Tucked away in a beautiful valley just six miles north of Clinton in the southern Ozarks lies the Bluffton Preserve Nature Area. This is another natural area managed by the Nature Conservancy. Through the help of generous donors, the Nature Conservancy is the same group responsible for bringing us other wonderful recreational areas like Rattlesnake Ridge and Blue Mountain. While exploring Bluffton Preserve, I immediately realized this place is an outdoors treasure chest. There are professionally built trails for mountain biking, hiking, and backpack camping. Four miles of the Archey Fork Little Red River flows right through the area, with an access point for launching canoes and kayaks. This picturesque stream provides swimming holes, fishing, and a beautiful backdrop for hiking and observing wildlife. For those that want to take a few days to explore the whole preserve, limited camping is allowed to make that possible. There’s so much to do here, it would take more than a day to do it all.
Quick Glance
7 Trails: See Trail Descriptions Below
Difficulty: Trails range from Easy to Difficult
Bluffton Preserve Coordinates: 35.645864, -92.525925
Day Use Picnic Area: 35.642993, -92.525313
Archey Fork Float Access: 35.644537, -92.522052
Float distance to Clinton: Approx 9 miles
Float difficulty: Moderate to difficult
(Copy/Paste Coordinates into GPS or Google Maps search bar)
Directions
From Clinton at the intersection with Hwy 16, drive north on Hwy 65 for 5.9 miles. Then turn left on Watergate Rd. Coming from the north, drive 13.2 miles south of the town of Leslie on Hwy 65. Turn right on Watergate Rd. Once on Watergate Rd, drive 3.8 miles until it turns into a dirt road at the bottom of the valley. Once there, you are in the middle of the preserve. Before reaching that, you’ll see several parking areas for some of the trailheads.
What to Expect
Bluffton Preserve is one of many Natural Areas managed by Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission and its partners. These Natural Areas are lands specifically managed to preserve or restore rare plant or animal species. So when exploring Bluffton Preserve, be sure not to disturb any of the plant or wildlife in the area. Click here to read more about Arkansas Natural Areas. Or click here to find one of the 79 Natural Areas in Arkansas. As I mentioned above, there is a variety of things to do at Bluffton Preserve. But I think the biggest draw is the trails.
Hiking and Mountain Biking Trails
The trails at Bluffton Preserve were designed and built to be ideal for mountain biking. However, hiking and trail running is allowed here too. There are 8 miles of multi-use trails here, designed and built by professional trail builders and volunteers. You’ll find small jumps, rock gardens, bridges, wooden paths and ramps. Everything you need to work on your MTB skills is here. They are great for hiking too because you’ll see bluffs, rock formations, and vista overviews. And there is one short, hiking-only trail that leads to a waterfall. You’ll see a lot of these in my pics above and video further below. Here is a list of all the trails you can find when exploring Bluffton Preserve.
Bluffton Preserve Trails
- Yellowcheek- Green(Easy) – 1.6 mi.
- Azalea Hollow- Green(Easy) – 1.4 mi. Featured in video below. Leads to Emerald Pool Overlook.
- Stoneroller- Blue (Moderate) – 1 mi.
- Bluffline- Blue (Intermediate) – 2.3 mi. with hike-in campsite.
- Pigtoe – Black (Difficult) – 1 mi.
- Prickly Pear – Black (Difficult) – 0.6 mi. with hike-in campsite.
- Double Drop Falls – Hiking only (Easy)- 0.1 mi. – Leads to waterfall.
You can find more information on the trails at Trailforks and MTB Project. I did not have my mountain bike with me the day I stopped to visit Bluffton Preserve. So I have not ridden any of the trails myself. But I did hike the Azalea Hollow trail and saw some sections of other trails. These trails are really nice. And after watching the I want to go back with my bike next time. I really enjoyed the view from Emerald Pool Overlook on the Azalea Hollow trail. I also made the short hike to Double Drop Falls, but they were dry that day.
Paddling
If you’re a paddler, just one look at Archey Fork from the Bluffton Preserve access area will have you ready to add it to your float list. From the Bluffton access, it is approximately a 9-mile float to Clinton. It is rated as Class II. Reports on American Whitewater say that it is an easy Class II. Floating Archey Fork is very seasonal. It was too low to float even when I visited in January. The best chance to catch it is during the wet season – late winter to mid spring. Be sure to check river levels before going. Measure the river level for Archey Fork on the South Fork Little Red River gage at Clinton. The ideal flow range is between 5.0 – 10.0 ft. on that gage, which is available on American Whitewater. I’ll be watching for this one in the spring and hope I get a chance to float it.
Camping
Camping is allowed at Bluffton Preserve in designated camping areas on a first-come, first-serve basis. There are three of these designated camp areas indicated on the map (As of January, 2023). The only one of those you can drive to is located at the parking area at the end of Watergate Rd. It is just past the trail map sign in the picnic area overlooking Archey Creek. The other two camping areas are hike-in (or bike-in) campsites located in remote areas on the hiking trails. One is on the Bluffline trail and the other on Prickly Pear. These are all primitive camping sites. There are no restrooms, and no running water or electricity. According to a video by Affordable Trail Solutions, there are two more drive-up campsites along Archey Fork that are not indicated on the map. You can watch their video here to see how to find those.
Nature and Scenery
The first thing you’ll notice when exploring Bluffton Preserve is the scenic beauty of the area. The valley in the middle of the park is surrounded by beautiful mountains and bluffs on all sides. While exploring Bluffton Preserve, the trails provide many different views of these mountains bluffs. And some vistas along the trails have amazing views of the emerald green waters of Archey Fork. While other trails bring you up close and personal with the stream and its inhabitants. Keep an eye out for bald eagles, turkeys, and deer. And while fishing in Archey Creek, look for the yellowcheek darter, a fish species only found in the upper Little Red River.
Plan Your Trip
The best time to visit Bluffton Preserve depends on what things you want to do there. For paddling, your best chances of floatable water will likely be from late Winter to mid Spring. Other times of the year may be possible with heavy and consistent rain in the areas upstream. As mentioned above, always check river levels before going. For hiking and mountain biking, most times of the year should be great. Although the hottest months of the summer might not be ideal. I don’t know how grown over the trails might get. As for camping, remember that spots are limited and they are first-come, first-served. So it would be wise to find a backup campground nearby just in case these are all taken. Bluffton is only 6 miles from Clinton, where you can find hotel and AirBnb accommodations, food and supplies, and several dining options.
If you plan to spend a lot of time on the trails, I recommend downloading either the MTB Project app, or Trailforks app. The trails at Bluffton Preserve are pet friendly. But please keep dogs leashed and under control, especially around mountain bikers. There are many areas on these trails where dodging dogs can be dangerous for cyclists. Cell service here is decent in most places if you need it. However, there are no restrooms. Bring whatever food you need and plenty of water. When exploring Bluffton Preserve, it’s important to remember that this is a natural conservation area. Leave this area better than you find it by practicing leave no trace principals. Be prepared to pack out any trash you have and do not disrupt the wildlife or ecosystem here.
