19 Lonesome Hollow Falls

-

   This morning we went out with nowhere in particular in mind.  We just wanted to get out on some back roads and do a little hiking.  We have already been to Fallsville and Waterfall Hollow earlier this morning, see: (18 Waterfall Hollow).

down in Lonesome Hollow

    Now we find ourselves near Cowell and have decided to do the short hike to Lonesome Hollow Falls.  It’s easy to get to the parking spot, just turn off Highway 7 at the cemetery, then around at the back of the cemetery turn south on Taylor Ridge Road.  Go about a mile to a pull-off on the right where there is a dirt berm blocking access down an old road.

bluff shelter

    From this parking spot we head over the berm and down the old road.  Its real easy hiking and we soon come to a rock cairn at the right side of the road.  This cairn marks the spot where to leave the road and begin the bushwhack back to Lonesome Hollow Falls.  But, in following our ‘nowhere in particular’ theme for the day, we continue down the old road.  We’ll check it out then come back up to the falls.

many beech trees near the falls

    Maybe a quarter mile on the left about 20 feet from the road is a nice little waterfall that will dry up pretty fast, but it looks good today.  I think I’ll call it Lonely Falls (keeping with the ‘Lonesome’ thing).  Closer to the bottom the old road makes a sweeping turn to the west, the woods open up into what may be an old overgrown field.  This is where we turn around and head back up.

Short and easy hike to a beautiful waterfall in the Ozark National Forest.
Lonesome Hollow Falls

   Back at the rock cairn we follow the short and steep volunteer trail down.  The trail fades away fast but it has leveled out some and is an easy bushwhack along the base of the bluff.  By now we can hear the falls really well and just follow our ears the rest of the way.

Arkansas Jungle in fine form

    Lonesome Hollow Falls is a gorgeous sight at the head of Lonesome Hollow with large boulders strewn everywhere along with lots of little cascades.  A very scenic setting for sure.  After a little boulder climbing and picture taking, we head back out, and up to the car.

another angle, still no clear view

    This is a very nice little hike and with Lonesome Hollow Falls a great payoff at the end.  Even including our exploration down the old road, the total mileage was only 1.7 and our total elevation gain just over 300 feet.  For a day with nowhere in particular to go, it sure turned into a great day.  For an update, map and stats chart see: (114 Cub Creek Falls & Lonesome Hollow).

  

Location: Lonesome Hollow parking: 35.8064, -93.15752

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

23 Thunder Canyon Falls

-
Image
    We head south this morning with the intention of doing the short easy hike to Hideout Hollow Falls.   It is supposed to be seasonably cool this morning with highs later this afternoon in the low 80’s, so we get an early start hoping to beat the heat.   The dirt road from Compton to Hideout Hollow at the Schermerhorn Trailhead isn’t bad, flat and pretty smooth all the way to the trailhead. Thunder Canyon Falls      At the trailhead parking area there are already four vehicles here, it 's not a very big parking area and there's plenty of room for one more car.   W hat we find discouraging is two of the vehicles are small buses.    Having been to Hideout Hollow a couple times, we know it isn't a big area, and my imagination pictures bus loads swarming all over the falls.   After quickly reconsidering our plans, we decide to continue down the road to Erbie and hike to Thunder Canyon Falls instead. Thunder Canyon Falls     Well, that nice flat and pretty smooth road mentione
Read more

21 Triple Falls

-
Image
     This morning we loaded up our out-of-town guests and took them to Broadwater Hollow.   The plan was to show them a little bit of the Natural State's beauty and do some  hiking at the same time.   Broadwater Hollow was awesome as usual, (see: 20 Broadwater Hollow ) and everyone was up for a little more. framed in green      So off to Triple Falls we go.   ‘As the crow flies’ it’s not very far from Broadwater Hollow to Triple Falls.   But in a car, is a different story.   From Compton we drive to Ponca then up the mountain to Mt. Sherman and finally down the hill to the Boy Scout’s Camp Orr.   A very scenic drive the entire way. Triple Falls      The parking area is actually just inside the Camp Orr property and is designated with signage.   The hike to the falls I believe, is the shortest possible that you can even call a hike.   Anything less and it would probably be visible from the car.   It sure is a beautiful spot too. skippin' rocks      Triple Falls is three distinc
Read more

86 Fuzzybutt Horsetail and more

-
Image
     The southeast corner of Richland Creek Wilderness is an area we know pretty well, having visited many times, but there are still many waterfalls in the area that we have not seen.   Today we’re out to check-off a couple more from the list and check-out a different route to get there. at the roadside campsite      Under two miles south of Witts Springs is Richland Creek Road (SC265 or FR1219), we turn west on this good dirt road and less than four miles later arrive at Falling Water Road (this is the intersection for which Intersection Falls is named).   A left on Falling Water Road (FR1205) brings us to the concrete bridge over Falling Water Creek.   There's parking on both sides of the bridge, we pick the west side right in front of our trailhead.   This parking spot right on Falling Water Creek at the confluence with a lovely little feeder stream wouldn’t be a bad place to camp although very close to the road. Flat Stanley Falls      We start up the road away from Falling Wa
Read more

17 Haw Creek Recreation Area

-
Image
     Last month we were down in this area with the plan of hiking to waterfalls on Little Cow Creek.   We didn’t make it into Little Cow Creek that day, but instead checked out some other cool stuff in the area.  That included Haw Creek Recreation Area in the Ozark National Forest, which is a nice little campground with beautiful Haw Creek Falls right on the north edge of the campground.  Today we’re back at Haw Creek Rec Area, this time we'll be hiking to Pack Rat Falls and nearby Pam’s Grotto. Haw Creek      First up is Pack Rat Falls, we park the car in the middle of the loop campground at the restrooms.  A fter a quick visit to Haw Creek Falls, it’s only about 100 feet to the falls and too awesome to pass up, so why not?    Then over to the  trailhead (of sorts) for Pack Rat which is at the back of campsite #6 in the southeast corner of the campground. side falls below Pack Rat      This is a pretty good little trail for a while.   After passing some stacked rocks I call the 
Read more