A fairly long and grueling section of the Buffalo River above Boxley. I have never made the run from Dixon Ford up high in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness. The water was never high enough when I would have attempted it in a C2 or C1 (covered) in the 1970’s or 1980’s. This section is usually a cold weather run (November or March-April) and only after torrential rains. It can be floatable when the water in above the bridge at Ponca. It is obviously for Experts only. It is rated Class II to III+ with several Class IV rapids. It is nearly 14 miles of technical whitewater with NO INTERMEDIATE takeouts. You must finish after you start. There has to be been substantial rains in the watershed.
The run features a pristine river with cascading waterfalls along the banks sustaining a wide variety of native vegetation that adds a rich beauty to this already awesome canyon gorge wilderness area. Wildlife and birds far outnumber people on this stream. It usually only flows when the weather is cold, but in the fall, when the seasons are changing, the Hailstone River is a place of even more spectacular beauty.
The first 12 miles flows through a deep gorge canyon, ending in nearly two miles through the Boxley Valley. There are numerous Class II to III+ drops that require precise moves and effective boat control to run successfully, including one double drop with a 90° turn between the two drops. There are a couple of ledge drops, each with sharp turns required to avoid undercut banks. The canyon walls rise 700 feet above the riverbed, and are lined with oak, elm and pecan trees, some of which may occasionally wander off and fall into the river. There is no signs of civilization anywhere to be found along this run.
Incidently “Hailstone” is a nickname for the upper most floatable miles of the Buffalo River; the takeout point is the Boxley Bridge (Highway 21).
I took some photos of the lower section of the Hailstone Run from the Hedges Pour-off a year ago May; the river would have been floatable then !
end of Hailstone Run
google map of area of picture
Map of Run
Life and Wildlife along the Little Buffalo River 
Leave a Reply