Exploring Northwest Arkansas

Hudson Shelter/Hudson Shelter Falls

Hudson Shelter & Hudson Shelter Falls is an area you don't hear a lot of folks in hiking/waterfall-hunting circles. It's is many of the major guide books, but I just don't hear of a lot of folks going there very often.

Lower Hudson Shelter Falls

So back in May, we decided to check it out. It turns out that the area is pretty well traveled -but is apparently much more popular among the rock climbing circuit than the waterfall folks. This is primarily because the waterfall is served by a pretty small drainage so it takes a recent rain to get it flowing. That said, even if the water is minimal, there is a lot to see here as it is also home to many great bluffs (the rock-climbers know!) and one of the largest natural shelters in the state - Hudson Shelter. I'm looking forward to coming back here again when the leaves are off for better views of the bluffs and valley below.

Getting there

Hudson Shelter is not far off of Highway 7 south of Jasper. Head south of Jasper about 14 miles (2.9 from the junction of Highway 16) to the community of Cowell. Turn LEFT (EAST) on FR 1204. This is a gravel road just across from the Northern turnoff toward Cowell Cemetery. There are two roads here, neither is well marked, be sure to take the one to the north. Travel on FR 1204 for 4.2 miles and turn RIGHT onto FR 1204-B. Go 100 yards or so and there is a parking area on the right -- and an old logging road that is your trail. 

Old logging road that serves as the trail has several downed pined trees

The Trail

Start hiking along the old logging road. It's a nice trail but becomes a mess pretty quickly as many tall pines have fallen blocking the road. But never fear, because of the popularity of this area among climbers, there is a nicely-worn, and easy-to-follow trail just to the right of the main road. 

After a bit, the trails turns to the left and weaves its way down hill (again, the trail is pretty easy to follow) and eventually finds its way to small creek. This is the creek that feeds Hudson Shelter Falls. The trail then turns RIGHT and follows the creek down toward the falls. After about .5 miles, you'll reach the top of Hudson Shelter Falls. There is a small cascade here as well.

Small Cascade above Hudson Shelter Falls

To get to the bottom of the Upper Hudson Shelter Falls, go to the left (looking downstream) and trail finds its way to the bottom of the waterfall. There wasn't a lot of water on the day I was here (even after a pretty good rain the night before). 

Upper Hudson Shelter Falls

The trail crosses in front of the upper falls (note, it gets somewhat close to the edge here, and can be a little slick, so watch you step!). On the opposite side (right side when looking downstream), there is a rock jumble of sorts that you can work your way down to the base of the lower falls and Hudson Shelter. Be careful on this as well as the rocks are often slick. 

Lower Hudson Shelter Falls (from inside Hudson Shelter). The rock jumble to get to the bottom can be seen behind the falls.

Hudson Shelter is about 75 feet deep and an impressive rock shelter and worth some time to explore.

Inside Hudson Shelter

Beyond the lower falls -- to the right (again looking downstream) are some really nice rock bluffs that are popular with climbers. I highly recommend exploring along the base of these bluffs a bit.

One of the many bluffs beyond Hudson Shelter

Overall, this is a really nice area and definitely one I look forward to checking out more in future visits.

Trail Details

Distance: 1 mile round trip (plus more for exploring the bluffs)

Difficulty: Easy hike to the falls, but probably easy-to-moderate in total because it takes some scrambling to get to the base of the lower falls and Hudson Shelter.

Kid Friendly: Due to the slick and high bluffs, leave the littles at home

Footwear: Trail shoes 

Trail Guide: Tim Ernst's Arkansas Waterfalls

Trail Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Other trails nearby: Fern Falls, Lonesome Hollow Falls, Round Top Mountain Trail

Shooting Stars along the trail. Shooting Stars are among my favorite Arkansas wildflowers

Springtime at Sweden Creek Falls, Sweden Creek Natural Area

I made my first trip to Sweden Creek Falls a couple of years ago. I made the trip during a winter hiking trip -- which is usually a great time for catching waterfalls.

However, like most places in Arkansas, Sweden Creek Falls take on a completely different feel as the seasons change -- and springtime is a magnificent time to catch this falls. We've now made a couple of different trips in the springtime and we have been amazed by the abundance and variety of wildflowers along the trail.  Also, when we were there over Memorial Day weekend, after a lot of rain the week prior, the water was roaring off of this 81 foot tall falls.

