Tyler Bend Recreation Area is located within the middle district of Buffalo National River Park near Marshall in Arkansas. The Tyler Bend Visitor Center can be found at Tyler Bend Entrance Road off U.S. 65 in Marshall and is open all year from 8.30am to 4.30pm Tuesday to Sunday and 9am to 4.30pm on Mondays. Here visitors can obtain information about the various tours and programs offered during the summer in the Tyler Bend area, but they should note the Visitor Center will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
One of the excursions for visitors to take in this part of the park is the Collier Homestead Tour, which takes a look at the house and grounds of the Collier family. Solomon Collier and his family left Kentucky in 1928 for a new life in Arkansas with hardly any money in their pockets. However, three years on and Solomon was able to secure 40 acres of land at Tyler Bend, where he had a house built as well as other outbuildings enabling the family to be amongst the last settlers in the River Valley to acquire land under the 1862 Homestead Act.
There are numerous trails for hikers to enjoy in this area, which are either easy or moderate walks. There is the River View trail of approximately one and a half miles offering spectacular views or the Spring Hollow walk of just less than one mile and beautiful spring flowers. Longer walks take hikers from Tyler Bend to Gilbert, which is about five and a half miles long and can take up to five hours or the Buck Ridge/Rock Wall walk, which is part forested and about two and a half miles long.
Two programs are organised for youngsters to earn their Junior Ranger badge, although they only need attend one. Visitors can also learn more about the animals residing in the park by studying the tracks and signs they have left behind. There is also a program designed to teach visitors about insects and other aquatic creatures and how this impacts the quality of the water in Buffalo River.
Guided interpretive tours of the Back O' Beyond Cave are provided during the summer season. Here visitors will learn about the underground beauty of the Ozarks, how the caves form and more about the unique ecosystem. Tours are popular so visitors need to sign up in advance at the Visitor Center, and all necessary equipment will be supplied.
There are 13 campgrounds in Buffalo National River Park with two areas in the upper river designated for visitors with horses and located close to horse trails. Steel Creek and Erbie are accessible by vehicle and provide basic facilities such as fire grates, vault toilets and space for horse trailers. The campsites vary from very primitive to having water and electric hook-ups, but visitors can also stay in one of the rustic cabins located at Buffalo Point.
