Glory Hole Falls: trail and access
Glory Hole Falls gets its name from the way Dismal Creek drops straight through a round hole worn in an overhanging rock ledge, rather than pouring over a straight edge like most waterfalls. Reaching it means a roughly 2-mile round-trip hike northeast of Fallsville with no official trailhead or parking area, just an informal pulloff along Highway 16/21. It's one of the stops in our waterfalls in Arkansas guide, in the same cluster of Ozark National Forest falls as Haw Creek and Natural Dam; the multi-state waterfalls locator covers the rest.
No sourced coordinates are on file for this spot yet — see methodology.
Fact box
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | Falls near 35.822°N, 93.394°W, Newton County; the roadside pulloff is reported at about 35.828°N, 93.391°W. Both are trail-guide GPS readings, since no land-manager page gives coordinates for this site |
| Height | 31 ft, per the state's Arkansas.com listing and multiple trail guides; no Forest Service page confirms the figure |
| Trailhead | Informal pulloff on Highway 16/21, about 6 miles north of Fallsville (trail guides give 5.7 to 6.3 miles); no sign, no official parking |
| Trail length | About 2 miles round trip |
| Elevation change | Roughly 300 to 400 ft, depending on the source; the hike in is a steady downhill, so the climb back out is the harder half |
| Flow | Rain-dependent; best after rain or during spring and late fall |
| Legal status | Public land, Ozark National Forest (Big Piney Ranger District); no fee, no permit |
| Season | Open year-round |
Trail and access
There's no developed trailhead for Glory Hole Falls, which is part of what keeps it feeling remote despite the short hike. Head north out of Fallsville on Highway 16/21: the parking spot is an unmarked pulloff on the roadside about 6 miles from town, with room for only a few cars and no sign visible from the highway. From there, the roughly 2-mile round trip runs almost entirely downhill on the way in, along a well-worn footpath and old roadbed, so the return climb is where most of the effort lands.
No fee applies and no permit is required: this is general national forest land, not a developed fee site. Trail guides place the falls inside the Dismal Creek Special Interest Area, set aside for its plant life, so stay on the worn path instead of cutting new ones. Because the trailhead isn't official, GPS coordinates from a mapping app or trail guide are more reliable here than a street address or a mile marker.
The falls
From the top, the creek simply disappears into a round opening in the ledge. From below, the water comes out of the roof of a partly enclosed overhang, a 31-foot drop by the state tourism listing's figure, and this is the view most people hike for. Like most of the smaller falls in this part of the Ozarks, it depends heavily on recent rain: after a dry stretch it can slow to a trickle, while a good rain event turns it into a genuine waterfall worth the hike. Spring and late fall tend to be the more reliable seasons for flow.
Don't confuse it with Little Glory Hole, a smaller falls of the same rock-hole type in the Leatherwood Wilderness of the Sylamore Ranger District, on the far eastern side of the same national forest. It's a separate trip, not a side stop from this trail.
How this guide was researched
This page was compiled from the Arkansas.com listing run by the state's Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, plus published trail reports and outdoor guides describing Forest Service land near Fallsville, Arkansas; no dedicated Forest Service page for this specific site was found during research. We haven't visited this site ourselves. Trail access and flow conditions change; verify current conditions with the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests before you go. Last checked September 2026.
FAQ
Is there an official trailhead for Glory Hole Falls?
No. Parking is an informal pulloff on Highway 16/21 with no sign or paved lot. GPS coordinates are more reliable than a physical address.
How long is the hike to Glory Hole Falls?
About 2 miles round trip, with roughly 300 to 400 feet of elevation change. The hike in is downhill, so the return climb is harder than it looks on paper.
Is there a fee to visit Glory Hole Falls?
No. It sits on Ozark National Forest land with no fee and no permit required.
When does Glory Hole Falls run best?
After a good rain, and generally in spring and late fall. It can slow to a trickle during dry summer stretches.
Can you get below Glory Hole Falls?
Yes. The trail reaches the top of the ledge first, where the hole is; a short side path drops to the base under the overhang, which is where the view of water coming through the rock is best.
We haven't visited these places ourselves, and every page says so rather than implying otherwise. Details are compiled from public land-manager, USGS and NOAA sources and cross-checked where possible; conditions, access rules and fees change without notice, so confirm with the managing agency before you go. Page last checked September 2026. Read our full methodology.