Smith Falls
Worth the drive
Is it plungeworthy?
A 2-tier tiered on Hawk Hollow.
The details
- Tiers
- 2 drops
- Type
- Tiered
- Watercourse
- Hawk Hollow
- Coordinates
- 35.84391, -93.42581
About Smith Falls
Smith Falls is a 71-foot tiered in Arkansas, on Hawk Hollow. The water falls in 2 distinct tiers.
It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.
Plungeworthy rates Smith Falls 7.5/10 — worth the drive. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
A double-drop, roughly 71-foot falls in Bowers Hollow in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness — downstream of the better-known Bowers Hollow Falls (56 ft), with McClure Falls (33 ft) just below it in the same drainage. Older listings place it in "Hawk Hollow"; every independent source says Bowers Hollow, and no Hawk Hollow exists on the map.
There is no trail. Visitors follow an old jeep road to Bowers Hollow Falls, then bushwhack down the hollow — and multiple trip reports describe reaching the area without finding a safe way to the base.
This is designated Wilderness: no bikes, no motors, minimal signage, and nobody coming by if it goes wrong.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Old jeep road off Cave Mountain Road, off AR-21 south of Boxley
- Parking
- Trailhead ~0.5 mile up the jeep road; 2WD vehicles park earlier and add a mile round trip
- Road
- Steep gravel Cave Mountain Road; 4WD recommended for the jeep-road stretch
- Heads up
- Bowers Hollow Falls is ~4.5 miles round trip from the jeep-road trailhead; Smith and McClure are an unmarked bushwhack beyond it with no established route. GPS tracks from a prior trip report and real route-finding experience are prerequisites, not suggestions.
When to go
November through February is the local guidance: higher flow, lower vegetation, easier route-finding.
Rain-dependent — summer and fall are often dry.
Expect nobody. The access and route-finding keep traffic near zero.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- None — National Forest Wilderness, no fee
- Dogs
- Permitted; leash or voice control recommended in Wilderness terrain
- Hours
- No fixed hours
- Camping
- Dispersed camping per Wilderness rules; no facilities
- Warnings
- Genuine route-finding difficulty, steep loose terrain, and a 4WD-grade access road — this is the hardest listing in the state and it's not close.
Researched from Explore the Ozarks — Bowers Hollow Falls · Rick's Hiking Blog — Bowers Hollow Falls. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Smith Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Planning a visit? We want your photo.
Smith Falls doesn't have a photo yet. If you make the trip, send one to hello@plungeworthy.com and we'll publish it here with credit to you.
Before you go
The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.
Common questions
How tall is Smith Falls?
Smith Falls drops about 71 feet across 2 tiers, in Arkansas.
Where is Smith Falls?
Smith Falls is a waterfall in Arkansas, at 35.84391, -93.42581.
Is Smith Falls worth visiting?
Worth the drive — Plungeworthy rates it 7.5/10.
Gear for the trip
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