I made it to Schoolhouse Falls and Lizard Log Falls for the first time last week. There are about 7 waterfalls in the area, but you'd have to do some serious hiking to hit them all in a day. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't hold up that long and, on this day, I was limited in time anyways. First off, here is a video I put together that shows how to get to the spot. For me, I had to take Hwy 95 north of Morrilton (north of I40). Schoolhouse Falls Here is my GPS track of the hike. This one is pretty easy if you have the coordinates (35.53019, -92.79877). FYI, you can just bushwhack directly to the spot...

The Cossatot River is a beauty for sure. Color this Fall has been lacking due to a long drought in the summer so I decided to check this area out and cross my fingers! Like much of the state, color was spotty, but some places were beautiful! The area I visited is called Cossatot Falls, although it's more of a series of cascades with some unique rock formations. In fact, this is a popular kayak location as this is a level 5 series of rapids, which is the most difficult on the scale! The word "cossatot" actually is translated as "skull crusher" and with good reason. When I arrived at sunrise,...

What do you do after an arctic blast moves through and it's only 9 degrees outside? That's right, you hike to a waterfall! Ok, maybe I'm a little crazy, but when the elements get extreme it provides for some interesting sights and photographic opportunities. I'll admit though that when I stepped outside I had second, and possibly third and fourth thoughts about it! I'm fortunate to live just 30 minutes away from Lake Catherine State Park where you can hike to Falls Creek Falls. I visited this spot after a nice freeze last year and the icicles were awesome! Some of them were 6' long! It was even...

It had been way too long since I was able to get out for walk amongst nature with my camera in hand. Three months maybe? This is my stress reliever, my way of getting away to .... breath. I wanted a place that was new, interesting, and photographic. Pedestal Rocks fit the bill. This was a place that intrigued me and the weather didn't matter much for photography. The skies were far too clear for decent light and even though we just had 1 to 2 inches of rain, it had been too dry for too long for any waterfalls to be decent. I wasn't able to get there early enough for the "golden light," but I think...

The Kings Bluff and Pedestal Rocks trail heads are located in the same spot. Check out my Pedestal Rocks blog post for info on that hike as well. This hike is short and easy, but be careful! You're HIGH up along a bluff line, so I'd suggest leaving the kids at home for this one. The hike is only 1.9 miles with some moderate elevation changes. If you go at the right time, there is one of the tallest waterfalls in Arkansas at the mid-point. Click here to view or download my Gaia GPS data for this hike. After a short hike downhill through the forest, you come out along a bluff line. I was happy...

Last year I went to Mt. Magazine to do some waterfall hunting. I stopped by Hardy Falls first. I'm glad I took photos then because when I went back this year, the best view was totally blocked by downed trees! I also visited a little-known place called Wildman Twin Falls. This was the one I was most excited about because it features two 43 foot waterfalls side-by-side! It was named by waterfall explorer extraordinaire, Tim Ernst. He named the falls after a friend of his who passed away in 2011, Carl "Wildman" Ownbey. According to Tim, "he could out-hike anyone, even on into his late 70s. He backpacked...

I took a quick trip to North Arkansas to visit two waterfalls I had not been to before: Haw Creek Falls and Pack Rat Falls. Haw Creek is extremely easy to find and very picturesque; however, the sun was stark that day which makes good waterfall photography all but impossible. I'll have to revisit when I can get better shots. My favorites came from Pack Rat Falls and the hike along the way. That area is gorgeous!

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!

One reason I love landscape photography is that it forces me to get outdoors more often. There is something special about getting away from a computer, phone, and the hectic pace of normal life. You can breathe... Oh, and even when it's COLD! On my drive to Hickory Nut Mountain, my thermometer hit a low of 5 degrees! Brrrrrrr! When I arrived at the Lake Ouachita vista overlook, it was a balmy 7. So, why would I venture out in such cold weather? I heard there was a spring-fed creek with some cascades and a small waterfall. I wanted to catch some ice and icicles if possible. 

Frigid temperatures aren't always fun to hike in, but they can reward you with some rare and beautiful scenery! I decided to trek out to Lake Catherine State Park this morning to see if there were any icicles at the waterfall. I was greeted by a beautiful but brief splash of color as I began my hike. The color literally only lasted for about 10 minutes and then a thick overcast sky set in for the rest of the day.