Autumn is beginning to fall in Arkansas, and there’s just the slightest crispness in the air. Fall in The Natural State means a break from the heat, a myriad of colors in the mountain foliage, and rain! While hiking tends to be a summer activity in most parts, for Arkansans it’s just too dang hot, and most of the natural water features are dry as a bone from late June to mid-September. Here, fall is one of the best times of the year to get out in the woods and explore. In celebration of fall, this week we’re on the hunt for the best waterfall in Arkansas, and we’ve got some pretty amazing candidates!
Come Explore the Frontier This Fall!
Here at Arkansas Frontier, we love fall! Our U-pick Pumpkin patch will be open M-F from October 1-31. We do things a little differently than the traditional pumpkin patch though. Not only do we rock the standard games and activities, but we transport you back in time to an early 20th-century frontier village and test your homesteading skills! In addition to our daily adventures, we’re hosting two Family Fall Festivals on Saturday, October 19th & 26th! Don’t miss fall at Arkansas Frontier!
**Attention all teachers! Contact us about a special field trip!
The Best Waterfall in Arkansas
I’ve called Arkansas home for most of my life. Though I’ve done lots of world wandering, I always come home to the rolling hills and forests of my childhood. Arkansas is a truly beautiful place, but as mentioned, our summers are brutally hot and humid.
Thank goodness we’re blessed with more water than you skip a rock at. AR has more than 2300 lakes and reservoirs, a few pretty famous rivers, too many creeks to count, and 200 year-round (and many more seasonal) waterfalls.
While I’ve explored most of the following watering holes, choosing “The Best” of anything is always subjective. So, we’ll let you choose for yourself! Here are a few of the best Arkansas waterfalls in no particular order.
1. The Glory Hole Waterfall
Location: Deer
Trail Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
Located in the heart of the Ozark National Forest, in prime waterfall territory, Glory Hole Waterfall is the centerpiece of a truly magical forested retreat. Surrounded by a babbling brook and seriously gigantic rock formations, the unique waterfall is a sight to see in the rainy season. The above creek has eroded a perfectly round hole in the rock outcropping below, causing a waterfall that seems to drop straight out of the ceiling.
The hike in is a steep and slightly slippery 1.9-mile (out-and-back) trek downhill, so wear good shoes and take your time!
2. Eden’s Cave Waterfall
Location: Lost Valley Recreation Area near Ponca
Trail Difficulty: Easy
Lost Valley is just as mystical as it sounds. The recreation area is smack in the middle of one of the most popular outdoor adventure areas in the state with kayaking and fishing on the Buffalo National River and the best vista views in the state. The trail consists of natural bridges, Native American bluff shelters, countless small caves, and dense forest cut by a flowing creek.
There are a couple of waterfalls on the trail. Eden Falls is the easiest to get to as it is the finish like for the official trail. However, if you don’t mind a bit of cave crawling, Eden Cave Falls is an added bonus!
You’ll need to crawl for a few yards before the cave opens into a massive chamber with an incredible waterfall completely enveloped in the cavern. Yep! It’s epic. It’s pretty impossible to photograph, so you’ll have to make the journey to see this one yourself.
3. Hemmed-in-Hollow-Falls
Location: Compton
Trail Difficult: Difficult
Hemmed-in-Hollow is located not too far from Lost Valley along the Buffalo River. The 5.7-mile out-and-back trail is steep with plenty of stairs and fallen tree obstacles. It’s a breeze down, but if you’ve got knee issues, bring your trekking poles. It’s a beast back up! Don’t worry though, with snacks and water, it’s manageable.
At the end, you’ll find the ideal picnic spot on a damp rock in front of the largest waterfall between the Rockies and the Appalachians. If you’re not into uphill climbs, you can pull your kayak over at Horseshoe Bend and access a short trail to the waterfall on the north bank.
4. Haw Creek Falls
Location: Pelsor/Hagarville
Trail Difficulty: Easy
Haw Creek Falls is an easily accessible waterfall and a great spot for families. Accessed via the Ozark Highlands Trail, the falls isjust 100 yards or so off the road. The cascades are short (about 8 feet) but wide and powerful during the rainy season. It’s a beautiful spot for a picnic or camping at the adjacent campground.
