Rush Campground

$16.00/night

Overview

Rush Campground is located in the Lower District of the Buffalo National River, and about 17 miles (27.4 km) southeast of Yellville. It has 12 tent-only sites. Drinking water is available when fees are collected from approximately March 15 through November 15. All sites are limited to 6 people per site, and each site is $16 per night. All sites must be reserved in advance. A vault restroom is available year-round.

Recreation

The Lower River District allows for extended seasons for kayaking, canoeing and tubing. If there's enough rain, the river is floatable year-round.

For hikers and history buffs, the 1.5-mile Rush Mine Level Trail and 0.25-mile Morning Star Loop offer beautiful views of Rush Valley and gives hikers an understanding of the historic mining and landscape. In the 1880s, zinc ore was discovered in the hills and claims were staked out along Rush Valley and neighboring Clabber Creek. Eventually, a community of homes and businesses developed along Rush Creek and endured until the 1960s. Come and explore this unique history as you hike Rush Mountain.

Additionally, small-mouth bass, catfish and sunfish are popular fish to catch on the Buffalo River, but visitors should be aware that an Arkansas fishing license is required to fish anywhere on the river. For current paddling conditions, please check with an outfitter (visit our Guided Services web page ), call the Tyler Bend Visitor Center at 870-439-2502, or check the Buffalo National River Float Guide Dashboard

Facilities

Rush has 12 reservable tent-only sites with potable water available from approximately March 15 through November 15 each year, but no electrical amenities. A vault restroom is available year-round.

Natural Features

The Buffalo National River flows free over swift running rapids and quiet pools for its 135-mile (217 km) length. One of the few remaining rivers in the lower 48 states without dams, the Buffalo cuts its way through massive limestone bluffs traveling eastward through the Arkansas Ozarks and into the White River.

Nearby Attractions

Rush is located in the Lower District of the Buffalo River, offering access to Clabber Creek, and many great day hiking destinations in the park.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (870) 449-4311.

Charges & Cancellations

If I book this reservation today, what are my options to change or cancel?

Please remember that reservations at these facilities prevent other visitors from using these sites. Planned changes to your stay should be made as far in advance as possible. You can make changes to your reservation in My Reservations.

Changes

If your new stay dates are completely different from your original stay dates, there is a $10 change fee (per reserved site). There are no additional fees for:

  • Adding or removing nights to your stay.

  • Changing to a different campsite.

Balances will adjust based on your new stay's nightly rate.

Cancellations

You can cancel the reservation any time before the date of your scheduled arrival. You will receive a refund for your stay, minus the following fees:

  • $10 cancellation fee

  • Any reservation fees (only if paid when booking)

  • Any previous change fees

Late cancellation penalties may also apply:

What is “Late”?

For individual campsites, a late cancellation applies starting from midnight 1 calendar day before your scheduled check-in. For cabins and group sites, a late cancellation applies starting from midnight 14 calendar days or fewer before your scheduled check-in.

Late Fee

In addition to the fees listed above, a late cancellation will also subtract your first night's recreation use fee from any refund owed. For additional details, please visit  here.

Changes and Cancellations

rules and reservation policies 

Camp site features

Across 12 camp sites:

  • Fire pit: all 12 sites
  • Pets allowed: all 12 sites
  • Largest party: 6 people
  • Equipment: LARGE TENT OVER 9X12`, SMALL TENT, Tent

Fees

Fees for the walk-in tent-only sites are $16 a night for up to 6 people per site.

Directions

From Springfield, MO: Take Highway 65 South through Branson to Harrison. Stay on Highway 65 through Harrison, turn left on Highway 62 and travel to Yellville. At Yellville turn right on Highway 14 East. Travel 11 miles (17.7 km) to County Road 6035 and turn left. Follow County Road 6035 for about 4 miles (6.4 km) and bear right at County Road 635. Drive another 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and the campground will be on the right side of the road. From Little Rock, AR: Take Highway 65 North to Marshall, at Marshall turn right on Highway 27 North about 11 miles (18 km) to Harriet. Turn left on Highway 14 West and travel about 12 miles (19.3 km) to County Road 6035 and turn left. Follow County Road 6035 for about 4 miles (6.4 km) and bear right at County Road 635. Drive another 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and the campground will be on the right side of the road.

Stay Limit

Check in from 1 PM, check out by 12 PM.

Reviews

16 reviews
5 stars
5
4 stars
9
2 stars
1
1 stars
1
Gary N
Loop:Rush
Site:
Reviewed 18 days ago
Loved the area and Campsite 2 was really nice. I did find it was pretty difficult to get down to the river at Rush campground. Steep embankments make it rough. Bring your own firewood beforehand or use charcoal. Otherwise i had a great time and the campsite is really level for camping.
Shannell S
Loop:Rush
Site:
Reviewed 23 days ago
Great primitive camp ground for prepared tent campers with low needs and expectations. Vault toilets which were clean but yes stinky lol (it's a vault toilet) potable water and it's located right next to a old mining community with good hikes and lots of cool ruins to check out and also good water excess all around.
Gloria K
Loop:Rush
Site:
Reviewed a month ago
Beautiful remote location! Be advised that all the sites are walk-in sites, and the parking area for sites 1-3 is not in the best condition so you might have to park even further away from those sites.
Kathryn Shea D
Loop:Rush
Site:
Reviewed 2 months ago
We stayed at Rush Campground for several days in early September. The Buffalo River itself was phenomenal, but the campground wasn’t quite what we expected based on the photos and description. Our biggest issue was river access. The campground looks like it has easy access to the water, but there is a significant drop-off between the campsites and river. There is a narrow, wooded footpath down, but it’s steep and not practical if you’re carrying kayaks or a lot of gear. For us, the easiest option was driving to Rush Landing each morning, unloading our kayak, parking, and repeating the process at the end of the day. It’s only a short drive, but doing this twice a day for several days became tedious. We chose Rush thinking we could easily carry our kayak from the campsite to the river. The river experience itself was wonderful. We had read that water levels can be very low in September, but Rush still had enough water for us to enjoy kayaking and fishing. Going left from the boat launch, there were rapids not far past the launch that we didn’t feel comfortable taking our kayaks through, but we fished along the edges. Going right was calmer, although there were a few spots where the water was so low that we had to get out and pull our kayaks across shallow areas. If kayaking in late summer, bring rope or a line to make this easier. The water was clear, the scenery was beautiful, and the river and banks were impressively clean. The campground itself is more compact than it appears. Several sites are only a few feet apart, and we dealt with noise from neighboring campers. Only a couple of sites appeared heavily shaded. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring with an adjustable grate. There is one relatively clean vault toilet, no showers, and a hand-pump water source near the restroom. I would absolutely return to this section of the Buffalo River, but I probably wouldn’t choose Rush Campground again.
Maddie A
Loop:Rush
Site:
Reviewed 2 months ago
The camp ground was not what the pictures make it out to be. Small parking area super far from the actual camp area. Had to drag everything out. Was so hot and the water was no where close to the camp. Ended up leaving 3 hours later.
Crystal P
Loop:Rush
Site:
Reviewed 2 months ago
Our all time favorite campsite. Our family has been camping on the Buffalo River my whole life. From the trails or the swimming or the bright stars and few sites. Something for everyone.
Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

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Season dates

Peak season

Mar 13, 2026 – Nov 15, 2026

Reservable online

Peak season

Mar 15, 2027 – Nov 14, 2027

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Peak season

Mar 15, 2028 – Nov 14, 2028

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