Short Grotto Falls

Zack and I headed back up into the Ozarks last weekend for a visit to a few more waterfalls. We had hoped that the recent rain and snows would have gotten the creeks up and running, and we headed out on a day that promised to be cloudy and cold.



We were heading to Short Grotto Falls, a small waterfall in the Ozark National Forest near Clarksville. After driving several miles down some bumpy dirt roads (which were all covered in ice that day), you begin the hike to the falls. The hike is short, but steep as you head straight down a hill to the creek. The fun bonus that day was the steep hill was coated with a nice layer of ice and snow.

After sliding down the hill, we made it to Short Grotto Falls. The falls are small, only five feet, but they drop into an amazing little grotto. The sides of the grotto were covered with thick icicles.



And the view from under the bluff, where there was just enough room to set up the tripod.



The creek that Short Grotto Falls is on also contains several other waterfalls, which were all a short hike away. After a few minutes of walking through the snow, we reached another falls. This is Amy Falls, which are about 37 feet tall.



Would have maybe liked to have a bit more water in the falls, but oh well.



And a small drop on the creek by Amy Falls. This is a very scenic little creek, and it will be worth a return visit in the Spring.



We headed to this waterfall, called Upper Engagement Hollow Falls. They're about 35 feet and along the same creek.



We then decided to slowly make our way back up to the car. Which was much easier said than done. There isn't an easy way to get back up the hill, the only option is a grueling bushwhack up the hillside. Which was, of course, covered in ice and snow. It was slow going, and I had just barely almost reached the top of the hill when I lost my footing on the ice. My feet shot out from under me and I began sliding down the hill. I went a few feet before hitting a small tree, which stopped my skid. My tripod, covered in snow and dirt, sled down the hill a few more feet before getting hung up as well. Which I was thrilled about, since I didn't want to hike back down the hill to retrieve it if it had gone all the way to the bottom.

We finally managed to get back to the car, and then drove around to do some exploring. While driving along a country road, we found another waterfall. It was a great one to visit, since it required absolutely no hiking at all. The waterfall is right on the side of the road. It's 18 feet, and was named 4290 Falls by Zack after the trip. It's always nice to visit one that doesn't require a hike, or at least, a trudge up a steep snowy hill.



Further down the road we stopped at this creek for a few pictures. The small creek ran past this small bluff, which was adorned with a few icicles. We spent some time here taking pictures and then drove back home towards Little Rock.



All of these waterfalls were found using Waterfalls.IO a great resource for waterfall hunting and exploring!