Pets allowed
Allowed
Elevation Gain
300.00 ft (91.44 m)
Trail type
There-and-back
Distance
2.90 mi (4.67 km)
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Nestled deep in a fairly unexplored region of the Ozarks, this hike features an epic 30-foot waterfall coming out of a cave, swimming holes along the way, and some of the most unique water features you'll find in the Natural State.

But before you get to the grand finale, this mostly unknown area provides incredible water features along the way. You'll follow the Left Fork of Big Creek most of the way, which eventually becomes a tributary of the Buffalo National River, which was the first national river of the United States in 1972.

Unlike a lot of the waterfalls in the Natural State, this waterfall seems to be flowing even when others aren't, and after a good day or two of rain the little cascades in the creek on the way become waterfalls worth seeing in their own right.

Keep in mind that half of hike is really easy to follow, and half requires making your best guess along the way. Once you go through the field and into the trail area, you have to use a little imagination and just follow the water upstream. Since you'll be doing a lot of bushwhacking, wear long pants, and double-check for ticks on yourself and any pets you bring!

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Winter
Spring
Fall

Congestion

Low

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Epic waterfall. Great swimming holes. Fairly unknown.

Cons

Requires bushwhacking. Tough during growth seasons.

Trailhead Elevation

1,200.00 ft (365.76 m)

Features

Waterfalls
Cave

Location

Comments

Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment?
Sign In and share them.