Buffalo National River campgrounds go free November 16, but the 14-day and 30-day limits still apply

Buffalo National River stops charging for its campgrounds on November 16, but free does not mean unlimited. The park’s own compendium caps you at 14 days in one campsite and 30 days in a calendar year, and nothing in it carves out the winter season. Checked October 29, 2026.

What changes on November 16

The park posted an alert on October 28: water, electricity and flush restrooms at Steel Creek, Kyles Landing, Erbie, Ozark and Rush “will be turned off starting November 16,” and “Camping fees will not be charged over the winter.” You can still camp primitively in every park campground, first-come, first-served, with vault toilets. The alert runs through March 14, 2027.

Two loops keep flush restrooms: the drive-in loop at Tyler Bend and B Loop at Buffalo Point. The fees page (updated August 31) goes further and lists drinking water at Buffalo Point’s B Loop and water and showers at Tyler Bend’s drive-in loop. The newer alert mentions only restrooms. Bring your own water and treat any tap as a bonus. The camping page says Tyler Bend’s dump station runs only mid-March to mid-November.

What the compendium says

The superintendent’s compendium, last updated June 11, 2026, sets the rules under 36 CFR 2.10. The ones that matter for a long winter stay:

• Stay limit: “No person, party or organization shall be allowed to camp at Buffalo National River for more than a 14 day period in one campsite and will not exceed a total of 30 days in a calendar year without authorization of the Superintendent. After this 14 day period campers must change campgrounds.”
• Tent-only campgrounds: Steel Creek, Kyles’ Landing, Carver, Spring Creek and Rush are walk-in tent camping only. RVs and pull-behind campers are prohibited. (The same document separately authorizes drive-in horse camping at Steel Creek.)
• Erbie: RVs and pull-behind campers are limited to the 14 designated RV sites.
• Occupancy: at least one registered person has to be present, and the site has to show a tent, RV or other sign of occupancy. You can’t hold a site you are not using.
• Generators: prohibited from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

The camping page adds that every camper signs in at the campground’s registration station on arrival, winter included.

The catch: “calendar year”

The 30-day cap is per calendar year, not a rolling window. November 16 to December 31 is 46 nights, so a stay that starts when the fees stop runs into the 2026 cap before New Year. Read literally, January 1 starts a new count. We have not asked the park how it counts a stay that crosses the new year. If your plan depends on that reset, call the park at 870-439-2502 before you count on it.

Gravel bars

Gravel bar camping is free all year: the fees page says no fees or permits are required for backcountry camping. The compendium limits it to gravel bars “naturally devoid of vegetation,” within 100 feet of the river and at least half a mile from any developed area. It separately permits camping on the gravel bars at Woolum, Shine Eye and Grinders Ferry, and on Gilbert gravel bar only downriver of where Gilbert Road enters it. Gravel bars sit in the flood plain, so check river levels before you set up on one.

What to do

If you’re planning a winter run on the Buffalo, pick campgrounds that fit your rig before you drive the gravel roads in. Plan to move after 14 nights, and keep a running count against the 30. Posted signs and the rangers’ current guidance beat this page and any other website. Our Arkansas free camping page covers the national forest options for when your 30 days run out, and our census of campgrounds that go free in winter lists the others.