State guide

Waterfalls in Arkansas

12 waterfalls across 10 counties, ranked 35th nationally. The main waterfall regions are Boston Mountains and the Buffalo River, Arkansas River Valley and Ouachita Edge, and White River Hills.

Source: USGS Geographic Names Information System, with visitor ratings from Google Maps listings.

Best WaterfallsMust-See Waterfalls

Photo of Falling Water Falls in Pope County, Arkansas
Pictured: Falling Water Falls, AR

Towns

Where Arkansas's Waterfalls Are

Arkansas splits neatly in two: the flat Mississippi Delta and Gulf coastal plain in the south and east, and the Interior Highlands in the north and west. Every waterfall in our directory lies in the highlands. The Ozark Plateaus, and particularly the Boston Mountains along their southern edge, are built of nearly horizontal layers of sandstone, shale and limestone. As streams cut down through these layers, the harder sandstone and limestone beds hold up as ledges and bluffs, producing the shelf-like pour-overs and grotto falls that are typical of the region.

Our directory counts 12 named waterfalls in Arkansas, placing it 35th nationally, but that figure understates the number of small, unnamed wet-weather falls hidden in Ozark hollows. Newton County, home to the upper Buffalo River, and the hills around the Arkansas River valley hold several of the best known. South of that valley, the Ouachita Mountains bring folded ridges of sandstone and novaculite. Because Ozark streams are fed mainly by rain rather than snow, nearly every Arkansas waterfall rises and falls with the weather, often running hard for a few days after a storm and fading quickly afterward.

Arkansas Waterfall Regions

Boston Mountains and the Buffalo River

5 waterfalls · Newton County, Johnson County, Pope County, and Marion County

The highest and most rugged part of the Ozarks covers Newton, Johnson and Pope counties, where deep hollows drain toward the Buffalo and Arkansas rivers. Falling Water Falls in Pope County, a wide ledge drop on Falling Water Creek in the Ozark National Forest, is the most reviewed waterfall in the state. Eden Falls in Newton County lies in the Lost Valley area of the Buffalo National River, where a creek emerges from a cave and drops through a series of grottoes. Spainhour Falls in Johnson County and Lay Falls in Marion County are smaller, quieter sites in the same rugged hill country.

Start with: Falling Water Falls, Eden Falls, Spainhour Falls, Marble Falls, Lay Falls

Arkansas River Valley and Ouachita Edge

2 waterfalls · Conway County and Perry County

Between the Ozarks and the Ouachitas, the Arkansas River valley is interrupted by isolated mesas and ridges. The best known is Petit Jean Mountain in Conway County, where Cedar Falls drops into a sandstone box canyon below Petit Jean State Park. The trail to the base climbs steeply on the return, and an overlook offers a view from above for those who prefer not to make the descent. To the south, Perry County reaches into the northern edge of the Ouachita Mountains, whose east-west ridges hold smaller seasonal drops such as Sausmann Falls.

Start with: Cedar Falls, Sausmann Falls

White River Hills

5 waterfalls · Cleburne County, Independence County, Stone County, and Fulton County

The eastern Ozarks around the White River and Greers Ferry Lake are lower and more rolling than the Boston Mountains, with limestone and sandstone bluffs along their creeks. Bridal Veil Falls near Heber Springs in Cleburne County is the most visited waterfall here, with water stepping down over layered rock. Bailey Falls in Independence County, Bear Pen Falls in Stone County, and Saddler Falls and Cottonwood Falls in Fulton County round out the cluster. These are mostly modest falls that look their best during wet spells in late winter and spring.

Start with: Bridal Veil Falls, Saddler Falls, Bailey Falls, Cottonwood Falls, Bear Pen Falls

All 12 Waterfalls in Arkansas

Ordered by Google rating and review volume, then by documented USGS history.

  1. Falling Water Falls

    Marshall, AR · Pope County
    4.8 (345 reviews)

    Falling Water Falls is a waterfall in Pope County, Arkansas, about 22 miles southwest of Marshall. It appears on the USGS Smyrna topographic map.

    Rating
    4.8 (345 Google reviews)
    Address
    Pope County, AR 72856 (GPS 35.7220, -92.9493)
    Nearest town
    Marshall, AR (22 mi)
    USGS topo
    Smyrna quad
    View details Directions

  2. Eden Falls

    Jasper, AR · Newton County
    4.7 (132 reviews)

    Eden Falls is a waterfall in Newton County, Arkansas, about 11 miles west of Jasper. It appears on the USGS Osage SW topographic map.

