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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Yellville
Skip Yellville unless you need a bed for the Buffalo National River or Bull Shoals Lake: a 30-min stop for the square, then go.
Yellville is a 1,200-person Ozarks town on US 62/412, best known for the Turkey Trot Festival and as a gateway to the Buffalo National River (17 mi south) and Bull Shoals Lake (14 mi northeast). The town itself has a courthouse square, a few shops and a B&B. Most travellers pass through in under an hour or stay one night to fish or float the river.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat and humidity), Jan–Feb (cold)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–90 excl. bed · Mid $100–150 excl. bed · High $180+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Marion County Sheriff 870-449-4236
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (diner) | $2–3 |
| Lunch (burger or sandwich) | $8–12 |
| Dinner (steak or catfish) | $15–25 |
| Beer (bottle) | $3–5 |
| Motel room (double) | $70–130 |
| Canoe rental (half day) | $40–50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- XNA · Northwest Arkansas National Airport (Fayetteville/Springdale)
- About 1 h 15 min drive west via US 412
- BKG · Branson Airport (Missouri)
- About 1 h 15 min drive northeast
Typical fares
- XNA → Yellville by car
- about 1 h 15 min, 75 mi (check)
- Yellville → Buffalo River (Pruitt access)
- about 25 min, 17 mi
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. US 62/412 is the main road; parking is free on the square.
See and do
Known for
- Turkey Trot Festival (October)
- Gateway to Buffalo National River
- Bull Shoals Lake and Dam
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo National River | Car south on AR 14 / AR 268, about 25 min | 30 min |
| Bull Shoals Lake | Car northeast on US 62, about 20 min | 25 min |
| Eureka Springs | Car west on US 62, about 45 min | 50 min |
| Branson, MO | Car north on US 65, about 1 h | 1 h 10 min |
Sleep
- Yellville town
- One B&B (Red Raven Inn) and a few motels; book ahead during turkey season.
- Flippin
- 7 mi NE, more chain motels and gas stations.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Howdyhow-dee |
| Thank you | Thank youthank yew |
| Yes / No | Yeah / Nawyeah / naw |
| How much? | How much?how much |
| Where is the bathroom? | Where's the restroom?wairz the rest-room |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Turkey Trot weekend (mid-October) fills all rooms months ahead.
- Buffalo National River can flood after heavy rain; check NPS alerts.
- No Uber or taxi service in town — have your own wheels.
Yellville is a low-crime rural town. Standard precautions: lock your car and don't leave valuables visible.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Yellville yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Turkey Trot Festival (October)
- Gateway to Buffalo National River
- Bull Shoals Lake and Dam
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- National Park Service — Buffalo National River: www.nps.gov/buff/index.htm
- Wikivoyage: Yellville, revision 4862255 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4862255
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Yellville
Take me to this address, please.
Take me to this address, please.
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Marion County Sheriff870-449-4236
English only; no translation needed.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/yellville). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.