Directions to the trail head and trail notes are here. 

The trail remains well maintained and easy to follow, even during the late spring -- so it makes for a great and rewarding hike.

One note of caution, please be cautious and courteous to snakes in the area. We have seen several snakes along the trail, most of which are completely harmless. We saw this green snake in the spring of 2015 on the trail, as well as rat snakes both spring trips we've taken.  One group we met did see a rattlesnake among the rocky areas on the lower trail. As always, be alert and be safe. And don't harm the snakes if you can avoid it. 

The waterfalls along the side drainage were also running well -- creating a nice double falls. 

The upper trail was loaded with different varieties and colors of wildflowers for both our April 2015 hike and our May 2016 hike. It was a nice treat, and very different from our winter trip.

And the areas along the trail were lush and green.

But the highlight of the trail continues to be the 81 foot tall Sweden Creek Falls. On this day there was a really nice flow and is was extremely impressive. 

And, of course, don't forget to take in the really cool area at the top of the falls -- that has an amazing assortment of rocks carved out by the stone.

The Sweden Creek Natural Area, and Sweden Creek Falls remains one of our favorite places. It's a relatively easy hike to one of the taller and more impressive waterfalls in the Buffalo River Area. And the Spring wildflowers definitely add a lot to the display.

Astute observers might note that not all of these pictures were taken on the same hiking trip. The snake, and a couple of the wildflower pics are from a hike we took in April of 2015. The rest, including the waterfall pics, were taken on May 27 of 2016. I've combined them here just to show how amazing the area is and the abundance of wildflower activity in the area.

This is truly a remarkable area. Trail and hiking notes are here.

Native American Falls - Piney Creeks Wildlife Management Area

Native American Falls is a fantastic waterfall in some rugged country within the Piney Creek Wildlife Management Area. The parking spot is easy to find, but the falls is rugged to get to -- but you will be rewarded with a fantastic 41 foot tall waterfall that cascades down the bluff and some beautiful scenery along the way. 

Getting there

The trail head is easy to find -- it is located .4 miles south of Pelsor on Highway 7. Pelsor is a small community 28 miles South of Jasper and 28 miles North of Dover on highway 7.  At .4, there is a sign for the Piney Creeks WMA. Park by the sign. 

Getting to the Falls

From the sign,  head directly into the woods and down the hill. There is no maintained trail here, and really, only a rough trace of a trail to follow, so you'll most likely have to make your own way. 

The route down will at first follows an area that has been dramatically cut back because of nearby power lines, but eventually ends up in the woods. Keep heading straight down. 

When you get to the bottom of the hill, you'll reach a small creek. Turn LEFT at the creek, and follow it down stream. 

A couple of helpful hints here (especially if you don't have a GPS).  First, when you get to the creek, you may want to set up a cairn (Pile of stacked rocks) to mark the spot so you know where to turn to head back up the hill on your way back. Second, the best 'trail' we found was on the opposite side of the creek a little ways off the creek.  But as you can tell from the photo, it's pretty rugged so find the best way down stream you can.

After about .4 miles downstream you will come to the top of the falls. To get to the bottom, go to the left side of the falls (when facing downstream) -  you'll cross over a neat overhand area that will give you a decent look at the falls and get to a group of large rocks. There will be a trail of sorts that heads steeply down the hill to your right. When you get to the bottom you can climb back up a few hundred yards back to the falls. You'll be rewarded with a great view and a thunderous sound of water.

There is a lot more to explore in the area including a couple of smaller waterfalls downstream.  We saved those for another day.

Once you are done exploring, head back the way you came. The total distance back and forth from the falls is only 1.5 miles, but because of the tough terrain and the steep slopes, it will feel like a lot more than that.

And one other note as a reminder. The back country, especially when exploring areas without maintained trails can have unpredictable footing, so be careful. Especially along slick stream crossings and bluff lines. While we were at Native American Falls we came across another couple that was out hiking and she had slipped on a slick rock and had apparently broken her ankle. It was a long piggy-back ride out!  

Distance: 1.5 miles

Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult

Kids-Friendly: No

Footwear: Hiking Books

Seasonality: I'd recommend this in winter or early spring wet season -- when the water is running well but probably before the forest becomes too woolly. We hiked this in late April and it was good, but I'm not sure I would have wanted to do it a few weeks later.

