Natural Falls State Park

Natural Falls State Park in the Ozark foothills of northeast Oklahoma protects one of the most breathtaking waterfall settings in the region — a slender, 77-foot plunge waterfall dropping into a moss-covered, fern-draped sandstone grotto, enclosed by towering hardwoods and lush vegetation in the clear, cool hollows of Delaware County. The waterfall flows year-round, fed by springs and the forested watershed above, and is most powerful after spring rains.

The park was made famous as a filming location for the 1974 Walt Disney film ‘Where the Red Fern Grows,’ and the lush, mystical quality of the grotto and falls conveys why this location was chosen. Short hiking trails wind through the hardwood forest to multiple viewpoints of the falls, and the park’s picnic areas and wooded grounds provide a tranquil escape in the Ozark foothills. As one of Oklahoma’s most scenic waterfalls, Natural Falls State Park is a treasured icon of the northeast corner of the state.

Natural Falls State Park is enjoyed for hiking short trails through the hardwood forest to multiple viewpoints of the 77-foot waterfall and its moss-covered grotto, photography of the falls and lush sandstone setting (one of the most photogenic spots in Oklahoma), picnicking in the wooded park, birdwatching in the Ozark foothills forest, and simply experiencing the serene, mist-filled grotto and the sound of the plunging water. The waterfall viewpoints and grotto — the most beautiful waterfall setting in Oklahoma — are the signature draw. The combination of a dramatic plunge waterfall, a lush sandstone grotto and tall hardwood forest makes the park exceptional.

Spring (March through May) brings the waterfall to full flow after winter rains and snowmelt, with the grotto lush and green with ferns and mosses; fall (October through November) turns the surrounding hardwoods to gold and crimson, framing the falls in color; summer is green and humid but the grotto is cool and refreshing; winter is quiet with sparse foliage exposing the full height of the falls. Spring for full flow and lush greenery, and fall for the waterfall framed in hardwood color, are the highlights — both are extraordinary. Come early in the morning or on weekdays to have the grotto to yourself.

The Delaware County Ozark foothills of northeast Oklahoma are part of the homeland of the Cherokee Nation, whose territory this was. The waterfall and its grotto were known to local settlers and later became a beloved local landmark. The park was made famous when the 1974 Walt Disney film ‘Where the Red Fern Grows,’ based on Wilson Rawls’s beloved novel set in the Oklahoma Ozarks, was filmed here — the falls and grotto appear in the film. Natural Falls State Park preserves this beloved waterfall and its Ozark foothills setting, a treasured icon of northeast Oklahoma.

Natural Falls drops over a ledge of hard sandstone into a plunge pool at the base of a sandstone grotto, carved over thousands of years by the waterfall’s erosive force into the softer rock below the resistant cap. The Ozark foothills of northeast Oklahoma are underlain by Pennsylvanian-age sandstones and shales, here gently folded and eroded into the rolling, forested hollows and ridges of the region. The spring-fed stream above the falls maintains its flow even in dry periods. The resistant sandstone cap, the softer rock below, the spring-fed flow and the long erosion of the plunge pool created this lush, moss-covered grotto and waterfall.

The hardwood forest of Natural Falls State Park and the surrounding Ozark foothills supports white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, gray foxes, raccoons, and a rich Ozark birdlife of forest songbirds, warblers, woodpeckers and raptors, while the spring-fed stream below the falls harbors crayfish, hellgrammites and small native fish, and the moist grotto supports diverse ferns, mosses and amphibians. The Ozark foothills forest is rich in wildlife and birding. Natural Falls offers pleasant wildlife watching and birdwatching, with the migrant and breeding warblers in spring and the woodland birds year-round among the highlights.

