Waterfalls near Hot Springs, Arkansas

How the list breaks down

We measured every distance on this page in a straight line from the Census Bureau's internal point for Hot Springs, by our math. Road miles will be longer. Only falls we have published are counted, out to 100 miles.

Two falls sit about 44 to 50 miles out. Cedar Falls at Petit Jean State Park is 43.8 miles away, and Little Missouri Falls in the Ouachita National Forest is 49.7.

Three more are 85 to 94 miles north, in or near the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest. Falling Water Falls is 85.4 miles away, Twin Falls is 91.0, and Glory Hole Falls is 94.1.

For more falls, see our Arkansas waterfalls guide.

Falls Branch Trail at Lake Catherine: closest falls to Hot Springs

Falls Creek Falls is on the Falls Branch Trail, a National Recreation Trail in Lake Catherine State Park. Arkansas State Parks lists the trail as 2 miles, moderate, taking 1 1/2 to 2 hours. An Arkansas Tourism article puts the falls about a quarter mile from the trailhead, but the trail page gives no such distance.

The park does not name the falls; photo titles call it Falls Creek Falls. The park calls it "a seasonal scenic waterfall," so flow can be low at times. The trail crosses Little Canyon Creek several times. No entrance fee is listed on the park pages we read.

As far as we can tell (Nov 13, 2026), the park and trail pages listed no closure or alert. The park phone is 501-844-4176.

Cedar Falls and Little Missouri Falls

Cedar Falls drops 90 feet, per Arkansas State Parks, which calls it one of the tallest continuously flowing waterfalls in the state. The Cedar Falls Trail starts behind Mather Lodge and is 2 miles round trip.

As far as we can tell (Nov 8, 2026), the Cedar Falls Trail was not on the park's closure notice. No entry fee is listed on the park pages we read.

Little Missouri Falls is a picnic area with a trail to a waterfall overlook, per the Forest Service. Its trailhead page says "No fee," and the site is open all year with no water or electricity.

As far as we can tell (Nov 11, 2026), the Forest Service lists it as "Site Open," and no Ouachita alert named it.

Falling Water, Twin Falls and Glory Hole to the north

Falling Water Falls sits beside gravel Forest Service Road 1205 near Ben Hur. Arkansas Tourism gives it a 10-foot drop and says it can be viewed from the road.

Twin Falls is in the Richland Creek Wilderness, reached from Richland Creek Campground farther up the same road. The Forest Service says the wilderness has no developed trails, only old logging roads. Its March 2025 page warns the road is prone to landslides.

Its exact spot is not official, so the 91.0-mile distance uses an approximate pin. Call the Ozark-St. Francis office at (501) 802-0287 to ask about the road now.

Glory Hole Falls pours through a hole in the roof of a bluff shelter. An archived 2016 Forest Service page puts the walk at about two miles round trip, with an unmarked final path. The Forest Service no longer has a current page for the falls.

As far as we can tell, no Ozark-St. Francis alert named Falling Water or Twin Falls on Nov 13, 2026, or Glory Hole on Nov 8, 2026.

Waterfalls near Hot Springs: FAQ