Glory Hole Falls
- Height
- 31 ft
- Hike
- 1 mi round trip
- Road
- Gravel
- Permit
- Not required
Glory Hole Falls only runs after rain or snowmelt. Glory Hole Falls is a 31 ft waterfall in Newton County, Arkansas. Reaching it is a 1 mi hike round trip.
Closures and warnings
Falls flow through a bedrock hole and are strongest after heavy rain; can be a trickle or dry in drought. Wet rock around the hole is slippery. As of September 28, 2026.
The falls
| Height | 31 ft |
|---|---|
| Flow | Only after rain or snowmelt |
| Flows | March through May |
| Flow note | Creek drops through a circular hole in a limestone ledge (the glory hole), then continues as a cascade below. Best after rain. |
| Water type | Waterfall basin |
|---|
Access
| Hike | 1 mi round trip |
|---|---|
| Road | Gravel |
| Road note | Newton County Ozark National Forest; Forest Road access to the Glory Hole trailhead. Roads can be rough after rain. |
| Parking | Small trailhead pull-off / parking near the Glory Hole Falls trail. |
| Fee | No entrance fee for National Forest day hiking at this site. |
| Reservation or permit | Not required |
| Wheelchair access | Short but steep/rocky forest trail; not accessible. |
| Managed by | USDA Forest Service (Ozark-St. Francis National Forest) |
Common questions
Common questions
Is Glory Hole Falls open?
Falls flow through a bedrock hole and are strongest after heavy rain; can be a trickle or dry in drought. Wet rock around the hole is slippery. As of September 28, 2026.
How tall is Glory Hole Falls?
Glory Hole Falls drops about 31 ft.
How long is the hike to Glory Hole Falls?
It's a 1 mi hike round trip. The road in is gravel. Newton County Ozark National Forest; Forest Road access to the Glory Hole trailhead. Roads can be rough after rain. Parking: Small trailhead pull-off / parking near the Glory Hole Falls trail.
Do you need a reservation for Glory Hole Falls?
No reservation or permit is required.
Is there a fee at Glory Hole Falls?
The fee is No entrance fee for National Forest day hiking at this site.
When is Glory Hole Falls flowing?
It only runs after rain or snowmelt, so it is often dry. It flows March through May. Creek drops through a circular hole in a limestone ledge (the glory hole), then continues as a cascade below. Best after rain.
Nearby
Camping nearby
Public land
Glory Hole Falls is inside Ozark-St. Francis National Forest and Upper Buffalo Wilderness .
Sources
3
- https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/ozark-stfrancis (accessed September 28, 2026; backs manager Ozark-St. Francis NF, waterfall.ephemeral / flowNote glory hole bedrock feature, access.roadSurface gravel / fee none, hazardNote rain-dependent flow / slippery rock, swimmerNotes.waterType waterfall_basin, access.permitRequired false)
- https://www.arkansas.com/ (accessed September 28, 2026; backs access.hikeDistanceMi ~1 mi round trip common trail length)
- https://www.arkansas.com/experiences/discover/all-experiences/waterfalls (accessed September 30, 2026; backs waterfall.heightFt, waterfall.flowMonths)