For my first hike of the year I continued on my quest to hike all the major waterfalls in the Upper Buffalo River area. I decided to start the year off with the Sweden Creek Falls hike since it had been on my list for a while. And the conditions were perfect for a waterfall hike that day. The Kingston area had gotten some rain for several days before, and even some snow. On the day of my hike, the sun was out in full to warm things up to the mid-40’s. This meant there should be plenty of water in the falls from the snow-melt and previous rain. Full sun and water in the falls? I couldn’t ask for better conditions, especially for this hike.
Driving up Hwy 21 from Clarksville to Boxley, I was pleased to see there was still a light dusting of snow on the ground. I haven’t seen snow in a while and I thought it would make the hike that much more interesting. I also hoped that it meant there would be icicles hanging around the falls. Unfortunately that was not the case, but that might have been a good thing. Had there been icicles then the dirt road to the falls may have been icy enough to be a problem. But since everything was melting, the road was fine and I got to do the hike. And when the conditions are perfect like this, Sweden Creek Falls is quite a sight to see.
Directions
Sweden Creek Falls is located off Hwy 21 between Boxley Valley and Kingston. From Hwy 21, turn south on CR-9 and continue for approximately 3 miles. You’ll find a large gravel parking area on the right enclosed in a cable fence with black posts. That’s it. The trail head is in the left corner (looking at it from the road) of the parking lot. See map and images below.
What to Expect
The Hike
The Sweden Creek Falls hike is an out-and-back trail that’s 1.5 miles round-trip. It is very well marked and easy to follow. The first half of the trail is very smooth and easy to walk as it heads downhill towards the bluffs and falls. As it passes through a cedar thicket, you’ll see an old house and outbuilding right off the trail. From that point you can hear the cascading waterfalls that you’ll see as you approach the base of the bluffs. Along the bluffs the trail gets a little more difficult because it’s all rock the rest of the way. It’s still pretty easy – just watch your step.
The trail winds around and underneath several really large bluffs and grottos on it’s way to the falls. Grottos and cool rock formations are some of my favorite parts of hiking. So this hike is a real treat. The AllTrails app rates this hike as easy. I usually find hikes to be a little easier than what they are rated on AllTrails. But for this hike, I would say it’s between easy and moderate. I thought the hike was mostly easy, but I can see where some people may think it’s harder. Since the trail is all downhill on the way to the falls, it’s all uphill coming back. It’s not steep, but it will get your heart pumping. And traversing the rocky trail around the bluffs could be a problem for some people. I tried to capture all this in my video below.
The Waterfalls
There are actually multiple waterfalls found on this hike. As I mentioned before, you’ll find a series of cascading waterfalls when you first reach the bluffs. There are some short side trails coming off the main trail that wander around these cascades. It’s worth a few minutes to explore these and see this set of falls from different angles. It’s a short hike from here to the big waterfall, so take your time here and enjoy it.
After a short hike along the base of the towering bluffs, you’ll round a bend to a spectacular view of Sweden Creek Falls. At 81 feet high, this waterfall is really impressive. And the grotto it falls through gigantic! The rocky trail continues along the base of the grotto, behind the waterfall, and on to the other side. There is plenty of room to walk behind the waterfall without getting wet, and explore the other side of the grotto. The view of the falls from the other side was my favorite – it’s amazing. We have a lot of impressive waterfalls in Arkansas, but this one really wowed me.
Plan Your Trip
Plan ahead for the Sweden Creek Falls hike by monitoring the rainfall in the Kingston area. You really want to do this hike after a good rain. The thing about that is, it’s going to be wet. Maybe it was the rain, or maybe it was the snow-melt. But when I went, the trail was pretty mushy in parts, and the rocks were a little slick. So I recommend waterproof hiking boots or trail shoes. I also recommend trekking poles or a hiking stick for balance. There is another fork of the trail that runs along the top of the falls. I didn’t cover it here because I wanted to go explore some other areas. Now I wish I had done it. So give yourself a few hours to explore the top and bottom of the falls, as well as the cascades.
Since this is a shorter hike, you might want to plan one or two others if you want a full day of hiking. There are plenty in the area to choose from. Several good options to pair with this one I can recommend would be Lost Valley, Balanced Rock Falls, or Hideout Hollow, among others. There are several campgrounds and lots of cabins for rent in the area if you want to make a weekend of hiking the Ozarks.
The trail is so well-marked and easy to follow that a map is not needed. Also, dogs ARE allowed on this trail since it is not on Buffalo NPS property. Unlike Boxley Valley, there is a decent cell signal close to Hwy 21 here if you need it. The dirt road to get there is rough. Although a 4WD is not needed, a low-clearance vehicle is not ideal here. There are no restroom facilities here, so plan ahead. Bring any food or water you’ll need and be ready to pack out any trash you may have. As always, leave no trace by taking only pictures and leaving only your footprints. Enjoy the hike!