Star Rating: 4 of 5

More scenes from our spring hike in Lost Valley

As I noted last week, with each season, the trails throughout Northwest Arkansas take on a different life. With spring comes high water, and waterfalls throughout valleys across the region.

Lost Valley is one of those amazing places that just takes on a different character based on the seasons, with clear, high water by the natural bridge part way up the trail. 

The water was also very high in Clark Creek -- causing a variety of cascades and water features (note the Natural Bridge at the top of the picture). 

More Scenes of Clark Creek.

Lost Valley is a beautiful hike any time of year.  You can get directions and trail notes here.

Spring in Lost Valley

Spring is an amazing time of year in the Ozarks. Spring rains cause waterfalls to sprout up where you never knew they existed, and early spring wildflowers bring pops of color to the landscape.

A couple of weeks ago, we hiked the Lost Valley Trail. We've hiked this trail probably a dozen times, but with each each season it brings something different to explore and recognize.

This trip, due to spring rains, we came across a small waterfall area that we'd never seen before.

The falls itself was great, and I loved the color as the water toppled over the bright green mossy covered rocks.

However, one of the other really cool features of this falls is that once the water hits the bottom, it runs backward into a cave back behind the falls where it flows underground until it eventually flows into Clark Creek.

Exploring upstream there were a lot of great little cascades and mossy rocks that made for a very pleasant and peaceful area right off the main trail.

I always encourage people to take time out while hiking and explore a little.  You never quite know what you'll find. 

For more information on the Lost Valley Trail, check out the trail overview from my 2011 Fall Hike there. 

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.

 

Big Creek -- and Big Creek Cave Falls

The hike back to Big Creek Cave Falls, and along Big Creek is one of the best surprise hikes in the Ozarks. This is a spectacular area and immediately has become one of our favorite places in Northwest Arkansas. It's surprising that in 12 years of coming to the area I've never heard anyone even mention this great hike and unique waterfall other than pulling it out of Tim Ernst's Waterfall Book and thinking "that looks cool, we should check it out."

The setting is beautiful. The Creek itself has a lot of spectacular water features, and the grand finale does not disappoint.

There is no official trail here. However, 1/2 of the trail is very easy to naviagate. The other 1/2 will require some imagination and bushwacking. The best time to check out the trail is probably in early spring when the water is up, but before the growth in the woods becomes too challenging to navigate.

Getting there

To get to the trail head, from the intersection of Highway 16 and Highway 7 near Dear, go north on Highway 7 1.3 miles and turn RIGHT on NC 6840 (This is also FR 1224/CR 59 if using guidebooks or maps. But the new sign reads NC 6840). The road sort of looks like the driveway to a 1 story brick house, but take the road past the house and it eventually begins to look more like a road than a driveway. 

Take NC 6840 for 2.8 miles.  The road is actually not as bad as it seems like it would be when you start, but it is fairly narrow and very steep. If conditions are wet, you may want to have a 4WD to be sure you can navigate out.  At about 2.8 miles, l you are nearly at the bottom of the hill and you will see a parking area and a gate on your right of what used to be an old home site. Park here. 

The trail begins on the other side of the gate by following the old driveway. The homesite is on your right.

The Trail

The driveway is very easy to follow and makes for some good hiking. Eventually, the path passes an old barn that has fallen down and then crosses the Right Fork of Big Creek. You'll most likely have to wade the creek (it was about calf deep when we were there. The stones on the bottom were smooth so we were able to take off our boots and wade barefoot, but you may want to bring a pair of watershoes with you for the crossing).

Once on the other side of the creek, you'll follow the big pasture to the left and then turn right up the hill. At the top of the hill at the back of the pasture there will be a couple of trees that are taped that tell you where the trail begins in the woods.

This pasture is beautiful -- with Left Fork of Big Creek to your left, and several several big mountains all around. It would have been a peaceful place to call home.

Once you enter the woods, the trail becomes a little tricky. There are trees marked with tape throughout, and sometimes the trail is easy to follow and sometimes you'll just find your way into some sticker bushes wondering where the trail went.  Follow along as best you can in the woods along Big Creek knowing that you can't get lost if you just follow the creek.  We were there April 12 -- and there were white, yellow and purple wildflowers everywhere.