5. Cedar Falls
Location: Morrilton-Petit Jean State Park
Trail Difficulty: Moderate
Cedar Falls is probably one of the most popular waterfalls in the state. Located in the Arkansas River Valley, during the rainy season, its 95-foot veil is quite a gusher. Plus, it occupies one of the most fun state parks in Arkansas—Petit Jean State Park.
The trail is slippery during the wet season and has some tripping hazards, but it’s well-maintained and easily achieved by most families. Swimming is permitted at the base of the falls, so bring your swimsuit!
6. Wildman Twin Falls
Location: Paris
Trail Difficulty: Moderate
Located in Paris, this 40-footer is not as popular as the previous ones, and the trail tends to be narrow and slightly overgrown. It’s very close to Mount Magazine State Park though (the highest peak in Arkansas) and makes for a great side jaunt.
Reaching Twin Falls is a short walk, but it does require small creek crossings and a rocky scramble. After less than 1/2 a mile, you will arrive at the top of the falls. To get the real view, you need to very carefully head down the volunteer trail to the bottom.
7. Mirror Lake Waterfall
Location: Fifty-Six- Blanchard Springs Recreational Area
Trail Difficulty: Easy
Perhaps one of the most picturesque falls in the state, Mirror Lake Waterfall is located in Blanchard Springs Recreational Area near Mountain View. This one is not a natural falls but a compilation of cascades resulting from the spillway. However, surrounded by the picturesque Ozark forest, it’s a gorgeous feature.
Added Bonus: The waterfall is near to Blanchard Springs Caverns, one of the coolest caves in Arkansas!
8. Natural Dam Falls
Location: Natural Dam
Trail Difficulty: Easy
Just a short 0.5 out-and-back walk along the Mountain Fork River leads you along the water to a broad falls that is spectacular in the rainy season. This is a great hike for families with young kids.
9. Richland Creek Twin Falls
Location: Witt Springs-Richland Creek Wilderness Area
Trail Difficulty: Moderate
Remote Richland Creek Wilderness Area is a waterfall lover’s dream, with over 30 falls to explore! The hike to Twin Falls includes a couple of small creek crossings, but these 17′ and 19′ beauties await you at the end! Other falls in the area include Six Finger Falls and Falling Water Falls.
10. Triple Falls
Location: Jasper
Trail Difficulty: Easy
Also known as Camp Orr Falls, Twin Falls, and Boy Scout Falls, this beauty is a doublet for part of the year, and a triplet during the rainy season. When at full flow, these 48-foot cascades are arguably some of the most scenic in the state and only require a short hike from the trailhead.
11. Sweden Creek Falls
Location: Kingston
Trail Difficulty: Moderate due to downward slope and rocky areas
Falling 81 feet into a shallow grotto, Sweden Creek Falls is the icing on the cake of a wonderful little hike. Getting to the falls requires a 1.5-mile roundtrip hike that passes impressive bluffs and several smaller waterfalls on the way to the finale!
12. Devil’s Canyon Falls
Location: Mountainburg
Trail Difficulty: Moderate
This little-known hike through Devil’s Canyon Scenic Area and Bushwack is one of my personal favorites. Not only do you get a remote location with captivating cliffside viewpoints over the Ozark Mountains, but also fun scrambles and a waterfall with swimming hole at the end. Devil’s Canyon Falls is small, but it tumbles into a watery grotto, which is welcome after scrambling the tower-sized boulders of the dried river bed.
Get Out There and Find the Best Waterfall in Arkansas!
If you’re a visitor coming to enjoy the celebrated Arkansas wilderness, we invite you to spend some time on our trails this rainy season. There’s nothing like sitting at the base of a thundering fall or taking a dip in a crisp pool surrounded by towering forest. The forests and falls of Arkansas are a treasure to locals and a joy to explore for travelers.
These 12 falls are some of my personal faves, but I’ll let you decide which one takes the cake for the best waterfall in Arkansas!
For more grand adventures in The Natural State, check out “Exploring the Arkansas Ozarks!” This region of Northwest Arkansas is not only one of the most beautiful parts of the state, but it has a culture all its own and some pretty amazing festivals!