Lichen Falls

The Ozarks were still covered in a thick fog when we drove off to our next waterfall.





We went to Lichen Falls, which sits right alongside the Ozark Highlands Trail. There is some good news/bad news regarding this one. The good news is that it is ridiculously easy to reach the top of the falls. It's a short and level walk along the OHT, which runs through a delightful stretch of moss-covered woods. The bad news is that it is nearly impossible to safely reach the bottom of the falls if you want to get a better view or photo. It is a scramble down a steep and muddy hillside that is covered with poison ivy, sharp rocks and pointy exposed roots. We carefully tried to make our way down there, but I lost my footing and fell and then started sliding down the muddy hill. I slid right past an exposed root that stood out of the ground, narrowly missing my leg. If I had been sliding a few inches over it would have run right up between my legs. The collision with that root would most-assuredly not have been all that fun and pleasant.

The waterfall here is 28 feet tall, and tumbles over two ledges. It was hard to get both ledges together in a photo. The leaves on the trees blocked most of the view of the falls. And to get the best view would have meant trying to stand on the slick hillside, while water from the bluff was pouring over you. But we both made it down to the bottom of the falls safely and relatively unscathed and tried to take a few pictures.





And then we carefully ascended the steep hillside, and somehow made it to the top in one piece. On the way back to the car I stopped to get this shot of the Ozark Highlands Trail, and right after this was taken a heavy thunderstorm passed overhead and started dumping rain. Which was a good sign that we probably needed to go find someplace warm and dry and get some lunch soon...