Northwest Arkansas - For the safety of all visitors, and at the request of the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT), Buffalo National River will temporarily close the Upper Pruitt Day Use Area. ARDOT has entered a new project phase in the Highway 7 bridge replacement at Pruitt in Newton County and has requested this temporary closure to ensure the safety of motorists, workers, and Buffalo National River visitors during construction.
This temporary closure includes the Upper Pruitt Day Use Area picnic tables, restrooms, Buffalo River Trail (BRT) trailhead and the Upper Pruitt river access point. These areas will remain closed for several months, as construction operations warrant. The river itself will remain open for boaters passing through, as water levels allow, but boaters may be asked to wait by construction crews, until they can safely pass beneath the bridge construction operations.
Pruitt Landing remains open and accessible to visitors. Nearby, still available swimming areas include locations at Ozark and Steel Creek Campgrounds.
ARDOT and its contractors began preparation work in February, 2019 for the replacement of the Pruitt Bridge. The existing bridge’s condition has deteriorated over the years as traffic has increased along the Highway 7 corridor between Harrison and Russellville. According to ARDOT, an average of 2,800 vehicles crossed the Pruitt Bridge per day in 2016, with 13% of those vehicles being large trucks.
For more information on the temporary closure and alternative recreating areas, please contact us at 870-439-2502 or visit the park website https://www.nps.gov/buff/index.htm.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
