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    Lost Valley Recreation Area

    5.0 (12 reviews)

    Lost Valley Recreation Area Photos

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    Ashley T.

    Wonderful Family hiking spot, My son was about 4 yrs old when we went and made it no problems, We did not try to take him up to the cave though. Beautiful scenery! NOTE: Lost Valley is now a day-use only area. No camping is available here anymore.

    spotted salamander
    michael s.

    My friend had raved to me about the caves and waterfalls in Lost Valley State park. He said the Buffalo River region was chalked full of outdoor adventures. So we drove there on a Friday afternoon through beautiful countryside, arriving a dusk at the campgrounds. A word of advice. Try to get there earlier in the day to be assured of getting a camping space. There are 15 sites in the park, one is marked 'handicapped'. My friend chose this space as there were no others AND the rules stated non-handicapped' campers could go ahead and use the space if it was unoccupied after six. Of course, the park ranger came and told us to move, just as we were getting the fire going. My friend explained the loophole but added he's gladly share our space with another camper if necessary. This pleased her and she left us alone. It would have been dramatically quiet if not for the bible school group next to us..a dozen pre-teens with exuberant,loud voices. It quieted after 10 p.m. and suddenly I heard nothing but the crackle of fire and night animals. We walked down the entry road with flashlights and came across a meadow full of fireflies, blinking and flashing like an elven city. But the most amazing experience was hiking the next morning (3.5mi.) to Eden Falls and all the caves which surround it. It's a pretty easy hike with some exertion necessary but it is so beautiful, so primeval in its solitude. Well worth getting up at the crack of dawn. Look for the Spirit Tree along the way to the falls..a tree struck by lightning and hollowed out but still growing. Lots of fossils in the creek beds and the Eden cave to explore. A well spent evening/morning before heading on to Eureka Springs and it only cost $7 for the entrance fee! So bring your tent, your wood and some good hiking boots and enjoy one of Arkansas' great parks!

    Crossing in high water after much rain
    Cassie M.

    Fabulous nature walk and hike. We were staying in the area after big rains that brought the Buffalo to flood stage and could not float so thank goodness there are so many trails like this one to visit. We saw numerous waterfalls on this hike. The trails are very taken care of and even the steep areas were nicely cut out with stone steps.

    Part of Eden Falls

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    Ask the Community - Lost Valley Recreation Area

    Review Highlights - Lost Valley Recreation Area

    It was amazing to have squeezed our way in a dark, unmarked cave to a glorious waterfall IN A CAVE!

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    Hemmed-In Hollow - Attempt at a pano. Place is so massive can't capture it in one pic

    Hemmed-In Hollow

    5.0(3 reviews)
    7.2 mi

    Pretty excellent hike. Off of 43 there's a sign that said Compton trail head with an arrow pointing…read moreright. Turn onto that dirt road and go down until it gives you the option to go straight or turn left or right. Turn right and go down that dirt road. You will see a sign for Compton trail head. Park in there and go out for your hike. Definitely worth it. It was a steep trail after about the first .5 miles. Going down was a bit tough on the knees, but the falls were worth it. Just drops really at this time of year, but impressive nonetheless. Definitely bring a snack and plenty of water. Spend time taking photos once you get down. Also, hike the unkept trail at the falls. It will bring you behind the falls and over to diamond falls, which is a hidden gem of a water falls.

    This is a beautiful hike but make sure you know what you're doing before you select this trail. The…read morefirst .5 mile is easy, after that it gets pretty steep with large rocky areas to get down. My fiance and I have done 5+ mile hikes but this was a bit too much for my short legs to handle and we turned back at about 1.9 miles in. The falls were so close but it was just more climbing down rocky areas that I didn't think I could handle climbing back up. Make sure to bring water and a snack. Also bring a walking stick or find a branch to remove spiders from your path.

    Photos
    Hemmed-In Hollow - Stacked rocks

    Stacked rocks

    Hemmed-In Hollow - The falls Coke down from there.

    The falls Coke down from there.

    Hemmed-In Hollow - More of the falls

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    More of the falls

    Buffalo National River - A view of the Buffalo River from a viewing platform.

    Buffalo National River

    4.6(13 reviews)
    21.5 mi

    Beautiful area with a lot of hiking trails. One or 2 are easy but the rest will be more difficult…read more We had my parents with us so we did the easy Homestead Trail and walked from the homestead to the viewing platform and back. Then we drove around a little and found parking areas at campsites close to the river so we could get other views. The ranger did tell us that we could get more places if we had 4WD. We stayed mostly in the middle and lower sections. I wish we'd gone at night for the night sky but wasn't aware of it at the time and needed to move on to our next destination. We will be back in the future to enjoy more of the river and the park.

