I love the scenery where I live in Hot Springs, Arkansas; but I have to admit, I’m mesmerized by North and North West Arkansas. There are some amazing views up there and tons of waterfalls. One of the most popular places to visit if you’re a waterfall enthusiast is Falling Water Falls. It’s an easy waterfall to find as it is right along a dirt road so no hiking is necessary. The view you receive can vary greatly depending on the time you visit. I decided to head there when temperatures were in the teens and wow it was worth it!

Normally, you turn onto a dirt road to get to the falls. In this case, it was totally covered in snow… or at least I thought it was snow. It was actually mostly ice! Not fun to drive on! The shot below was actually taken after my visit to Falling Water Falls on the way to Six Fingers Falls.

When I drove up to the falls I was thrilled! I don’t know why cold water turns more turquoise, but it certainly makes for an amazing scene. The icicles were spectacular too! The pic below shows the scene from the road. FYI, these prints are purchasable (hint, hint). Click a pic for a larger view and print options.   😀

Here is a closer shot of the falls and icicles.

After seeing the view from up top I couldn’t wait to get down closer to those icicles. The problem? Ice covered the path down! Luckily I brought along my rope so I was able to slide semi-gracefully down.

A lower shot than the previous one. I admit, I cheated this one a little. It was so cold that I didn’t want to break out my 10 stop ND filter and the water didn’t get as glassy as I had hoped. So, I did a little Photoshop blurring. Normally I like to get it right in-camera, but hey… it was COLD!

Look closely at the icicles below and you’ll see they made ice plates on the surface of the water. Neat stuff!

While I was here I decided to get as many shots and angles as I could. I liked the ice in the water leading to the waterfalls and icicles. I had to take two shots to pull this one off. One was at f22 to get a long exposure of the waterfall. The second was at a lower f-stop and higher ISO to freeze the ice in place. It was bobbing slightly from the waterfall’s waves.

Next, I decided to create a scripture-art piece. How could I pass it up!? Look at the position of that tree with a heart-shaped scar and a cross carved in the center! What a perfect combo! What’s sad though is that most people who have seen this shot so far think that I Photoshopped that tree into the scene. Ask anyone that has been there, the tree exists!

A look from further down stream.

Getting behind the waterfall was no easy task! I don’t suggest climbing across ice-covered rocks and tree roots while carrying your camera and tripod. Glad I made it though because those icicles are amazing! Did I mention I like the ICICLES?

This was a pretty cascade downstream a little bit that caught my eye. I especially like the ice formations on the bottom right of the photo.

Here is a short compilation of video footage from Falling Water Falls:

And a bonus shot! We spotted this old barn in the woods on our way to the falls. I slid down the hillside and got into position for the shot before seeing the “No Trespassing” sign on the building. Oh well, I didn’t come this far to just turn around and leave. 🙂

I can’t help but wonder what life was like for those who lived inside. I’m assuming this was a house since there is a chimney. I’m drawn to the mystery of what once was.

If you haven’t been to Falling Water Falls, I encourage you to go. The place is beautiful, easy to reach (without ice), and there are several other waterfalls nearby. Drop me a comment below if you enjoyed this blog post!