It's also worth noting that all along Big Creek, there are a ton of amazing water features, beautiful blue pools. Big Creek (like Richland Creek) that really reminds me of the big mountainous streams in many of our Rocky Mountain national parks. 

One of the features here is an 8 foot tall waterfall that I think was pretty amazing in its own right -- and completely understated in the guidebook.

At about 1.3, there is a creek that joins in from the right. Follow this creek up the hill to the bluff line. 

Here, you will see a very nice cascade coming right out of the cave in the bluff. This is a very cool place to hang out and watch the water cascading over moss-covered rocks. 

Then, cross the creek inside the cave, and follow the bluff line around to your left. After a few hundred yards you'll get to the highlight of the hike -  Big Creek Cave Falls.  This is a 29 foot tall waterfall that is pretty powerful and flows right out of a cave. It immediately became one of our favorite places in the Ozarks.

When you are done, it's time to head back the way you came.

I really do hope they make an official trail here someday. This is an amazing hike and one I highly recommend.

Edit: Be sure to check out Wolf Creek Falls while you are in the area. It is another waterfall that comes out of a cave just .25 miles away. Directions are here. 

Distance: 2.9 miles

Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult

Footwear: Hiking shoes, and maybe some water shoes for water crossings. 

Kids: Older will probably be fine

Trail Guide: Tim Ernst's Arkansas Waterfalls

Star Rating: 5 of 5

Fern Falls -- Hike

Fern Falls is a quick hike just off of Highway 7 South of Jasper. There is not an official trail here, but the trail generally follows some old road traces to it tends to be fairly easy to follow.  The hike is a little bit of a mess after a lot of trees and branches fell during the 2009 ice storm, but we found our way without problem and got to view a nice waterfall as our reward. (Updated): In our more recent visit in 2020 there has been a lot of work done to the trail and it is actually in very nice condition.

Fern Falls - 2014

 

Getting there

The trail head begins 11.4 miles south of the Jasper square on Highway 7. At 11.4 miles, there will be "Historic Highway 7" sign on the west side of the highway. There is no official parking area, but if you can pull off the side of the highway here and make a pace to park, that's the spot. The trail begins just behind the sign.

Scenic Highway 7 -- park near here

The Trail

The trail starts off along an old road and heads down the hill a bit. It's a fairly well-defined road, so easy enough to follow. 

At approximately .25 miles, the trail leaves this road trace to follow another -- turning sharply to your right (there is pink tape tied to trees and a rock cairn here to note the spot). Turn onto this old road trace (definitely less defined than the one that continues straight, and continue down the hill. 

Eventually you hit the old road trace again and continue down the hill. When you get to the bottom of the hill (roughly .5), you'll see a small stream in front of you, turn right here and follow the road trace along the side of the creek. After about another .25 of level and nice hiking along the creek, you'll get to the top of the waterfall. 

To make your way to the bottom of the falls, cross the creek upstream from the falls and follow the ridge around until there is a gap in the rock line and head down to the falls. To get the best photos, follow the ridge around behind the falls to the other size for a great view of the falls, and the water hole down below. 

Fern Falls - 2014

Fern Falls (named for the Ferns that grow up around it in late April and May) is a 42 foot waterfall with two streams that fall and hit a rock bed below to spread into a nice secondary falls. 

Fern Falls - May, 2020

When you are done exploring, you can head back the way you came -- this time back UP the hill you came down.

Updated 2020:

There is another waterfall near Fern Falls that was relatively recently documented. To get to Scaresdale Falls, go to the top of Fern Falls and take a small volunteer trail to the RIGHT (when facing downstream). This trail follows along the top of the bluff line for a bit and then curves to the right (away from the creek). After a few hundred yards a new drainage comes into view. Scarsdale Falls is a short waterfall and cascade in this secondary drainage. 

Scarsdale Falls - taken May of 2020

 

Trail Details

Total Distance: 1.5 miles

Difficulty: Moderate 

Footwear: Hiking Boots preferred

Children: Older children would be ok

Trail Guide: Tim Ernst's Arkansas Waterfalls. Danny Lee Hale's TakaHike (East & Central) has Scarsdale Falls

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Nearby: Lonesome Hollow Falls, Hudson Shelter Falls, Round Top Mountain Trail 

Haw Creek Falls

People determine beauty and what is "interesting" differently. When it comes to waterfalls, I personally favor cascades and rolling waterfalls more than pour-off types of falls. Others like tall pour-offs better. 

