Borks Waterfall
Worth a detour
Is it plungeworthy?
A plunge on Regent Creek.
The details
- Type
- Plunge
- Watercourse
- Regent Creek
- Coordinates
- 37.54178, -89.02121
About Borks Waterfall
Borks Waterfall is a 50-foot plunge in Illinois, on Regent Creek.
It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.
Plungeworthy rates Borks Waterfall 6.5/10 — worth a detour. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
Borks Waterfall — Bjork's Falls on OpenStreetMap — is one of southern Illinois' worst-documented good waterfalls. Most write-ups place it 'near Pomona'; it's actually on the remote back boundary of Ferne Clyffe State Park near Goreville, fifty miles from Pomona. Databases list 50 feet; nobody has published a verified measurement.
The approach is half the character: gravel Regent Lane, a creek flowing over the road you'll ford in your car, and a half-mile walk to the base of the falls.
Its obscurity is the draw. On a spring weekend when Ferne Clyffe's front country is busy, you'll likely have Borks alone.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Regent Lane off Goreville Road, Goreville (Johnson County)
- Parking
- Informal space at the road's end
- Road
- Gravel, with a creek-over-road crossing — skip it at high water in a low car
- Hike
- 0.5 mi round trip (Easy walk; the drive is the filter)
- Heads up
- Falls under Ferne Clyffe State Park's rules despite the back-door approach.
When to go
After rain — and mind that the same rain that fills the falls floods the road crossing.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- Free
- Dogs
- Leashed
- Hours
- Park rules — closed 10pm
- Warnings
- Don't attempt the creek crossing at flood.
Researched from Midwest Nomads — Camp Ondessonk and area trails. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Borks Waterfall recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Planning a visit? We want your photo.
Borks Waterfall 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 Borks Waterfall?
Borks Waterfall drops about 50 feet, in Illinois.
Where is Borks Waterfall?
Borks Waterfall is a waterfall in Illinois, at 37.54178, -89.02121.
Is Borks Waterfall worth visiting?
Worth a detour — Plungeworthy rates it 6.5/10.
Gear for the trip
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