    Rating
    4.7 (132 Google reviews)
    Address
    Newton County, AR 72742 (GPS 36.0176, -93.3874)
    Nearest town
    Jasper, AR (11 mi)
    USGS topo
    Osage SW quad
    View details Directions

  3. Bridal Veil Falls

    Heber Springs, AR · Cleburne County
    4.7 (119 reviews)

    Bridal Veil Falls is a waterfall in Cleburne County, Arkansas, about 1.6 miles south of Heber Springs. It appears on the USGS Heber Springs topographic map.

    Rating
    4.7 (119 Google reviews)
    Address
    Cleburne County, AR 72543 (GPS 35.4695, -92.0385)
    Known for
    steep trail, lookout, walk to the bottom, peaceful atmosphere, pretty spot
    Nearest town
    Heber Springs, AR (1.6 mi)
    USGS topo
    Heber Springs quad
    View details Directions

  4. Cedar Falls

    Atkins, AR · Conway County
    4.7 (73 reviews)

    Cedar Falls is a waterfall in Conway County, Arkansas, about 8.6 miles south of Atkins. It appears on the USGS Adona topographic map.

    Rating
    4.7 (73 Google reviews)
    Address
    Conway County, AR 72110 (GPS 35.1215, -92.9338)
    Known for
    hike to waterfall, peaceful getaway, trek, overlook, water flow
    Nearest town
    Atkins, AR (8.6 mi)
    USGS topo
    Adona quad
    View details Directions

  5. Saddler Falls

    Cherokee Village, AR · Fulton County
    4.5 (24 reviews)

    Saddler Falls is a waterfall in Fulton County, Arkansas, about 8.4 miles north of Cherokee Village. It appears on the USGS Mammoth Spring topographic map.

    Rating
    4.5 (24 Google reviews)
    Address
    Fulton County, AR 72554 (GPS 36.4184, -91.5307)
    Nearest town
    Cherokee Village, AR (8.4 mi)
    USGS topo
    Mammoth Spring quad
    View details Directions

  6. Spainhour Falls

    Clarksville, AR · Johnson County
    4.7 (30 reviews)

    Spainhour Falls is a waterfall in Johnson County, Arkansas, about 10 miles north of Clarksville. It appears on the USGS Ludwig topographic map.

    Rating
    4.7 (30 Google reviews)
    Address
    Johnson County, AR 72854 (GPS 35.6204, -93.4652)
    Nearest town
    Clarksville, AR (10 mi)
    USGS topo
    Ludwig quad
    View details Directions

  7. Cottonwood Falls

    Cherokee Village, AR · Fulton County
    4.0 (9 reviews)

    Cottonwood Falls is a waterfall in Fulton County, Arkansas, about 8.6 miles north of Cherokee Village. It appears on the USGS Mammoth Spring topographic map.

    Rating
    4.0 (9 Google reviews)
    Address
    Fulton County, AR 72554 (GPS 36.4222, -91.5284)
    Nearest town
    Cherokee Village, AR (8.6 mi)
    USGS topo
    Mammoth Spring quad
    View details Directions

  8. Bailey Falls

    Batesville, AR · Independence County
    3.5 (23 reviews)

    Bailey Falls is a waterfall in Independence County, Arkansas, about 10 miles southwest of Batesville. It appears on the USGS Concord topographic map.

    Rating
    3.5 (23 Google reviews)
    Address
    Independence County, AR 72523 (GPS 35.6674, -91.7705)
    Known for
    private property
    Nearest town
    Batesville, AR (10 mi)
    USGS topo
    Concord quad
    View details Directions

  9. Sausmann Falls

    Perryville, AR · Perry County
    2.9 (15 reviews)

    Sausmann Falls is a waterfall in Perry County, Arkansas, about 7.5 miles south of Perryville. It appears on the USGS Thornburg topographic map.

    Rating
    2.9 (15 Google reviews)
    Address
    Perry County, AR 72126 (GPS 34.8973, -92.7824)
    Nearest town
    Perryville, AR (7.5 mi)
    USGS topo
    Thornburg quad
    View details Directions

  10. Marble Falls

    Jasper, AR · Newton County
    2.2 (5 reviews)

    Marble Falls is a waterfall in Newton County, Arkansas, about 7.3 miles northeast of Jasper. It appears on the USGS Jasper topographic map.

