Buffalo River

- Flatwoods, TN

Buffalo Bud's is located right at the Slink Shoals camping area and can rent canoes and kayaks.

Buffalo Bud's Offices at Slink Shoals Campground.

He also has a few rustic cabins (a small dwelling made of corrugated building panels with a camouflage tarp for a roof) for rent.

There is plenty of space for camping on high ground or the terraces, or you can drive down to the rocky shoals by the river. Pitch a tent and it'll cost you $3 a night. Pay at Buffalo Bud's. I don't have contact info for him and can't find it on the web, either. If anyone knows a number or contact address for Buffalo Bud's please email it to me.

You can see maps and lots of photos of the Slink Shoals terraces, putin/takeout and shoal camping areas on our Virtual Tour page. There are even more shots of Slink Shoals in the Photo Galleries.

Slink Shoals Primitive Campground is on the put in or takeout point, so you can start in the morning from camp and go downriver, or you can put in at the Bell Bridge on Hwy13, then take out right at your campsite.

The Bell Bridge to Slink Shoals run is very scenic and an easy 10 miles. The 2nd days run, from Slink Shoals downriver is more challenging and longer. You can opt for a quick 4 mile, or a 14 or 17 mile trip on this route.

To get to Slink Shoals on the Buffalo River.

From Nashville
Take I-40 West from Nashville to exit 143, Linden-Waverly. Turn left (south) across the bridge and travel south on Hwy. 13 for about 35 miles to Flatwoods.

From Memphis
Take I-40 east to the Law Road exit (152 South). Go approximately one miles to U.S. 412. Turn left and go east through Lexington, Parsons and Linden. At the four-way stop in Linden, turn right onto Tenn. 13 south. Travel 12 miles on TN Hwy 13 into Flatwoods.

Nearing Flatwoods (from the north) you'll cross the Buffalo River on a blue or green bridge. (short term memory gone to hell) After crossing the Buffalo River, continue probably a mile or less and turn right by a large old wooden store. I believe there is an old sign for Tippencanoe on the corner and Flatwoods Canoe Base is directly across the street from the turn.

There was an old Buffalo River Canoe Rental on the right there, about one mile on the right I don't know if anyone has it open now or not. Slink Shoals is only a couple of miles down the paved road, look for a wide dirt and gravel road on the right where the pavement ends.

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