it is:
LOCATION
The Buffalo National River is in the Ozarks in northern Arkansas.
Take Highway 74 a mile east of Ponca, Steel Creek gate is on the left. Follow the newly blacktopped road to the bottom and you are there.
Maps:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
Click here for larger version of the
Buffalo River NPS Map
Cost:
There are no fees for day use of the park. Fees for camping: $10 a night, free from mid-November to mid-March (for both horse and tent camping.)
Facilities:
26 sites available first come/first serve, tent camping; 6 people maximum per site; water available nearby mid-March to mid- November; no fees charged mid-November to mid-March. Fourteen horse campsites available.
The campground has to sets of flush toilets and water, there is no electric or other hookups available, and no showers.
Links:
Water Levels for Buffalo River
Newton County Chamber of Commerce
Location Contact Information:
By Mail
Superintendent
Buffalo National River
402 N. Walnut, Suite 136
Harrison, AR 72601
By Phone
Tyler Bend Visitor Center Information
(870) 439-2502
Headquarters
(870) 365-2700
Headquarters (TDD)
(870) 365-2789
Buffalo Point Ranger Station Information
(870) 449-4311
Pruitt Ranger Station Information
(870) 446-5373
EMERGENCY DISPATCH
(888) 692-1162
By Fax
870-365-2701
By E-Mail
Please send e-mail inquiries by Clicking Here.
Nearest City or Town:
Jasper
Jasper is a quaint and historic town of about 500 people surrounded by natural scenic beauty in every direction.
Jasper has several restaurants, gas stations, a couple of motels, grocery store and most other necessities.
Tips for the Photographer:
Equipment:
If you have it, bring it. There are a great deal of varied types of photography in not only the campground, but the entire surrounding area. Wide angle lenses to capture the river and bluffs soaring hundreds of feet into the air and a long telephoto lens if you get a chance to photograph the Elk.
Photography Tips:
Bring plenty of memory cards and batteries, this is a great place to photograph some of the most scenic and rugged landscape in this part of the country.
When photographing the river, use a tripod and a slow shutter speed to give the water a smooth silky look. Using a polarizing filter and rotating it properly will help to saturate colors and remove the glare from the water.
Weather:
Steel Creek Photo Gallery
Click Here for full page gallery
.More Photographic Destinations in Arkansas:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.
Click Here for Photographic Destinations by State
Great Places for Great Photos
Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography. If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!
Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country. Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.
Greg offers both classroom instruction and in the field hands on photographic workshops. Classroom sessions are normally held in Fort Smith Arkansas, but arrangements can be made to bring a class to your group.
All classes and workshops have small class sizes designed to provide an optimum student to instructor ratio, where you can get the personal attention, you need. Most classes and workshops are limited to a maximum of six participants and will be held with a minimum of only two.
If you are looking for a wonderful opportunity to get personal individual instruction, I do private workshops and classes at a location of your choice, whether doing a location photo shoot, coming to your home or business, traveling across the country on a road trip, or at my classroom. This is a fantastic way to learn digital workflow and be sure that your computer equipment is properly configured for optimum performance.
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