The Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Sulphur, Oklahoma has a number of odd waterfalls. I think that’s probably the best way to describe them. Some of them don’t seem natural, but I include them anyway because somehow it’s been decided they’re important enough to be named.

There’s Little Niagara Falls, Bear Falls, and Cave Island Falls in addition to this fourth falls, Garfield Falls. They are all barely 5′ tall at the highest. There is supposed to be another waterfall in the Recreation Area, but I couldn’t easily find the falls. The Chickasaw NRA is honestly a beautiful place to visit, even if it isn’t for the waterfalls. The trails around the park were definitely enjoyable.

Directions:

1. From US-177 in Sulphur (at the intersection of OK-7), head south along US-177.
2. There are two entrances that will both lead you to the same general location. The first option is to turn left onto Perimeter Road soon after that intersection. The second option is to head just under a mile south and turn left (on what might also be Perimeter Road). Why would you choose the second? Part of the drive is one-way, and the only way to get to the falls from the first entrance is to drive over the river at some point. When I was there in early March, the river over the road, and there was no way I was going to cross in my rental car. The second option avoided this river crossing.
3. If you choose the second, southern option, you can drive directly to the sign for the falls for Little Niagara. The other falls can be accessed along the trail nearby.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 3′
Length of Hike: roadside

Where in the World is Garfield Falls?

There are a number of waterfalls in and around Davis, Oklahoma south of Oklahoma City. The most impressive of the bunch is Turner Falls. There are a few larger falls that aren’t accessible to the public, at least based on my research. The other bunch of falls are not tall, but they are plentiful.

These falls can be found in the Chickisaw National Recreation Area very close to the town of Sulphur. One of them is cleverly named Little Niagara Falls, though it is nowhere near as impressive as Niagara Falls or, well, pretty much most other waterfalls. The waterfalls in the area are at most 6′ tall and some of them seem heavily affected by human engineering.

Cave Island Falls, which is found along Limestone Creek in between two chunks of land, hence the island portion of the name, seems to be the least affected by humans. The waterfalls themselves aren’t wildly amazing, but the area is really beautiful. I can see why this was set aside for recreational and conservation use.

Directions:

1. From US-177 in Sulphur (at the intersection of OK-7), head south along US-177.
2. There are two entrances that will both lead you to the same general location. The first option is to turn left onto Perimeter Road soon after that intersection. The second option is to head just under a mile south and turn left (on what might also be Perimeter Road). Why would you choose the second? Part of the drive is one-way, and the only way to get to the falls from the first entrance is to drive over the river at some point. When I was there in early March, the river over the road, and there was no way I was going to cross in my rental car. The second option avoided this river crossing.
3. If you choose the second, southern option, you can drive directly to the sign for the falls for Little Niagara. The other falls can be accessed along the trail nearby.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 5′
Length of Hike: 0.3 miles round-trip

Where in the World is Cave Island Falls?