City: Russellville ARK
GPS: 35.72194, -92.94944
Shade: Very Good
Proximity to Food/Gas: ~ 1 Hour (Jasper or Russellville) Except for Slim's BBQ ~ 10 Min Away
How We Found It: Tim Ernst book (p44)
Fee: No
Smoothness of Road: Fair
Years Visited: 2013, 2015, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024
Photo Gallery:Here Video: YouTube, Gez Rogers
Pros: Scenic, cool water, secluded, near a hiking spot, good jumping, rope swing, shaded.
Cons: Road a bit rough, water levels prone to being low, not close to many eating spots
Grade: A
This spot is one of the main most favorite ones in the area. It's commonly mentioned in various FB groups and such but we never knew about it until buying the Tim Ernst book between 2012 and 2013. This was one of the main spots we would now check out with this infomration.
It has a waterfall that's large enough to be entertaining, but not to the point (most times anyway) of being dangerous. It has an area for jumping, it's well shaded, very well secluded (so much so that you're not particularly close to anywhere for eating or gassing your car etc), and its water is coolish without being overwhelming ice-cold (most times anyway). Younger people really fit in well here (to the point that, with me in my 50s, I'm starting to think I'm getting "too old for this {bleep}").
You will also want to check water levels ahead of time, they can vary. Most times it's been OK, but in 2022 we went and it was almost nothing but a mud-puddle, absolutely horribly disappointing.
Gas up and fill up your stomach before going, or pack a lunch (one year, 2021 I think it was, I carried a portable grill with me and grilled hamburgers on the scene), because once you're here, you're not anywhere near any eating or gas places for the most part (Jasper, Marshall and Russellville are all about an hour away). Two exceptions I unEarthed in 2024--Slim's BBQ, a small BBQ place about 10 minutes away, and "Bridget's Burgers," a small eatery about 30 minutes east heading back towards Marshall. The former is open from about 11-4 (roughly), the latter has very hit and miss hours, I would contact them ahead of time to make sure.
Slim's BBQ is located at 35.715056, -92.82332, Bridget's Burgers is at 35.715056, -92.82332.
Also nearby is "Pedestal Rocks Scenic Area," a small area where you can hike about 20-30 min and see some nice scenery.
