On my last three hikes I have driven past the big ‘Scenic 7 Byway’ sign
while heading farther south, and each time I said to myself ‘I should go see
Fern Falls again, since it’s been so long’.
We have been here, but the
last time was way back in 2015, long before I started writing blogposts after our
hikes. I pull off Highway 7 at the big
sign and park in the grass, although the ground is pretty wet it doesn’t seem
too soft.
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Fern Falls
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The very muddy trail heads west right next to the ‘sign’ then under the
powerline, other than all the mud everywhere this is an excellent trail,
obviously well used. I soon spot a pond
above the trail, climbing up the bank to see how big it is I notice lots of
poison-ivy, the pond is small but pretty in the lush forest.
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near trailhead
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Not far past the pond the trail turns right at a rock cairn, straight
ahead appears to be an old road but I stay on the obvious trail which begins to
gradually head downhill. Then only about
100 yards further is a left turn at what also looks like an old road, the trail
is really hard to miss so the odds of
accidently wondering off on one of these roads is about zero. Soon the scenery
improves thanks to East Shop Creek just west of the trail. |
| small pretty pond |
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at the top of Fern Falls
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I come to an intersection soon after I notice the sound of falling
water, this would have to be Fern Falls.
The trail left crosses East Shop Creek on some boulders in the creek at
a beautiful scenic area with lots of
azaleas and other fragrant flowering bushes.
This gorgeous spot on the creek is only about thirty feet from the top
of Fern Falls, the trail soon begins the descent around the west side to the
base of the falls. |
| scenic area above Fern Falls |
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'fragrant flowering bush'
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There are well used side trails all over this area, the first goes right
out on the bedrock at the top of the falls, the next after a sharp right turn
where the bluffline break begins is a steep rocky path left down to the base of
the falls. I stay on the ‘main’ trail
straight along the grotto that opens up under the bluffline and soon passes
behind Fern Falls. It’s a little muddy
with some loose rock to boot, I wouldn’t call this passage dangerous, just watch your step. |
| approaching Fern Falls along grotto |
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behind Fern Falls
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Now east of the falls, I’m lovin’
all these trails since I can get pictures from lots of perspectives without the
underbrush associated with bushwhacking.
The trail now heads back west and down to the base of Fern Falls at
another absolutely beautiful location.
Fern Falls at 42’ (Tim Ernst) is a two-tiered waterfall into a lovely
turquoise pool, with the grotto behind and of course green ferns everywhere. |
| turquoise pool and green ferns |
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East Shop Creek downstream of Fern Falls
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After crossing back to the west side of Shop Creek I climb the steep
rocky path mentioned above, which puts me back on the ‘main’ trail and soon I’m
back at that sound of falling water
intersection. Here I turn left onto what
I’ll call ‘Scarsdale Trail’ because it will take me to Scarsdale Falls only
about 300 yards northeast. Along the way
I have to stop for another great photo-op of Fern Falls, this from a flat rock
overhang atop the bluff. |
| at base of Fern Falls |
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double-tiered Fern Falls
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Even beyond Fern Falls the trail is still in great shape other than two
old dead trees across the trail. Soon I
catch glimpses of Scarsdale Falls through the dense greenery and pass a couple
less used side trails down into the drainage, but I stay on this the obvious trail which continues on the
level, passing the falls. Curiosity gets
the best of me, I want to see where this trail ends up, it crosses the little
drainage and continues now going northwest. |
| Fern Falls from the bluff top |
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moss flow along Scarsdale Trail
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A nice big flat-topped rock next to the trail would make a good ‘rest
stop’ and I notice a side trail heading down into the drainage near here, but I
continue northwest soon arriving at a little overhang shelter. The overhang creating this little shelter is a single slab of stone
about twelve feet long and over two feet thick with a big tree firmly against the front of the
shelter. From here north the trail is
less than obvious, now getting faint. |
| little overhang shelter |
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wild blueberries
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I keep going north almost 300 yards until the trail fades-out completely
as I’m heading down a hill into a rocky brush filled jungle, where I decide to turn around. I head back to that side trail near the rest stop rock and climb down to the
base of Scarsdale Falls, it’s not too steep through the small boulders to the
base of the falls. |
Scarsdale Falls
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Scarsdale Falls (named by Danny Hale) isn’t nearly as
awesome as Fern Falls but still quite picturesque. Scarsdale Falls about 10 feet tall, plunges off
a low bluff and has a nice cascade above and below.
Once across the creek I follow the diminishing bluffline on a faint
trail that soon climbs back up and rejoins the ‘Scarsdale Trail’, heading southwest back towards Fern
Falls. After a left back onto the main 'Fern Falls Trail' it isn’t
far to the parking area along the highway. |
| Scarsdale Falls at bluffline break |
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Azalea at top of Fern Falls
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I had a great time revisiting Fern Falls...and beyond, a short hike I
logged in only 2.7 miles with 368 feet of elevation gain, that included my
exploration to the north till the trail fizzled out. Just to the base of Fern Falls and back is
about 1.5 miles, or both Fern and Scarsdale Falls would be under 2 miles. As always come after a good rain to catch the
falls in their prime, today I was really impressed with the power of Fern Falls. |
don't step on the frog
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Fern Falls Trail: Statistics Chart174 There isn’t an actual ‘parking lot’ just park
in the grass off Highway 7 along the edge of the woods near the ‘Ozarks
National Forest/Scenic 7 Byway’ sign, at the bottom of a hill you can’t miss
it. About 3.1 miles north of the Deer
turn-off (Hwy.7/16 intersection), or almost 6.8 miles south of the Vendor
turn-off (intersection of Hwy. 7 and Hwy. 374).
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