Hike Fern Gully Ozark National Forest, AR

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Fern Gully is proobably more commonly known for rock climbing than hiking, but it's a nice walk along some pretty sandstone cliff faces, with pretty creek sounds. When I went, as a short detour from driving across the country to take a hiking break, there were literal waterfalls coming over the cliffs from recent rain, so there were no climbers at Fern Gully. From the trailhead, hike along a forest road and turn right at a junction, passing a "Road Closed" sign. You could also drive a little more to the official Fern Gully parking area, but there were massive puddles of unknown depth when I visited, so I opted to walk. Anyway, leave this road and drop into Fern Gully on the left, following a social trail on the eastern bank along the cliffs. There's crevasse along the way that leads up from the gully and to the rim, or you can keep going and see more cliff faces, and bushwhack up to a trail along the rim.

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Road closed sign, heading north and paralleling Fern gully.

Within the northern end of Fern gully on the eastern bank, where most of the cliffs are.

Waterfalls after recent rain.

A curve in the stream that goes around a scenic rock.

Small waterfall.

A crevasse that leads up to the rim, if you want to leave Fern Gully.

Some small crevasses in the cliff face.

I headed back east up a hill, bushwhacking to the rim once the cliffs seemed to end.

Above Fern Gully, looking down from the tops of the cliffs. This was the highest section of the day.

Close-up of the stream.

Passing back over the top of the crevasse that leads down into Fern Gully from the rim.

Trail along the rim leading back to the trailhead.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!