Exploring Northwest Arkansas

Paige Falls & Broadwater Hollow Falls -- Short Hike

I've often noted here that one of the things that amazes me about Arkansas Hiking is how different trails and waterfalls look depending on the time of year and what eye-candy mother nature chooses to surround you with.

I had first visit Paige Falls and Broadwater Falls in December 2013-- where the cool temps and recent precipitation made for some great waterflow. I also hiked in to see the falls from the Cecil Cove Loop Trailhead which makes for a really nice 6.4 mile hike (roundtrip) to the falls.

However, there is an easier way to get to these two Falls, and during a warm spring day in May, we opted for that route.

To get to the closer access area to these two points, take Highway 43 North from the Post Office in the community of Compton for .8 miles and turn RIGHT onto a gravel road just across from the Compton Volunteer Fire Station (now marked as NC 2660).

Take this gravel road about 2 miles down the hill. The road is pretty bumpy, and narrow, but it seems to be passable with most types of vehicles.  After about 2 miles, there will be a pretty large parking area on the left hand side of the road at a point where the road sharply bends to the left.  Park here. The road continues down and bends back to the right and crosses a small creek -- so if you cross the creek, you've missed the parking spot.  

After parking, walk down the road to the creek and cross the creek. The trail starts on the opposite (east) side of the creek.

The trail -- which isn't an official trail but is well traveled - starts from the road off to your right just past the creek and follows the creek downstream. There are some interesting little cascades here to enjoy right off the start.

After a few hundred yards, the trail will go between two huge boulders -- when you emerge on the other side, Paige Falls will be just off to your right. 

Paige Falls is an 8 foot tall waterfall with a really nice pool of water in front and really a nice place.

After enjoying Paige Falls, fall the trail downstream another couple of hundred yards and you will come to Broadwater Hollow Falls. Broadwater Hollows Falls is 21 feet tall, and can really roar when there is a lot of water. 

If you take some time, there is plenty of exploring to do if you want to continue to follow the creek -- including a very deep sinkhole (be careful!), a spring that flows from the side of the creek, and an interesting little water feature where the water flows through a series of small circular crevices.

 Also, we were there in May, and there were a lot of small columbine flowers that made for some nice shots in front of the falls. 

This is a great area that I plan to come back to many times. 

Trail Overview

Distance: Roughly .6 miles round trip to see both waterfalls

Difficulty: Easy (although, not an official trail and unmarked)

Footwear: Trail shoes or hiking boots

Trail Guide: Tim Ernst's Arkansas Waterfalls Guide

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

 

Blue Heron

If you're quiet, and keep your eyes peeled, you can usually see plenty of wildlife in Northwest Arkansas.

This is a Blue Heron I captured in the morning haze along the Kings River.

Foggy Morning in Boxley Valley

The Boxley Valley is one of those amazing place that is a spectacular drive/bike ride through while surrounded by big hills, open valleys, wildflowers, historic sites and wildlife. 

After a good rain, the Buffalo River area is filled with fog, low-hanging clouds and just a mystical feel.

If you marry the two, you get a beautiful scenic drive in the Boxley Valley with a low-lying fog.

Kings River Falls Hiking Trail

One of the great things about hiking and playing in the wilderness in Arkansas is that each time you visit an area, it takes on a bit of a different feel depending on the time of year you go. Different weather and water levels make a big impact, as do leaf color, what flowers are in bloom and who you are sharing the trail with.

Maybe no area represents this more than the Kings River Falls area.

The Kings River Falls Trail is a great hiking trail -- only about 1.2 miles round trip, and filled with beautiful scenery. It's a relatively flat, easy hike, so it's good for kids too. 

At the end of the trail is a 10 foot high waterfall -- and during warm weather, the area can become a (justifiably) popular swimming hole.  It's definitely worth the time to check out.

Getting There

To get there, go to the community of Boston (just a few homes there now) -- which is on Highway 16 between Pettigrew and Red Star -- and about 19 miles west of Fallsville. 

From Boston, turn North onto CR #3175 (gravel, but a good road) for 2 miles and then turn RIGHT onto CR #3415. Stay on this for 2.3 miles and the road stops at a "T" intersection. 

Turn LEFT at the T, and afer a few hundred yards you'll cross a small stream and there is a decent-sized parking area on your right. The sign will mark the spot.

The Trail

The trail takes off just to the left of the sign, and runs along a fence and an open field (to your left) and a creek (to your right). 

After a bit, the trail reaches the Kings River and turns to the left and then runs downstream along the river. After a bit, the trail crosses over a nice footbridge.

The trail continues and is level the entire time so it makes for great hiking.  It's a wide trail that is really easy to navigate.

There are a lot of great little areas to check out along the river so plan to go slow and enjoy the trail and the river a bit.

We hiked this trail on Memorial Day weekend and the trail had an extra special surprise for us. The Azaleas were in full bloom and the bright pink flowers were a wonderful sight along the river.

 

The pop of pink color was magnificent along much of the trail.

 

After about a mile, you eventually get to main event -- Kings River Falls. This is a great, 10 foot high waterfall that is set in just an amazing area. Plan to spend a little bit of time enjoying this fantastic waterfall. 

During warm weather, the swimming hole below the falls becomes a VERY popular swimming hole....so if you are planning to come to this area and want some peace and quiet, then early mornings or during the week are probably best. If hanging out with people who are all having a great time is more your game, a weekend afternoon will work.

Getting to the Overlook

While the hike to Kings River Falls is great, and most people are perfectly fine enjoying the falls itself, there is a bit more to see here.  Just upstream from the falls there is a creek that comes in from the trail-side of the river.  If you follow this little creek upstream a bit there are also a series of waterfalls that come down off the top of the hill.

There is a volunteer trail that heads up along these falls that is pretty easy to follow and when the water is high, they're definitely worth checking out.

Then, to your right, there is another trail that leads back toward the river. 

From this trail, you can get an amazing view of Kings River Falls from high above the Falls on the Bluff and well worth checking out.

Overview

Distance: 1.2 miles round trip

Difficulty: Easy

Kid Friendly: Yes

Footwear: Trail shoes or Keen water shoes

Guide Book: Covered in a lot of places: Tim Ernst's Waterfall Book or Arkansas Hiking Trails.