Exploring Northwest Arkansas

Hemmed in Hollow Falls -- from Compton trailhead

One of the very first hikes I made in the Buffalo River area 14 years was to Hemmed In Hollow Falls from the Compton Trailhead. At 209 feet tall, Hemmed in Hollow Falls is the tallest waterfall between the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains, and while the hike isn't easy, it is very popular as hikers are eager to see this towering beauty of the falls with a trailhead that is easy to get to without a 4WD. While the trail to the falls is maintained, at nearly 1500 feet of elevation change the hike is not for the faint of heart, but a breathtaking waterfall and secluded canyon awaits those who make the trek.

Getting there

To get to the Compton Trailhead, go to the community of Compton (8.3 miles north of Ponca on Highway 43) and turn EAST on the gravel road immediately across from JB Trading Post. After about 1/10 of a mile, turn RIGHT onto the gravel road and follow it .8 miles and then turn RIGHT onto another gravel road. The parking area and trail head are just up the hill. There are signs at the turnoff of Highway 43 and the 2nd gravel road that point to the Compton Trailhead.

Also, it's worth noting that JB Trading Post is a fantastic establishment here in Compton. They make a great sandwich, and also have maps, trail guides, outerwear, socks, camping supplies and virtually anything you need to make your hike and camp a success - -and it usually pretty quality equipment that you'll be glad to keep long after your hike.

 This is a wet-weather falls, so it is usually best enjoyed in the winter and spring, and during times where there has been a fair amount of moisture. 

The Hike

There are two trails at the trailhead -- the one to the right is a horse trail that heads down through Sneads Creek; the one on the left is the main hiking trail. Today we took off on the hiking trail.

The trail heads down the hill gradually at first. Off to the left you'll begin to notice a small creek -- this is the creek that feeds Hemmed in Hollow Falls.

At about .7 miles, there is an intersection. Stay STRAIGHT at this intersection. The tail to the left takes you to Wild Vic's Cabin, and to the Right connects with the horse trail.

The trail continues going down the hill. In some steep parts there are stone stairs built to make it easier - there are other places that the steep slope has caused the trail to wash out a little and makes for some less-than-sure-footed hiking. There will be great views all around (particularly during leaf-off) so be sure to enjoy them. While the excitement of getting to the falls is usually prominent, at some point as you continue down thoughts about hiking back out of here is going to be HARD. 

At about 1.5, after a few switchbacks, the trail turns right at a rock slab right along the top of an overlook. It's a beautiful overlook and if you look closely you will see a notched out "U" in the bluff and you can see the top of Hemmed in Hollow Falls flowing over the ridge.  This is a great spot to enjoy -- and even a better spot to stop and rest to catch your breath on the way back up!

Keep going though, the best views are only a mile away. 

At 1.8 miles there is an intersection -- at this intersection, turn LEFT. To trail coming in from the right is the trail that comes in past Big Bluff and the Goat Trail from Centerpoint Trailhead. 

When you turn left, the trail goes downhill and back below ridge of the the trail you have just hiked down. 

At 2.3 you reach a creek that is downstream from Hemmed in Hollow and another trail intersection. Stay straight (left) on the trail.  The trail to the right goes .5 miles to the Buffalo River (and this is the trail that comes in from the river if you choose to float and then hike back to the falls). 

Follow the trail as it now goes back uphill to the big falls. After a bit you will cross a small creek that comes in from your left. Below here is a very nice double waterfall that is approximately 14 feet tall (note on the pic above that the falls coming in from the left has pretty low flow on this day).

Continue on the trail and you'll come across yet another nice, 18 foot (ish) tall waterfall on the main creek.

After 2.5 miles you'll reach Hemmed in Hollow Falls. It's a beautiful 209 foot tall falls that pours off into an amazing canyon. It really worth spending the time here to enjoy the area and have a sandwich or some snacks. You've earned it -- and you're going to need to refuel before the trip back up. You can easily climb back up behind falls (although, be careful, the rocks are VERY slick here). And notice that when the wind blows, it often makes the falls move from side to side and around almost like it's dancing in the wind.

After enjoying one of the finest places to in all of the Ozarks, you'll head back UP the trail the way you came. As mentioned before, the hike back up is no joke, and with 1500 feet of elevation gain in just 2 miles you'll feel the burn. Take your time, and drink plenty of water. 

Trail Notes

Distance: 5 miles round trip

Difficulty: Difficult hike on maintained trails

Footwear: Sturdy Hiking boots preferred

Kids: Older kids will be ok

Guide Book: Tim Ernst's Buffalo River Hiking Trails has the best trail description, although it's also covered in Tim Ernst's Arkansas Hiking Trails

Stars: 5 out of 5. 

Nearby: Hideout Hollow Trail, McFerrin Point, Paige Falls and Broadwater Hollow Falls, and the Centerpoint Trailhead to Big Bluff.  

Neil Compton Double Falls, Owl Falls, Amber Falls - Upper Buffalo Wilderness Area

Hawksbill Crag/Whitaker Point is among the most popularly visited and photographed spots in all of Arkansas - and for good reason. However, deep in the valley below Whitaker Point lies a beautiful valley formed by Whitaker Creek, and during wet season, an abundance of waterfalls that are not visited nearly as often as the bluff above.

