Ordinarily August in Arkansas is a pretty dry and miserably hot month. This August however has been anything but ordinary. Multiple storms have dropped several inches of rain on the natural state and brought in unseasonably cool temperatures. In fact the first week of August 2013 seems more like the first week of May!
With all the rain swelling the rivers and creeks it seemed like a great time to head out and look for some waterfalls that would normally be little more then a trickle this time of year. Julie and I decided to make a little loop around north out of Clarksville and check out several falls in one day.
Haw Creek Falls
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| Haw Creek Falls |
We started out by heading up highway 123 to Haw Creek campground. When we arrived we found the campground closed by the forest service due to the threat of flash floods. We parked the Jeep at the and waded across the swollen creek and through the campground on foot. We found Haw Creek Falls roaring with chocolate colored muddy water. It was nearly flowing over the entire width of the falls. It was pretty impressive but the light wasn't right for really great photos so we headed back to the Jeep and took off for our next stop.
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| Crossing Haw Creek |
Pam's Grotto
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| Pam's Grotto Falls |
Just up the road from Haw Creek Campground is an obscure trail head that leads up a steep hill to the base of some tall bluffs popular with local rock climbers. Those bluffs also provide the setting for one of Arkansas most beautiful waterfalls. Hidden a short distance past the climbing area is Pam's Grotto Falls. This 37 foot water fall is tucked into a grotto surrounded by towering bluffs with some huge boulders guarding it's entrance. The hike into the grotto is not an easy one but it is well worth the effort.
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| Bridge over the Big Piney |
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| Making some peanut butter sandwiches for lunch |
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| It rained so much that the even crawdads were heading for high ground |
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| Along the bluffs leading to Pam's Grotto |
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| Taking some pictures of the falls |
After spending some time exploring the area around the grotto and taking a few dozen photos we climbed back down the hill to the Jeep and headed up 123 toward Pelsor.
The Glory Hole
After stopping at the Pelsor store for a snack we traveled north on highway 7 and then back west on highway 16 through the small town of Deer (home of the Antlers) and on down the Glory Hole Falls trail-head. Glory Hole Falls is one of the most interesting waterfalls in the Ozarks. The water actually falls through a hole that it has eroded into the roof of a limestone bluff!
The upper Glory Hole Falls trail-head is loacted just off highway 16 about 2 miles east of Fallsville. Most people park here and walk the two miles to the falls, however the first mile or so of the trail follows a rough 4wd road which can be driven, provided you have a capable 4x4! My Rubicon made short work of the muddy ruts leading to the lower trail-head where we parked and began the hike down to the falls.
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| The 4wd road to the lower Trail Head |
We arrived at the falls we just in time to see a couple guys getting ready to rappel down the falls through the hole!
We took a few pictures of the falls before heading back up the trail to the Jeep. We then took highway 16 west toward Fallsville where we turned down highway 21 back down to Clarksville where we ended our waterfall tour with some delicious Mexican food.
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| Back at the Jeep |
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| Julie by a small waterfall along the trail to the Glory Hole |
