What have I gotten us into? The map handed to me at reception indicated this was the way to our cabin, but I feared we were lost as we drove down a gravel road along a mountain ridge in the Arkansas Ozarks. Then we spotted it: Windridge, our log home we came to appreciate as blessedly in the middle of nowhere.
It’s one of the Buffalo Outdoor Center’s 21 cabins scattered across the Ozark Mountains in northwest Arkansas. Sleeping from two to 12, some cabins come with outdoor hot tubs, some have mountain views and WiFi access, some welcome pets and some have been value-priced for families. Two lodges, sleeping 16 and 36, cater to corporate retreats, family reunions and other group getaways. Rates for cabins range from $129 to $599 per night; the lodges are $1,199 and $1,749.
Windridge’s log construction looked rustic, but once we stepped inside our cabin, we found a modern setup. We wouldn’t be roughing it with a full kitchen, satellite TV, a sawed pine dining table and chairs and leather couches facing a stone fireplace. Four bedrooms, two upstairs and two down, had queen beds. Two full baths had walk-in showers.
But it was the view from the porch swing that stole my heart while watching the setting sun turn the mountain forests gold and the morning mist hug the valley below the ridge.
Buffalo Outdoor Center, which goes by its initials BOC, began in 1976 as a small canoe-rental operation run by Mike Mills, a devout outdoorsman who later served as the director of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. The area was relatively undiscovered at the time. In fact, the highway where BOC now has its offices, Arkansas Route 43, was a dirt road until the 1970s. Development followed after the Buffalo National River, the nation’s first national river, was established in 1972 under the umbrella of the National Park Service. BOC operates as an authorized concessioner in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness on the west end of the park.
While BOC has grown into a complete outfitting and lodging adventure resort — named Arkansas Small Business of the Year in 2013 — it remains happily in the middle of nowhere. The hamlet where it’s headquartered, Ponca, has a population hovering around 100. Motorists passing through can’t-miss BOC’s 5,200 -quare-foot combination retail shop, grocery and deli selling pizza, sandwiches and breakfast burritos to guests who don’t feel like cooking. It’s where guests check into BOC cabins and its mountaintop RV park with full hook-ups, laundry and bathhouse.
Visitors also can rent a canoe or kayak here for a class I and II adventure on the river March–June, and at other times when water levels permit. They also can learn about zip line courses, mountain biking and some of the state’s top hiking trails. The staff will help map out scenic drives on roads now paved with asphalt that dip and wind through long stretches of dense forest and green river valleys where Ponca’s elk herd can be seen grazing around dusk and dawn.
P.O. Box 1
4699 Arkansas Route 43
Ponca, Arkansas 72670
tel 870 861 5514
Read This Next
Hotel Indigo La Paz Puerta Cortés Review
eFlyer Reviews
Mar 27, 2024Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Mar 28, 2024New Adriatic Yacht Cruise and Tour Itineraries Unveiled for 2025
Set sail through crystal-clear waters and explore ports, islands and more on three new yacht cruise and tour itineraries in the Adriatic Sea from Riviera River Cruises. New 2025 itineraries combine yacht cruises with onboard accommodations and land extensions with hotel stays in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Itineraries also include tours of charming coastal towns and stops in national parks and swimming hole locations.
March 2024
Mar 28, 2024Cruise Lines Elevate the Onboard Fine-Dining Experience
It’s been a long time since the food on cruise ships resembled the bland, uninspired fare that gave onboard dining a bad name. These days, cruise passengers can look forward to menus created by Michelin-starred chefs made with top-quality ingredients served in stunning spaces. Choices abound as well. In addition to elegant main dining rooms, cruise ships have created a huge array of specialty restaurants that focus not only on perfectly executed traditional European and North American dishes but flavors and experiences from around the globe as well. In fact, meals served aboard cruise vessels have gotten so good, they’re drawing passengers onto ships: According to a recent report by luxury travel planning network Virtuoso, advisors report after Europe (specifically Italy and France), the No. 2 dining destination for travelers is aboard an ocean or river cruise. “This shows how cruise lines have really stepped up their culinary game, with consulting chefs and new restaurants and making that a focal point,” said Misty Belles, vice president, Global Public Relations, Virtuoso.
Daily
Mar 28, 2024Athens’ National Museum of Contemporary Art Opens What if Women Ruled the World? Exhibition
National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens was founded in 1997 and is supervised and subsidized by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports. The museum began its operation in 2000, when it acquired the first artwork of its collection and the first temporary exhibition took place.
Sponsored Content
Experience Luxury and Tranquility at Hamad International Airport’s Hotel
Known as one of the best airports in the world and voted Best Airport in the Middle East by Global Traveler readers, Hamad International Airport aims to set new standards for the airport industry that exceed the expectations of travelers through its facility.
Daily
Mar 28, 2024AmaWaterways Debuts Specialty Summer Cruises in Europe
AmaWaterways recently unveiled its lineup of experiences and exclusive offers for its 2024 Summer European river cruise season, and the list includes 20 Celebration of Wine Cruises, with two hosted by Samantha Brown and Chef Joanne Weir; and three Loyalty Appreciation Cruises.
Japan Airlines Purchases 32 Airbus, 10 Boeing
eFlyer News
Mar 27, 2024eFlyer Deals
Mar 27, 2024Sleep Sanctuary at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort
In West Florida, indulge in a stay at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. This season, the hotel’s Sleep Sanctuary offer promises premium, beachfront accommodations; and sleep-enhancing amenities. Amenities include two aroma bracelets, a handmade soap, a bath bomb and foaming sugar scrub from Artful Soap Co.
Sponsored Content
Briggs & Riley: Elevate Your Journey with Quality Luggage
Embracing a life well lived often means embracing a life well-traveled. Every journey becomes a canvas for experiences that shape our lives and at the heart of every adventure lies the indispensable companion: quality luggage.
eFlyer Deals
Mar 27, 2024Relax by the Sea at Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club
Head to Miami Beach and book a stay at Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club. This oceanfront resort recently debuted its Relax by the Sea offer. Guests enjoy a two-night stay in a suite, K’Alma Spa Rosé eye patches, K’Alma Spa Rosé Dreams massage and a complimentary umbrella.
ShareThis