Ozark National Forest: Glory Hole Trail (Blog Hike #843)

Trail: Glory Hole Trail 

Hike Location: Ozark National Forest
Geographic Location: west of Deer, AR (35.82841, -93.39072)
Length: 1.9 miles
Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: May 2021
Overview: An out-and-back, easy at first but steep and rocky at the end, to unique Glory Hole Falls.
Area Information: https://arkokhiker.org/northwest-arkansas/glory-hole-falls-trail-ozark-forest/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=872195
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: The trailhead for the Glory Hole Trail is located on the south side of SR 16/21 6.2 miles east of Fallsville.  The trailhead is marked by only 1 small sign that is hard to see from the road, but a large gravel turnout on the south side of the road provides parking for a few dozen cars.

The hike: When most people think of the Ozarks, they think of a rural region of ancient and eroded mountains that form Arkansas' version of the Appalachian Mountains.  Yet the Ozarks actually consist of two separate mountain ranges, the Boston Mountains of north-central Arkansas and the St. Francois Mountains of southeast Missouri, connected by a couple of plateaus.  The two mountain ranges have different geologic origins: the St. Francois Mountains have an igneous (volcanic) core, while the Boston Mountains consist primarily of sedimentary rocks.  Neither mountain range is geologically related to the Appalachian Mountains or the nearby Ouachita Mountains of western Arkansas.  

            The name Ozarks comes from the French phrase aux arcs, which is short for aux Arcansas, an early French name for this region.  The region is famous for numerous scenic sites, including huge springs, expansive views, unique waterfalls, and towering natural bridges.  I spent a week in mid-to-late May 2021 sampling the hiking opportunities the Ozarks have to offer, and at the end I wished I had a second week to spend here.

            Sprawling for 1.2 million acres across much of northern Arkansas, Ozark National Forest protects a large area along and north of the Boston Mountains.  The forest was created in 1908 by declaration of President Theodore Roosevelt to preserve some of the Ozarks' most scenic areas.  Numerous other state parks and national parks have been established in the region over the past 100 years, but some of the most famous and scenic sites in the region remain part of the national forest.

            My first two hikes in the Ozarks came in Ozark National Forest, and this hike leads to perhaps the region's most unique natural feature: the Glory Hole.  While most 20-foot waterfalls form only minor points of interest, this 20-foot waterfall sends water pouring through a 2-foot diameter hole in a thick layer of bedrock.  Even better, the Glory Hole can be accessed by a short 1 mile one-way hike that uses mostly old logging roads.  Such is the hike described here.

Roadside trailhead: Glory Hole Trail

            The trail starts at the roadside parking area, and it is marked only by a small sign at the parking area that says "Glory Hole Trail."  The two-track dirt trail heads out a finger ridge as it follows an old logging road.  Some side trails take you around large puddles of water that dot the old road.  The ridgetop forest is dominated by oak and hickory trees, and although some poison ivy lives in the understory, the trail is plenty wide to allow you to avoid it.  Wildflowers including purple violets and white violets put on a glorious display when I hiked here on a warm morning in mid-May.

Hiking the old logging road

Wildflower display

            At 0.3 miles, the old logging road you are following forks.  Although no signs indicate such, you need to follow the better-worn track that goes right and begins heading down the west side of the finger ridge.  One small patch of pines near this intersection seems out of place among the rest of the broadleaf forest.  The trail descends on a gradual to moderate grade as it crosses a few small streams via rock hop.  If there is not enough water in these streams to require a rock hop, your journey will end in disappointment: the Glory Hole will not be flowing either.

Steep, rocky final descent

            0.8 miles into the hike, the trail curves left as it leaves the old logging road.  The grade steepens and the going gets rockier just before you reach the top of Glory Hole Falls.  From this angle, water in the creek seems to disappear into a hole in the ground.  To get to the base of the falls, angle right and work your way down beside an adjacent side stream, which features its own nice waterfall.  The trail here is poorly defined, and you have to work your way down to the base of Glory Hole Falls using whatever route looks most feasible.

Rock shelter that contains the Glory Hole

Glory Hole

            What a special spot the base of Glory Hole Falls is!  The layer of bedrock the Glory Hole falls through forms a large rock shelter, so only the column of water and a few rays of sunlight can be seen here.  Some other impressive cliffs and rock shelters line the walls of this cove.  The trail ends at the Glory Hole, so after admiring the site you have to retrace your steps to the roadside parking area to complete the hike.