Eden Falls in March 2011

In March 2011, I went in search of Arkansas waterfalls. I flew in the Fayetteville/Bentonville Airport, and headed out on my journey. I had seen pictures of all of these very scenic waterfalls, though many of them sounded somewhat difficult to get to. A significant number of falls in the book “Arkansas Waterfalls Guidebook” by Tim Ernst indicated difficult hikes, bushwhacking, GPS being suggested, or some combination of the three. Therefore, I tried to limit myself to those that seemed to have just one of the three, if possible. At the end of the journey, all I can say was that I was rather disappointed (though this was no fault of the author). Maybe I’m terribly wrong, but waterfalls in Arkansas just seem to be harder to find…Or maybe they didn’t want me to find them.

On one waterfall “hike”, I was standing in a thicket of rose bushes, wondering how I was going to get out with minimal damage. It seemed as though the waterfall should be right nearby, but there was no sound or sight of water to be had! At another waterfall, I was standing on the edge of a cliff, with no real way of getting good views of falls. I even did the moderately difficult hike to Hemmed In Hollow Falls, only to find that there was virtually no water flowing over the falls. I was striking out big time.

And then came Eden Falls. Eden Falls automatically skyrocketed to the top of the Arkansas waterfalls list for me because I could actually find it without feeling a sense of confusion/disappointment. At about 1.1 miles one-way, the hike was manageable. There weren’t any crazy elevation gains. There wasn’t any bushwhacking, or need for GPS. The trail was as obvious as could possibly be. And as you approach the falls, the views become absolutely stunning. The rock formations and geology around the falls are truly amazing. At one point along the hike, you’re actually standing under a rock overhang. Eden Falls was also thrilling because enough water was actually flowing over the falls to make it worth my while. Everything about Eden Falls just made me happy! (And as an added bonus…there’s a cave near the top of the falls.)

(Note: It seems there are waterfalls above Eden Falls, and other falls along the trail to Eden Falls. I’ll encourage you to buy the book to find out more about them…I didn’t have any luck in finding them. At that time, I was just happy with one impressive waterfall.)

Directions:

1. From AR-43 in Ponca, head south for a short distance.
2. Turn right onto Lost Valley Road. Head down to the end of Lost Valley Road. There will be a ranger’s residence at the end of the road, along with parking.
3. Head to the trail, and enjoy!

Accessibility: 7/10 (easy/moderate)
Height: 53′
Length of Hike: 2.3 miles round-trip

Where in the World is Eden Falls?