Missing Arkansas hiker found alive at Buffalo National River

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An Arkansas hiker has been found alive five days after he failed to return from a trail at Buffalo National River, officials said Tuesday.

Clinton "Preston" Smith, 67, was located near the river in the vicinity of Horseshoe Bend at around noon on Tuesday, the National Park Service (NPS) said.

Rescuers found Smith "in good spirits" and assisted him to the Kyles Landing campground, NPS said in a press release.

Smith had gone missing five days earlier after he set out on the Hemmed-in-Hollow Trail in Buffalo National River on Thursday. His family reported him missing Friday evening after he failed to return home as scheduled. 

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Clinton "Preston" Smith, 67, was found alive Tuesday, five days after he failed to return from a hike on he Hemmed-in-Hollow Trail in Buffalo National River, Newton County, Arkansas. (National Park Service)

NPS teams and the Newton County Sheriff’s Office commenced a search and rescue operation on Saturday morning and canvased the Ponca Wilderness for four days, officials said.

Teams searched by ground and air and used tracking dogs throughout the effort to locate the missing hiker. In total, nine agencies were involved in the search and a citizen-led horse team.

The National Park Service, Newton County Sheriff's Office led the search effort with assistance from several other agencies.  (National Park Service / L. Stoops)

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Officials warned of the steep and rugged terrain in Buffalo National River and that off-trail travel is often dangerous. The NPS advised visitors to stay on established trails to avoid injury and disorientation.