Barberry Creek, Arkansas, US

Headwaters to ELFB (1.8 miles)

Barbarian Falls entrance

Barbarian Falls entrance
Photo of Chuck Bewley by Lance Jones taken 02/11/09 @ ELF Low

Gauge Information

River Description

Note: The combination of Steep banks and lots of dead red oak trees (thanks to the borer beetle infestation) tend to clog the creek with wood from time to time, so keep look out.

Put-in: Go North on County Road NE198 (Heydenrich Road) from Hwy 16 for 1 mile and look for a bermed forest service logging road on the left (West) just past where the grey gravel road rejoins the brown gravel road. Follow the logging road for 1/2 mile and when a fence and clearing are visible, look for an ATV trail to the left and follow down to the creek. (elevation ~1840)

Take-out: Option 1) Carry up the road at the put-in for the standard East Fork Little Buffalo run. This road may be passable with a good 4-WD.
Option 2) Paddle down the main EFLB to Murray. This run will be kickin and offer some big water features near the bottom. Be on the look out for Johnson's Falls in the middle of the run.

The creek is the cousin of Sandy Springs Hollow which is located on the East side of Heydenrich Road and joins Barberry at the standard putin for the East Fork Little Buffalo.
 

Sandy is mainly boulder drops with a few bedrock drops, Barberry is mainly bedrock drops with a few boulder drops. 

Highlights are the 4 main drops. First is a 8-footer onto a short slide a couple hundred yards down from the put-in. Second is Gimme 3 Steps just downstream below a small tributary waterfall on the left. Third is Monday Morning Surprise comes quickly downstream at the end of a long bedrock slide. Next are a couple of small drops then another low angle slide followed by the tight bouldery drops of Down South Jukin'. Good idea to stop and scout in this area in preparation for Barbarian Falls which is the fourth main drop and signals the end of the steep gradient.