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.
