April is such a beautiful time in the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas; there are lots of waterfalls and cascades, wildflowers blooming, dogwoods and redbuds in colorful profusion and in abundance, everything greening-up, So there’s no wonder that being in the woods with the National Park Service pulling logs takes on a feeling of exhilaration as well as purpose and accomplishment from a job well done.

The primitive Hathway horsecamp in the Lower Buffalo River Wilderness is a rugged place from which to ride, but it was even worse because of a particularly washed-out area of trail on one of the two ways out of camp. This hazardous path was so bad that even Back Country Horsemen were at times known to get off and LEAD their horses UPHILL! Well, no more. Five members of the Buffalo River chapter hauled their horses–one Missouri Foxtrotters, one Tennessee Walker, one Polish/Arab/quarter horse cross, one Kiger mustang, one Haflinger–and 4 mules to help the three hardworking park service trail personnel haul the logs they had cut in adjoining woods to the appropriate site for installation. They spent most of two days pulling 35 eight-foot cedar logs approximately one-quarter mile for use as water bars. The BCH put the park trail crew two weeks ahead of schedule on the Cow Creek Trail project.

Bill Kenter with Junior and Izzy are the log-pulling pros from previous volunteer jobs on the Buffalo, and they were joined by Jeff and Donna Blake with their 4 mules (one of which had never really been in the woods OR pulled a log). Elaine Appel, and Pam and Larkin Floyd all facilitated the movement of stock and equipment as the work progressed.

Buffalo River BCH enjoys and looks forward to each opportunity to work with the NPS to keep those trails open for stock use now and forever!
Below is a copy of the thank you note that we received from the NPS. It’s nice to be appreciated!

Buffalo National River

Just want to give a shout out to our friends at Buffalo River Back Country Horsemen of America and extend a BIG THANK YOU for all the volunteer hours they donat…e to maintain horse trails at Buffalo National River. During this latest effort, BCHA members helped the  park trail crew move a total of thirty-five 8-foot cedar logs approximately a quarter mile using pack animals. Their assistance put us about two weeks ahead of schedule on the Cow Creek Trail project in the Lower Buffalo Wilderness.

We are so thankful for all the park volunteers who help to make #‎BuffaloNationalRiver‬ such a great park!