This area has been on my list for awhile, but awaiting the right weather conditions (times of high water and leaf-off are best) has been key -- and the area proved to be worth the wait.  There are no formal trails here, but we found everything we were looking for without much problem and without a GPS, but with the help of a guidebook. I suspect reaching these areas in the late spring or summer when the undergrowth has grown up would be a challenge.

Getting there

From the community of Ponca, take Highway 43 south through the Boxley Valley, then turn LEFT (South) onto highway 21. Just before you cross the Buffalo River bridge in Boxley, turn RIGHT onto Cave Mountain Road.  Cave Mountain Road is a VERY steep, very bumpy road -- although 4WD is not required during most weather conditions. Once you get to the top of the mountain, you'll pass Cave Mountain Church at 5.4 miles, the Hawksbill Crag trailhead at 6 milesand then go another 1.1 miles to the "Upper Buffalo Wilderness Boundary" sign. Park along the road here making sure to not block the road from passing traffic.   

The Hike

The "trail" starts off directly behind the sign and heads STRAIGHT down the hill. As noted before, there is no official trail here, so just pick your way down the hill as best you can -- if you are headed down, you are heading the right way. We hiked this on January 2nd, so there wasn't a lot of undergrowth and found it to be pleasurable enough hiking -- on the way down. The hike back up was a bit harder.

At about .3 miles, we reached a creek -- this is Whitaker Creek and it runs the length of the valley. The creek will be your "trail" the rest of the way. 

As soon as we got to the creek, we immediately saw a waterfall coming in from our left from a side drainage. We checked out unnamed waterfall #1. I was also glad to see this falls because it made for a nice marker for when we would need to go back up the hill to get to our car.

From here, Amber Falls was just a few 100 yards upstream. Amber Falls is a very nice 18 foot tall waterfall that tumbles into a nice pool below.

Amber Falls is named after Amber Ernst -- who's father Tim has spent a significant amount of his life exploring the wilderness of Northwest Arkansas and documenting it through a series of books that help most people explore and truly enjoy this area. The trail map to get to these falls is in his book "Arkansas Waterfalls". 

After enjoying some time at Amber Falls, we then turned and went back downstream past Unnamed Falls #1.  A short distance downstream from there we hit another drainage coming in from our left. Just up this drainage was another unnamed waterfall -- Unnamed Falls #2.

From here, we continued following Whitaker Creek downstream. As noted before, there is no official trail here, but we found following the creek to be pretty manageable and to be very scenic. The beach trees really were glistening off the reflections of the water on this beautiful winter day. 

After about 1 mile (from the car) we arrived at a series of cascades. These cascades are just upstream from Neil Compton Falls and are very scenic.

The second cascade even comes off at an angle forming an interesting diagonal cascade.

This point is essentially at the top of Neil Compton Falls. However, the best views are from the bottom so finding the way down will be important. From here, we went to LEFT of the creek as we went downstream. This path goes along the top of the ridge for about 300 yards or so high up on the bluff above the falls. Be VERY careful as the path here follows very close to the edge. Eventually the bluff line will start heading downward and then there was a be a break that allowed us to get to the bottom of the bluff line. Scurry down here (again, be careful, this is pretty slick) to get down around creek level.  Once you get to the bottom, you'll need to rock hop across Whitaker Creek and head back upstream 300 yards to get to the base of Neil Compton's Double Falls. 

Neil Compton's Double Falls only runs as a double when the water is pretty high, but it's a beautiful falls that pours 39 feet into a beautiful blue pool. It's a fabulous waterfall and canyon area that is very peaceful.  Neil Compton was one of the early advocates that fought to keep the Buffalo River as a natural, flowing river and it was his vision that helped preserve the river and wilderness that we all enjoy.

When you are done at Compton's Double Falls, as you head back, there is one more falls to check out. Literally 20 feet beyond where you came down the hill to get to the bottom of Compton Falls, there is another creek that flows in from the right side of the creek (when facing downstream). Follow this creek a hundred yards upstream and you'll get to Owl Falls. 

Owl Falls is a roughly 20 foot tall waterfall that is a fantastic cascading waterfall. I think this one is prettier than my photos indicate as the sun wasn't my friend at the time of day we were there (it was directly behind the falls). 

There are more waterfalls downstream -- but as daylight was running short we had to save those for another day. From here, we went back the way we came. 

Hike Details

Distance: .2.1 miles round trip to the top of Neil Compton's Double Falls, .75 miles if you only go to Amber Falls. Because there is no trail here, and the footing is iffy at times, it will feel longer than that (and, from a timing perspective, there is a LOT to enjoy here, so leave yourself plenty of time to explore).

Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult

Footwear: Hiking Boots 

Kid-Friendly: Because there is no trail and it's steep terrain, I'd not recommend this for young children. Amber Falls would be enjoyable for older children.

Trail Guide: Tim Ernst's Arkansas Waterfalls

Rating: 5 out of 5

Nearby: Hawksbill Crag, Cave Mountain Cave, Hedges Pouroff