Welcome to Part 3 of the Big Piney Forest Waterfall Day Hike Series – Falling Water Falls. This one is the last stop of a day trip spent hiking in the Big Piney Forest near Pelsor. In you missed the first 2 installments, Part 1 was the first leg of our day trip, Haw Creek Falls. And Part 2 was a hike to Kings Bluff Falls. So be sure to check out those stories for more info, maps, and pics.
Our final stop of the day was my first visit ever to Falling Water Falls. This is a popular and highly-photographed waterfall and swimming area that you’ve probably seen on Instagram, Facebook, and other places. It’s so photogenic that it even made it onto the header image for some of the pages on this site. If you are ever hiking in this area in the summer, this is the best place to end your day because the natural swimming hole is a great place to cool off after a sweaty summer hike.
Directions
To find this gem, head north on Hwy 7 past Dover – or south from Harrison on Hwy 7 – to the Sand Gap/Pelsor area. At the intersection at the Pelsor Post Office, go east on Hwy 16 towards Ben Hur. Keep going on Hwy 16 past the parking area for Pedastal Rocks/Kings Bluff and proceed through the Ben Hur community. Approximately 1.15 miles past the sharp right turn in Ben Hur will be Forestry Rd 1205 on the left. Turn left there and at approximately 1 mile, keep to the left as it merges with Falling Water Rd. Approximately 1.25 miles past the merge will be the parking area for Falling Water Falls on the right. See Google map below.
What to Expect
Upon arriving, we were surprised to find that there is no hike to the falls. They were right there next to the parking area. Disappointing if you’re looking for a hike, but great if you’ve been hiking all day and ready to cool off. We also discovered that this place is no secret. There were quite a few people hanging out at the falls that day. Some on towels and chairs at the top of the falls, some in hammocks to the side, and several playing in the creek above the falls or in the pool below. I was kicking myself for not bringing a change of clothes and some water shoes. I pulled off my shoes and socks and waded around the flowing water at the top of the falls. COLD!!!!! But that didn’t stop anyone from jumping in, climbing back up, and doing it again. I knew right then I had to come back here one day better prepared.
Plan Your Visit
If you ever visit, bring a towel, change of clothes, and water shoes of some kind… at a minimum. I would also recommend bringing a chair or hammock and lunch, and just hang out a while. It’s about an 8-12 foot drop from the top of the falls to the pool for those that want to jump in, with tree ladders off to the side for climbing back up. For the less adventurous, there are rocky trails that go down to the side of the pool. Keep in mind, this is kind of in the middle of nowhere. There are no bathrooms, so plan accordingly. Also, there is no place to change clothes aside from creative use of car doors and beach towels.
And there you have it. That’s my review of Falling Water Falls. I highly recommend planning a day hike in this area. There are so many different trails and things to see, that you can really do a lot of different combinations of hikes, which I have done and will do more stories on. But whatever you go with, I recommend ending the day at the Falls. Thanks for reading! Here are just a few pics from our final stop.