    I finally made it to the Ozarks in AR! It had long been on my bucket list for years but now it's…read moregone from it. And today, I'm writing this review solely based on the drive down to Triple (aka Twin) Falls. If you are not into a long hike (2 miles+ one way), then this is definitely the one for you. To see the waterfall, you'll only need to take a very short hike from the trailhead (although driving down there is very winding and steep so there is even a road sign that says, "Cool your brakes" on the way.) Going back to the hike part, if you want to go up to the top of the waterfall however, you'll need to hike another 0.25 miles from the bottom but it's definitely doable even if you absolutely hate to hike/walk! The exact date of the hike was today (Wednesday, April 20, 2022). It had been raining on and off all day so the trail was muddy. But in my opinion, the rain made the whole experience so mystic, mysterious, and very green with abundance of water spouting out from the top of it. The water was, surprisingly, not so muddy. We took the time to explore the area for at least an 1.5 hours. Interestingly, not a single soul came and went during the whole duration of our visit; we had the whole area to ourselves. The area was so picturesque. It's definitely a great place for a meditation to empty your mind. You'll also have so many spots to take beautiful pictures from so many different angles. I HIGHLY recommend this place for waterfall chasers!!

    Photos
    Buffalo National River - Tyler Bend Visitor Center

    Tyler Bend Visitor Center

    Buffalo National River - Riverview Trail - Tyler Bend

    Riverview Trail - Tyler Bend

    Buffalo National River - Clear water but not cold like most rivers

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    Clear water but not cold like most rivers

    Dogwood Canyon Nature Park - Little church that you can rent out for weddings

    Dogwood Canyon Nature Park

    4.3(197 reviews)
    36.3 mi

    On a Monday morning in April we (I, mother and daughter) set out to cruise through the glorious…read morecanyon on wheels. Feeling a bit hesitant at first to do it on bike but it was the best feeling. It was a perfect 68, clear skies and lilac blooms along the way. The perfection was almost overwhelming. A tram is also available for a round trip adventure but the bike was just too fun to pass up. Along the way we saw all kinds of little critters, snakes, fish and birds. Stopped at the tree house, chapel and most of the waterfalls. On bike with all the stops about 2 hours, walking could easily be 3+. Bikes are $15 each and I highly recommend getting there early so you have your pick cause the good ones go fast. Some have baskets and you should get one of those and then fill it with a picnic lunch. Little under $20 per person for entry, with discounts for veterans, seniors and children. Large parking but the place is popular, so again if possible arrive early.

    I had to call in a few times. I had questions about what my tickets included, I had questions…read moreabout how to plan my weekend, every single person that I spoke to, went above and beyond to help me out. Then when we got there, the check in lady, recommended the Tram like we had been besties forever an we would really miss out of we didn't do it. 0 regrets. She was so right. Didn't love the restaurant, but literally everything else was amazing.

    Photos
    Dogwood Canyon Nature Park - Feeding golden trout

    Feeding golden trout

    Dogwood Canyon Nature Park
    Dogwood Canyon Nature Park

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    Petit Jean State Park - Site 114

    Petit Jean State Park

    4.6(80 reviews)
    66.3 mi

    We heard that this place was a "must see" so I had really high expectations; especially when…read morecompared to mount Nebo. My first impression was "where do you park?!" Lots of people come here, and the main parking lot is always packed near the visitor center and restaurant. Sure there's lots of parking near the hiking trails, but up front not so much. This place reminds me of Top of the Rock in Branson. There isn't much in the way of activates here. I wish I was told more about this place. It seems Petit Jean is more centered around hiking and mountain biking. Lots of trails for both, and then a restaurant on a bluff that hikers, motorcyclists, and tourists seem to flock to. If you don't really hike, or bicycle, and don't really care about eating at a restaurant that looks over a bluff then save yourself a trip. I mean if I was an avid hiker I might really like this place, but since I'm not there's other places around just as beautiful without the drive.

    A few friends ( 8 trailers with 16 people and 5 dogs) came to camp for a few days and although the…read moreweather wasn't as good as we had hoped for, rain for 1 1/2 days, temps dropped to the mid 40's during the day and 18+ mph winds, it was a great trip. We all, at different times, explored the surroundings, walked trails, and some enjoyed dinner and/or breakfast at nearby restaurants. Us Texans sure did enjoy Arkansas and its fall beauty.

    Photos
    Petit Jean State Park - My camp #114

    My camp #114

    Petit Jean State Park
    Petit Jean State Park - Petite Jean State Park Sign, Arkansas

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    Petite Jean State Park Sign, Arkansas

    Lost Valley Recreation Area - parks - Updated May 2026

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