    Rating
    2.2 (5 Google reviews)
    Address
    Newton County, AR 72601 (GPS 36.1030, -93.1296)
    Nearest town
    Jasper, AR (7.3 mi)
    USGS topo
    Jasper quad
    View details Directions

  11. Lay Falls

    Yellville, AR · Marion County
    2.0 (4 reviews)

    Lay Falls is a waterfall in Marion County, Arkansas, about 10 miles south of Yellville. It appears on the USGS Maumee topographic map.

    Rating
    2.0 (4 Google reviews)
    Address
    Marion County, AR 72675 (GPS 36.0792, -92.7120)
    Nearest town
    Yellville, AR (10 mi)
    USGS topo
    Maumee quad
    View details Directions

  12. Bear Pen Falls

    Mountain View, AR · Stone County
    2.5 (2 reviews)

    Bear Pen Falls is a waterfall in Stone County, Arkansas, about 11 miles west of Mountain View. It appears on the USGS Fox topographic map.

    Rating
    2.5 (2 Google reviews)
    Address
    Stone County, AR 72051 (GPS 35.8183, -92.3103)
    Nearest town
    Mountain View, AR (11 mi)
    USGS topo
    Fox quad
    View details Directions

Highest Rated in Arkansas

  1. Falling Water Falls 4.8 from 345 reviews · Marshall
  2. Eden Falls 4.7 from 132 reviews · Jasper
  3. Bridal Veil Falls 4.7 from 119 reviews · Heber Springs
  4. Cedar Falls 4.7 from 73 reviews · Atkins
  5. Spainhour Falls 4.7 from 30 reviews · Clarksville

Waterfalls with at least 25 Google reviews.

Arkansas Waterfalls by the Compass

The farthest-apart named falls in Arkansas are about 127 miles apart.

Best Time to See Waterfalls in Arkansas

Spring is the heart of Arkansas waterfall season. Ozark creeks are rain-fed, and the period from roughly February through May usually brings the steadiest storms, when even minor hollows produce falls that are dry the rest of the year. Many local hikers time trips to arrive within a day or two after a good soaking rain. By midsummer the heat and humidity are heavy, ticks and chiggers are active, and flows drop sharply; late summer and early fall are commonly the driest months. Autumn foliage in the Boston Mountains typically peaks in late October to early November, and a wet fall can pair color with running water. Winter offers clear views through bare trees, and a hard cold snap occasionally freezes smaller falls into ice formations, though such conditions rarely last long.

Planning a Waterfall Trip in Arkansas

Most of the better-known falls lie on public land managed by the Ozark National Forest, the Buffalo National River, or Arkansas State Parks such as Petit Jean. Several smaller falls in Fulton, Perry and Independence counties are on or near private property, so verify access before visiting. Many trailheads are reached by gravel county or forest roads that can be rough, and low-water crossings become impassable when creeks are running high, which is exactly when the falls are best. Cell coverage is unreliable in the deeper hollows. Main hazards include slick moss-covered sandstone, steep unmaintained paths to the bases of falls, sudden creek rises during heavy rain, and ticks in warm months. Swimming in plunge pools is common in summer, but flows can be powerful after storms.

More: waterfall safety · packing list

Find Waterfalls Near a Arkansas Town

Waterfalls by County

CountyWaterfallsShareMost visited
Fulton217%Saddler Falls
Newton217%Eden Falls
Cleburne18%Bridal Veil Falls
Conway18%Cedar Falls
Independence18%Bailey Falls
Johnson18%Spainhour Falls
Marion18%Lay Falls
Perry18%Sausmann Falls
Pope18%Falling Water Falls
Stone18%Bear Pen Falls

All Arkansas Waterfalls A to Z

Arkansas Waterfalls: FAQs

How many waterfalls are in Arkansas?

Our directory lists 12 waterfalls in Arkansas, all officially named in the USGS Geographic Names Information System, 35th among the 50 jurisdictions in our directory and 0.5% of the national total. 42% of them are in just three counties: Fulton, Newton, and Cleburne.

What is the most visited waterfall in Arkansas?

By Google review count, Falling Water Falls in Pope County leads with 345 reviews and a 4.8 rating. Eden Falls is next.

What is the most visited waterfall in Arkansas?

Among the falls in our directory, Falling Water Falls in Pope County has the most reviews, followed by Eden Falls in the Lost Valley area of the Buffalo National River and Bridal Veil Falls near Heber Springs.

Do Arkansas waterfalls flow all year?

Most do not flow strongly year-round. They are fed by rain, so they peak in late winter and spring and after storms, and many shrink to a trickle or dry up in late summer.

Which Arkansas town has the most waterfalls nearby?

Jasper has 4 named waterfalls within 30 miles, the most of any town in our Arkansas directory.