Which National Park Service unit was the first national river designated in the United States?

Buffalo National River was the first national river designated in the United States.

Congress established the Arkansas river unit on March 1, 1972. The designation protected the Buffalo from proposals to build dams and preserved its natural character, scenery, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities.

The Buffalo River is about 153 miles long, and the lower 135 miles flow within the area managed as Buffalo National River. The river passes through the Ozarks and is known for limestone and sandstone bluffs, caves, springs, waterfalls, and clear water suitable for canoeing and fishing.

The name can cause confusion because the entire river is not managed by the National Park Service. Its upper section lies in the Ozark National Forest, while the national river designation applies to the protected NPS unit. The park also contains Arkansas’s only elk herd.