Rattlesnake Falls, Ozarks north of Fern, Arkansas

2/20/2019 - Rattlesnake Falls

GPS Coordinates:  (Latitude,  Longitude,  Elevation)
  Park - Rattlesnake Falls #1:  35.693979,-94.029380,  1134 ft.
  Park - Rattlesnake Falls #2 (today):  35.695468,-94.030871,  1158 ft.
  Park - Rattlesnake Falls #3:  35.700089,-94.030424,  1218 ft.
  Rattlesnake Falls:  35.693534,-94.028837,  1178 ft. 

Pet-Friendly:  Dogs will be fine either on or off a leash.

Hiking Statistics:  Today's hike was less than a mile round trip from where I parked (parking location #2).  Even if you park at the road and hike the road then down to the waterfall, it will be less than a mile each way, almost completely on the level.  From Hurricane Creek Road to Rattlesnake Falls, the minimum-to-maximum elevation difference is just 84 feet.  I would rate this as an easy hike.  Maybe super easy.

GPS files (.gpx format) - See maps at the bottom of this blog post
  Devil's Eyebrow SIA (Dockery Gap area) waypoints
  Rattlesnake Falls track
  Road track - I-40 exit 24 to parking locations  

Links to blog posts for other nearby areas:
  Devil's Eyebrow SIA (Dockery Gap Waterfalls)
  Sixty Foot Falls

  Devil's Den Loop Trail

  Jack White Falls and Phipps Branch Falls

  White Rock Creek Waterfalls and Bluffs

Rattlesnake Falls (29 feet)

I had just finished my day of hiking at the Devil's Eyebrow Special Interest Area (SIA), aka the Dockery Gap area.  If you have done this hike, you know I was already a little tired.  It was also sunset, and I was losing daylight.  But all that being said, when you hike to Dockery Gap Falls, Rattlesnake Falls is just too close to not go visit it as well.  It's a really nice waterfall and a very easy hike.  I wrapped up all the tracks and other technical loose ends on my electronic aids, got packed up in the FJ Cruiser, and set off down the road.  From where I parked for the Dockery Gap hike, the turnoff for Rattlesnake Falls was only another 1.6 miles further down Hurricane Creek Road.

Bear left off Hwy 215 onto Locke Road

If you are not already that close, getting to the parking location is still not that difficult, but will depend on 

Turn right off Locke Road onto Old Locke Road

 the direction you are coming from.  I'll give my directions from exit 24 on I-40, and I'll post a map below with this road route.  

Turn right off Old Locke Road
onto Hurricane Creek Road

• Leave I-40 at exit 24 (Mulberry) and go north on Highway 215 for 9.3 miles, to the small community of Fern.  
• In Fern, bear left (actually go straight) onto Locke Road (aka CR-74).
• Go 4.3 miles on Locke Road, and turn right (north) on Old Locke Road (aka FR-1007).  It goes to a dirt road, but a pretty good dirt road, then back to a paved road.  It also changes its name in there somewhere to 'Old Fern Road', so if you see a sign like that, don't be alarmed.
• Go 5.4 miles on Old Locke Road and turn right (south) on Hurricane Creek Road (still FR-1007).
• Go 2.5 miles on Hurricane Creek Road, crossing Hurricane Creek, and park where an old Jeep road intersects on the right.  This is parking location #3.  Park here if you don't have a good 4WD vehicle.

Rattlesnake Falls
inside-out view

From parking location #3, you can go down the Jeep road 0.7 miles if you have a good 4WD vehicle with high clearance.  This road has deteriorated over the years and is continually getting worse.  It's only 0.7 miles of easy hiking so you might consider just leaving your vehicle here even if it does have 4WD.  Today, I drove down the road for a half mile and found a fallen tree across the road.  It looked as though it had been there a while.  I parked here (parking location #2 coordinates above). and hiked the rest of the way.  When you get a total of 0.7 miles down the road, you will see a small clearing used as a campsite on the right.  This is parking location #1.  

Rattlesnake Falls

From the campsite, you are actually adjacent to Rattlesnake Falls and you can probably hear it if the creek is running well.  You can walk straight over to the creek and get to the top of the waterfall, but instead, just look to the downstream corner of the campsite.  There is a trail there heading into the woods downstream and toward the creek.  This trail will take you to a bluffline break and then wrap around the break toward the waterfall.  The base of Rattlesnake Falls is right ahead.  It's a pretty waterfall 29 feet tall, and with a name that might keep some folks away.  I haven't seen any rattlesnakes here, but it is Arkansas, so you never know.  I'm sure there is a story behind the name, but I'm not sure if it's because of rattlesnake sightings, or because when you look at it from the left side, the water stream looks like a snake's fangs.  This is a great little waterfall, easily accessible from Hurricane Road, and is also just off the Ozark Highlands Trail.  This is highly recommended for everyone.  

Rattlesnake Falls GPS tracks
Blue - old 4WD road
Red - Hiking track to Rattlesnake Falls

Road track from I-40 exit 24 to Rattlesnake Falls parking location #3