GPX files are also known as GPS Exchange files. This is typical of this area of the Ozarks, so plan accordingly. I did note that I received messages on my phone in several spots, so there is spotty cell reception, but once down into Bear Creek Canyon, there was no service. Be sure and have a compass or GPS, preferably both, in case your electronics fail for whatever reason. Go after a rain or during the rainy season to get the best views. This should definitely be on the list of every waterfall lover. Plan to take several rest stops along the hike out to the parking area. It is a shorter distance, but there are very few level stretches on this one. In my opinion, this hike out was tougher than when we hiked Hemmed In Hollow Falls. It is about a mile out from here and the trail is very steep. We didn’t have time to explore more on this trip because we knew we still had a rough hike uphill ahead of us. Sidewinder Falls- Swamp Falls top center. Use Your Mouse Or Move Your Phone To Look Around. In warmer weather, I can see how the briers and other sticking weeds might make this a lot more of an adventure. From here you can also see Sidewinder Falls just a short distance upstream. The trail will lead you down to the top of Swamp Falls. This is not a well-worn trail, but it wasn’t a complete bushwhack either during this time of the winter. Just look up ahead, and you should see the markers to guide you.Īfter marking the parking location in my GPS, we started our hike down the trail into Bear Creek Canyon. The trail isn’t subject to a lot of traffic, so it may be hard to spot in places. You should be able to pick out the marking tape along the volunteer trail that has been marked. You will want to make sure you are on the right side of this drainage as you descend. This leads to the aptly named Swamp Falls down in Bear Creek Canyon. You will see a highland swamp behind the clearing, with a drainage running downhill. Walk a short distance along the old logging road until you enter a clearing. This is where you want to begin your hike if you don’t have a 4WD vehicle. There is a small sign there like the one on the highway that designates this road as 93179A. About 2.2 miles from the highway there will be a small parking area on the left and a few yards further down the road there is a rutted road that leads into the forest on the right. If there hasn’t been a lot of rain, I would say even passenger cars could easily navigate this road. I had no problem with my 2-wheel drive SUV. This road is a lot better than most of the roads to reach hiking trails in the Ozarks. There isn’t a traditional road sign on the highway, so you want to be looking for a small signpost close to the trees with 1802 on it. Approximately 4.4 miles west, you will see a forest road to the left. Once you reach Sand Gap (still listed on some maps as Pelsor) turn right onto State Highway 123 to the west. From Harrison, the drive down took a little over an hour and a half. We set out at around 7 am on a cold morning in early February 2021 to drive down to the trailhead.
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