Either way, there are plenty of each to see in Northwest Arkansas. 

But my preference for cascading waterfalls is one reason why I loved visiting Haw Creek Falls. The falls is short (only about 8 feet tall), but has a lot of interesting cascades and a picturesque setting that makes this a place I can't wait to come back to.

It's easy to get to as well.

To get there, go South of Jasper on Highway 7 for 27 miles, and turn West onto South Highway 123. Travel 12 miles on Hwy 123 and you'll see the sign for Haw Creek Campground. Turn left into the campground. If you drive counter-clockwise around the campground, you'll loop almost around the entire campground and the falls will be on your right as you get back to the area with the two restrooms. Park, and the falls is about 100 yards off the road. 

This is a neat little area (and campground) and was a perfect spot for a picnic lunch before we went out to explore other sites in the area. The clear water just above, and below the falls also make for nice swimming holes when the weather is warm or just more great scenery. So plan to spend a little time here, and enjoy.

If you're in the area, also check out the short hikes to these to Waterfalls:

Pam's Grotto

Pack Rat Falls

Hemmed-in-Hollow Falls - via Buffalo River Float

Hemmed-in-Hollow Falls is an extremely popular destination in the Buffalo River area. At 209' tall it is the tallest waterfall between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains. This is a seasonal waterfall that is really nice when the water is high in the late winter and spring, but you may ask locals before making the hike to the falls as it might be disappointing if it's dried up, which it often is in the middle of summer and in the fall.

There are many ways to get to Hemmed-in-Hollow. One long hike comes in from the Center Point Trailhead. Another, more direct route, comes in from Compton. This is a very tough hike however (that I've done on a couple of occassions, but not yet covered on this blog).

I actually took this hike for the first time 12 years ago on my first ever visit to the Buffalo River area with my then girlfriend. That girl eventually became my wife, and we've continued to come to the area ever since.

However, by far the easiest way to get to the falls is by floating the Buffalo River from Ponca, and then hiking back to the falls.

To get there, rent a canoe and take the float from Ponca to Kyle's landing. At about 6 miles into the float, you'll reach Jim Bluff (there is a stone at the base of the bluff with the bluff name written on it). About a mile later, you'll want to pull out on your left and park your canoe or kayak to start the trail to Hemmed-in-Hollow. The best landmark for this really is to start looking for it after Jim Bluff and right before the trailhead, the river will turn fairly sharply to the left and you'll go through a series of pretty tough rapids with a big rock ledge on your right. Where the river turns again sharply to the right (and over another stretch of rapids), the pullout is BEFORE the second set of rapids on your left. If it's a good floating day, you'll be helped by noticing the parking lot of canoes along the shoreline.

Park the canoe next to the creek that flows into the river here.

Start on the trail on the opposite side of the creek and follow the well-worn trail back to the falls. You'll cross the creek and continue on on the left side of the creek.

Along the way, you'll pass a couple of smaller waterfalls that are really nice in their own right. At one place, a small creek comes in from your left (you'll have to cross it too) and forms a double falls on your right.

At about .8 miles in from the river, you will enter a huge hollow with a 209' waterfall flowing right into the middle of it (note the people in the picture above). When the wind is blowing, it's not uncommon for the water stream to get blown so much it breaks up to where it's hardly visible until it hits the ground at the bottom. This really is a fantastic area, and there is no real way to describe the feeling of being there -- and pictures don't quite do the whole experience justice. It's a pretty hollow, with a huge falls, and a cool breeze and the sound of the water as it splashes at the base of the bluff.

This is a great spot and really a showpiece of the Buffalo River area. If you get the chance to float this section of the river, you absolutely must take the time to go back to the falls.

Distance: 7 miles by boat, 1.6 miles (round trip) by hike

Difficulty: Easy

Kids: Yes

Footwear: Because  you'll be coming from the canoe, I wear Keens on the river and use them for the hike as well. The protective toe is essential (in my mind) for both hiking and for being on the river.

Star Rating: 5 out of 5. This really is a first class day with the canoe and the hike.