Eden Falls is a 53-foot tiered waterfall on Clark Creek in Lost Valley, a box canyon of Buffalo National River in Newton County, Arkansas. It sits at the head of the Lost Valley Trail, and the falls are the high point of the hike.
The falls
The falls consists of three drops in quick succession in a narrow, twisting ravine, with a total drop of 53 feet supported by lidar data. Higher up the bluff, Eden Falls Cave holds a separate 25-foot waterfall.
Getting there
Lost Valley is on Highway 43 near the Boxley Valley Historic District, about 28 miles south of Harrison and just south of Ponca. A signed turn leads to a dirt road that ends at the trailhead, which has a pavilion and flush toilets. Eden Falls is 1.2 miles from the trailhead; the out-and-back hike is 2.4 miles, takes about two hours, and is rated easy to moderate. There is no entrance fee for Buffalo National River or Lost Valley. The area is day use only, with no camping.
When to go
The trail is open year-round. Drinking water at the trailhead is available March through October.
On site
The first half mile is wide, smooth and level apart from a creek crossing at the start. Farther on, the trail passes the Natural Bridge, where an 8-foot waterfall pours from an opening in the bluff into an emerald-blue pool, then climbs stone steps past Cob Cave, a 200-foot bluff shelter, to the foot of Eden Falls. From there hikers can loop back or take a rugged, steep spur to the top of the falls and the mouth of the cave; seeing the waterfall inside takes a flashlight and some scrambling. Eden Falls Cave and the Natural Bridge are exempt from the park's white-nose syndrome cave closures. Pets are not allowed, except service animals.
Slippery rocks and cliffs cause falls on this trail every year. In September 2021 a 16-year-old died after leaving the trail near the cave entrance and falling about 20 feet; stay on the marked path.
History and name
The Lost Valley Trail reopened with a guided hike on April 20, 2019.
Nearby
Armadillo Falls, on a tributary of Clark Creek, is about 0.4 miles away. Sweden Creek Falls is about 5.1 miles, Hedges Pouroff about 5.3 miles and Hammerschmidt Falls about 5.6 miles.
Distances are straight-line.