Missing Hiker Found Alive At Buffalo National River

By Compiled From N... - November 1st, 2022

Missing hiker found alive at Buffalo National River/HO

A Louisiana man missing in Buffalo National River in Arkansas since last week was found alive and well Tuesday.

Clinton Preston Smith, 67, was found around noon near Horseshoe Bend by search-and-rescue personnel, a park release said. He was "found in good spirits and rescue personnel assisted him out to Kyles Landing."

No details were provided regarding how he got lost or how he endured being lost.

Smith, of Baton Rouge, set out for a hike on the Hemmed-in-Hollow Trail in the park last Thursday. He was reported missing by his family the evening of October 28 after he failed to return home as scheduled. The National Park Service and Newton County Sheriff’s Office led a search-and-rescue operation that began the morning of October 29 and canvased the Ponca Wilderness for four days. Grid style ground searches, aerial searches, and tracking dogs were used by search and rescue crews throughout the search.

The terrain in Buffalo National River can be rugged and steep. Off-trail travel is often dangerous, and park staff asks visitors to stay on established trails to avoid injury and disorientation. Hiking information can be obtained by contacting a park ranger at (870) 439-2502, or on the park’s website at https://www.nps.gov/buff/planyourvisit/index.htm.

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Buffalo National River

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