Natural Falls State Park protects a remnant of the Ozark foothills mixed-hardwood forest — oak, hickory, maple, sycamore and tulip poplar — in northeast Oklahoma, with the spring-fed waterfall and grotto sustaining a moist, sheltered microhabitat of ferns, mosses and amphibians in the otherwise seasonally dry Ozark foothills. The water quality of the spring-fed stream is high and sensitive to disturbance above the watershed. The lush grotto environment, the spring-fed flow and the surrounding hardwood forest are the ecological heart of the park. Protecting the water quality, the grotto vegetation and the surrounding forest sustains both the ecology and the breathtaking beauty of the falls.

Natural Falls State Park holds a treasured place among the icons of northeast Oklahoma — a 77-foot plunge waterfall in a lush, moss-covered sandstone grotto in the Cherokee homeland of the Ozark foothills, made famous as a filming location for the Walt Disney adaptation of ‘Where the Red Fern Grows.’ The falls embody the green, mist-filled, mystical quality of the Oklahoma Ozarks. For visitors who grew up with the novel or film, the grotto and waterfall carry a deep cultural resonance. Natural Falls is a cherished natural and cultural icon of Oklahoma.

Natural Falls State Park is in northeast Oklahoma in Delaware County, near the town of Colcord, off State Highway 10 about 13 miles southeast of Tahlequah and near the Arkansas border. The park is small with a day-use focus (check Oklahoma State Parks for any camping or cabin facilities); an admission fee may apply. Short trails lead from the parking area to the waterfall overlooks and grotto. The park is easily reached from the Tahlequah area and is a popular day trip from the Tulsa metro (about 90 miles). Check Oklahoma State Parks for current hours, admission fees and conditions before visiting.

Oklahoma State Parks manages Natural Falls State Park. Visitors help by staying on designated trails and viewpoints (do not climb into the grotto or on the waterfall ledge — the sandstone is slippery and eroding), not disturbing the ferns, mosses and grotto vegetation, keeping the spring-fed stream and plunge pool free of litter, packing out everything, and following all park rules. The sandstone grotto, the mosses and ferns, and the spring-fed water quality are sensitive. Protecting the grotto vegetation, the waterfall ledge and the stream sustains both the ecology and the exquisite beauty of this Oklahoma waterfall.

The sandstone ledges and grotto surfaces around the waterfall are slippery — stay on designated viewpoints and trails; do not attempt to climb into the grotto or onto the waterfall ledge (people have been seriously injured). The trails can be wet and muddy after rain; wear shoes with good grip. Supervise children closely near the overlook edges. The grotto is mist-filled and cool even in summer. Watch for slippery trail surfaces, wet ledges, steep overlook edges and the grotto’s cool mist.

Stay on designated trails and viewpoints; do not enter the grotto below the falls or climb the waterfall ledge. Do not disturb or collect the ferns, mosses or any vegetation in the grotto. An admission fee may apply — check Oklahoma State Parks. Pets must be leashed. Pack out all trash; leave no trace. Fires are permitted only in designated areas if the park has camping facilities. Swimming in the plunge pool is not permitted. Check Oklahoma State Parks for current admission, hours and rules before visiting.

The town of Colcord, the city of Tahlequah (capital of the Cherokee Nation, with the Cherokee Heritage Center and Illinois River float trips) to the northwest, the Illinois River (one of Oklahoma’s premier float-trip rivers), Tenkiller Ferry Lake (a clear Ozark reservoir to the west), the Ozark foothills of northeast Oklahoma, and the Arkansas border lie near the park. The Cherokee homeland and Ozark foothills define the region. Natural Falls anchors the waterfall experience of northeast Oklahoma, easily combined with an Illinois River float trip, the Cherokee Heritage Center and Tenkiller Ferry Lake.

Visit Natural Falls in spring for the falls at full flow amid lush green ferns and mosses, or in fall for the waterfall framed by hardwoods in gold and crimson — both are extraordinary. Come early in the morning on weekdays to have the grotto viewpoint to yourself. Wear non-slip shoes (the trails and overlook surfaces get slippery), bring a camera (the grotto and falls are among the most photogenic spots in Oklahoma), stay on the designated viewpoints (the ledge is dangerous), and combine your visit with a float trip on the nearby Illinois River and a stop at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Tahlequah.