Hidden Falls

As I began my drive back home from the CSNP spring gathering last month, some clouds moved in and I realized how crazy it was not to be out chasing waterfalls. So I turned the vehicle around and headed to Falling Water Road. I parked about half a mile north of the Keefe Falls parking, and bushwhacked uphill parallel to a stream about 500 yards to a bluff line, which I followed around to where the stream intersected. I had to fight some pretty tough ice storm damage but was rewarded with a beautiful 20-foot waterfall.

Oh wow, John...a reward indeed! One of the nicest waterfalls I've seen in a long time. Beautiful light here, and the composition nicely balanced.

That's exactly how you find them John, as you know! There is a nice waterfall in every little drainage on that side of the river. When I first went to look for the waterfall that is now named Keefe Falls, this is the first one I went to - I started up the wrong drainage. Terry Keefe told me about these (hence the name). By putting the biggest waterfall in the guidebook (instead of all of them), I was hoping that other folks would strike out on their own and find the others and have their own little discovery. There are hundreds of them all over the Ozarks just waiting for new eyes to be laid upon them. Too bad we don't get water like this all year long...

You guys and your spirit of adventure. I have so not been brave in the past. I am getting better. When I went looking for the falls in the drainage just south of Keefe Falls I was slogging upstream and looking at my GPS( which NOW has a good topo in it Tim!) and I soon realized that I was still one drainage south of my target. So over hill and down I went to the correct drainage. Even after the tough slog there was no water in the falls. But I did make it there and had a small side adventure to boot. One of these days I will get to shoot with some of you folks and have some company. Did I tell anyone about the bear that crossed Cave Mountain Road in front of me AFTER Tim came and got my butt unlost? And now there are mountain lions in the Richland Creek Area? Oh well, you gotta go someway, may as well be waterfall huntin. Great image as USUAL John!

Another great find, John. I bet the poison ivy was out!

Good looking spot and great composition, it's crazy how many nice waterfalls are located on that short stretch of road. I'll have to mark this one as another spot to hit.

Beautiful shot John. I am drawn to the bottom of the falls, and the pool below. This is a falls I would like to visit.