We just discovered the Fern Falls trail and I have to tell you, it’s a new favorite of mine. The waterfall here is so beautiful and the trip out there is relatively short. If you’re traveling anywhere near Ponca, Jasper or Buffalo National River, this would be a really great addition to your outdoorsy adventure. However, there are a few obstacles you should probably know about.
Quick Info About Fern Falls, Arkansas
NEAREST TOWN: Jasper, Arkansas
TRAIL LENGTH + TYPE: 1.5 miles total, out and back.
TRAIL DIFFICULTY: Moderately easy, but the trail is very overgrown and many downed limbs (as of May 2023).
IS IT KID FRIENDLY? We did this trail each carrying our kiddos, but it was difficult so we didn’t slap them in the face with limbs. The stream crossing has slippery rocks to get to the bottom and there is a tall drop off at the overlook of the falls. While we did it with the kids, I would recommend doing it without small children and wait until you trust your kiddos on a steep drop-off before taking them.
Getting to the Trailhead at Fern Falls, Arkansas
Getting to the Fern Falls trailhead is actually very easy! I’m going to give directions from Jasper, Arkansas, but it’s very easy to reverse them if you’re coming from the south. Simply take Scenic Byway 7 (AR-7) south from Jasper for a little over 15 miles. You’ll pass the Arkansas Grand Canyon and then a scenic pullout on your left. After the scenic lookout, look out on your right for the Scenic Byway 7 sign. The trailhead is actually just beyond this sign!
There are several no parking signs near the Scenic Byway sign, but if you continue down just past the sign, there’s less of a drop off and a flatter grassy area that we didn’t see any no parking signs. However, we parked in a little pull off before the sign. I don’t want to officially recommend it because even though we didn’t see no parking or private property signs, it also wasn’t labeled for parking for this trail either.
Hiking Fern Falls, Arkansas
The Fern Falls hike is very straightforward. Even though the trail is fairly overgrown, the fern-covered path is easy to follow. Be prepared to step over logs, limbo under branches and even brush past overgrown bushes and trees. There is a stream crossing that eventually leads over the cliff into the waterfall. Near the top of the falls, the trail sort-of v’s. Follow to the right to get the beautiful overlook of the waterfall. There is a small loop with a couple slightly different vantage points of this stunning waterfall.
How to Extend the Hike to Fern Falls, Arkansas
Where I mentioned above that the Fern Falls trail v’s there’s another trail that crosses the creek and then goes down the bluff to the base of the waterfall. We did attempt to do this, but after Matt slipped on a rock trying to get across it and we decided to turn back after having already done a lot of limboing. But, the next time we do this hike – without kiddos – we’ll definitely be doing this extension.
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