Waterfalls near Texarkana.

While southwest Arkansas and east Texas aren’t exactly known for waterfalls, there are still plenty of beautiful ones within a short drive. There are at least 7 waterfalls near Texarkana, all within a three hour drive or less. Some of these falls are harder to get to and some will require some hiking. These make great day trips and outdoor adventure excursions. They’re all within 2 hours of Texarkana. Please be respectful of these natural spaces and pack out all trash. Keep reading for the best tips for visiting these amazing waterfalls. This post contains affiliate links.

Waterfalls near Texarkana: Little Missouri Falls.

The first waterfall near Texarkana is probably the most well known. Little Missouri Falls is a fairly remote waterfall in the Albert Pike Recreation Area of the Ouachita National Forest. It is a beautiful, series of small cascading waterfalls that’s a great place to play all year round. Little Missouri Falls is great to explore with kids. To get to these falls you’ll enter the Albert Pike Recreation Area from Langley, Arkansas. The exact location is here on Google maps. You will not have phone service once you leave the pavement, so be sure to have the directions set before you enter this area. I recommend a paper map or download an offline map on your phone. You do not need a four wheel drive car to get there. There is a parking lot, picnic area, and pit toilets.

Crooked Creek Falls.

Crooked Creek Falls is another beautiful and unique waterfall near Texarkana. It’s fairly close to Little Missouri Falls and can be visited on the same day. It’s not a marked waterfall and can be found with this pin drop on Google maps. This waterfall flows in a unique curve, which is how it got it’s name. It’s very steep to drive into the dispersed campsite at this spot, so be careful while maneuvering your car. There is no trail down to the falls so you’ll need to be mindful of small children. The dispersed campsites are first come, first serve. If you see someone camping there already, please be respectful, give them space and explore somewhere else. Mosquito Gap Falls are another nearby waterfall that’s visible from the road after a hard rain.

Blaylock Creek Falls.

This is one of the most dramatic waterfalls near Texarkana. However, this fall is only flowing after a very hard spring rain. There is a trickle year round, but it only roars after a hard rain. To access this waterfall you will drive to Albert Pike Recreation Area and continue along the forest road. The gravel roads are steep and narrow but do not require four wheel drive. You will continue past the parking lot for the Winding Staircase trailhead, entering the area for the falls on the left a little further down the road. The exact location is here. PLEASE NOTE: this is another dispersed camping spot in the forest and on a first come, first served basis. If someone is already set up to camp there, respect their space and move along. It’s still a stunningly beautiful area even when the falls are not flowing.

Waterfalls near Texarknana: Cosstatot River Falls.

This is one of our most favorite places to play! Cossatot River State Park is home to a beautiful series of waterfalls near Texarkana. The Cossatot River pours over a series of boulders within the state park, known as “the falls,” located here. The name Cossatot extends from a French root that means “crushed head” and the falls have a nickname of skullcrusher. When the water is high, this area can create class IV and V rapids. Most of the year they are class II and III, with lots of fun pools to play in and explore. There is a small campground at the parking area and pit toilets. You’ll need to hike less than 1/4 mile to see the falls area.

Katy Falls.

Katy Falls is the most extreme of the waterfalls near Texarkana. Not because of the size of the waterfall but because of the hike it requires to get there. Katy Falls is the halfway point of the Buckeye Mountain and Caney Creek Hiking Loop. The entire loop is around ten miles and can be done as a day hike. It makes a great beginning backpacking trip as well. A tip: if you’re doing the full loop, park at the Caney Creek trailhead and walk the road up to the Buckeye mountain trailhead. You’ll thank me later. This is a strenuous hike and you’ll need to be prepared with the ten essentials. My kids and I have also done it as an out and back day hike from the Buckeye Mountain trailhead.

Lake Catherine State Park Falls.

Lake Catherine state park is a wonderful state park that’s a two hour drive and has another great waterfall near Texarkana. This waterfall can also be seasonal and is rain dependent. But, when it’s flowing hard it’s beautiful! The best time to visit is in the spring after a day of hard rain. Falls Creek Falls is just a short hike from the trailhead on the Falls Branch trail. It’s a 1.7 mile loop. If you take the loop clockwise to the left when it splits, you’ll hike the easier half first. Another fun way to see the falls is to rent a canoe or kayak from the marina and paddle over to the creek entrance. Please pack out all trash and be careful when climbing around the top of the falls.

Mountain Fork River Falls. (Oklahoma).

This beautiful river flows through Broken Bow, Oklahoma into Broken Bow Lake. The waterfalls are this river are not big but there are some lovely small cascades along the way. The best way to see these falls is to hike the 1.5 mile Friends Loop Trail. Be mindful of the weather because this area can become treacherous under flash flooding and heavy rain conditions. We enjoy following the river as long as we can and wading where it’s shallow. Be sure to wear water shoes or hiking shoes with good grip, the rocks can be slippery!

The best time to see the falls.

For almost all of these waterfalls near Texarkana, the best time to see them is after a hard rain, ideally a full day of rain. Most of them will dry to a trickle by the end of the summer. Sometimes they’re full in the winter after rain. Little Missouri Falls, Cossatot River Falls, and Mountain Fork are always running because they’re river fed. Katy Falls has a decent flow year round as well. Be mindful of the weather because while rain makes them flow, thunderstorms can become dangerous quickly in the mountain areas. These waterfalls are beautiful all year long, just bear in mind that many of the photos here were taken during the spring or peak flow season.

Waterfalls near Texarkana: what to bring.

When you’re making plans to visit these falls, there are a few things to keep in mind. For all of the waterfalls, we recommend:

• Comfortable adventure shoes and shoes that can have good grip when wet. My personal favorites are Bedrocks Sandals, but my kids and I also love wearing our Salomon Speedcross trail running shoes. Yes, even in the water. Trail running shoes dry relatively quickly.
• Sun protection. Sunscreen and a sunhat.
• Bug spray. We love 3 Moms Organics.
• Clothing that you don’t mind getting wet if it’s during the warmer months.
• For kids: a long handle bait net and a five gallon bucket.
• A waterproof bag for things like keys, phone, etc. A backpack like this works well for adventuring in a river or creek.
• We love the kids hiking pants and rain jackets from REI.

Note – if you’re doing the Katy Falls loop trail as a dayhike or as a backpacking trip, there will be different requirements. For a day hike, you’ll need your ten essentials, the overnight is a similar list just with added: shelter, sleeping bag/pad, stove, water filter, and food.

Practice Leave No Trace.

One of the most heartbreaking things we see while out exploring in the Ouachita National Forest is: trash. Things left behind by other people who assume someone else will clean up after them. These areas are not managed by any park service and you need to have personal responsibility. Please do not leave trash or a wrecked campsite behind for someone else to have to deal with. Pack out everything you pack in. Sometimes I even hike with an extra trash bag to carry out what I do find left behind. Please take care of our natural spaces so that they remain a beautiful treasure for everyone.