Last week, I went to Buffalo National River in Newton County with Steve Creek and his dog Rosie, and I was thrilled by the Elk and the gorgeous fall scenery.
The Old Whiteley Springs Springhouse in Boxley Valley – cell phone image
Our first destination at Buffalo National River was Boxley Valley to find, photograph, and video the Elk in that area. The Elk did not disappoint. We found some right away, and I was thrilled to see three young bull Elk close to the road that we photographed and filmed.
We saw more Elk, but the largest herd was behind fencing, and three others were too far away to get high-quality images.
That didn’t matter much to me. I had a blast, and I also took my first photos of Arkansas Elk.
Two Bald Eagles in Boxley Valley at Buffalo National River – Canon R7, f7.1, handheld, 1/1600, ISO 4000, -1.0 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light
Later in the morning, Steve parked his pickup in a pullover spot, and we walked across the road to photograph and film a bull Elk from a long distance.
While we were talking to two other photographers, two Bald Eagles flew in and had an aerial fight! That was something to see.
The lighting was awful, but I kept my lens trained on the eagles and took a few photos when they were in the shadow of the mountains.
I kind of like the way this eagle photo turned out.
Bluffs at the Buffalo National River campground – cell phone image
When we finished photographing the Elk, we wandered around, checking out the stunning scenery, campsites, and the river.
The river was mostly dried up from the ongoing drought, but I could imagine it running high and full.
The beautiful scenery kept my eyes busy. There are so many bluffs in the state of Arkansas, and they are amazing. I couldn’t resist taking a short video of the bluffs. The Video below can also be seen on YouTube here.
I’d say if you are ever close to the Buffalo National River in Arkansas, head there and visit the area. My first trip there left a lasting impression, and I can’t wait to explore more of it. There’s so much more to see and experience!
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Arkansas landscape photos. Click here to see more of my Bald Eagle photos plus facts and information about this species.
Your first visit – but I expect you will go back many, many times.