Natural Falls State Park, Oklahoma
Natural Falls State Park near the northeast Oklahoma / Arkansas border is surprisingly small, but you can quickly see why it was turned into a state park.
You only have to take a quick two minute walk down a paved trail and you’ll reach the reason for visiting this park: Dripping Springs Waterfall. Sometimes it’s nice to get a big reward for little effort, and that’s what you get at this park!
This would be especially great if you’re visiting with kids who might not be up for a long outing but would enjoy the waterfalls too.
Here is a quick run-down of what to expect at Natural Falls State Park.
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Dripping Springs Waterfall
Natural Falls State Park is knows for its Dripping Springs Waterfall. The main waterfall is 77 feet tall and tied for the tallest in the state.
You’ll see Dripping Springs Waterfall from the top at first, but you can also continue on the Dripping Springs Trail down to an observation deck at the base of the waterfall. It’s nice to have both vantage points and worth it to see it from both.
There’s a bench at the lower observation platform that is nice and relaxing to sit on and enjoy the view for a bit.
Watch kids if you bring them since there, especially the younger ones, since there wasn’t much separating the lower observation platform from the water last time we visited.
Continue on down the path and you can see a small dam a little ways past the falls. If you want to hike further you can choose from the Bear Trail, Ghost Coon Trail, Fox Den Trail, and Pine Ridge Trail.
Visitor Center
Interestingly enough, it turns out that the original version of the movie “Where the Red Fern Grows” was filmed here.
It’s funny because the gift shop seems to try and capitalize on that more than anything else. They even have a “Red Fern Reunion” room in the visitor center.
If you remember reading this book in Elementary or Middle School English classes like we did, you might find this an interesting feature of the park too!
Things To Know
The park is free to enter but you’ll have to pay for parking. There is a playground for kids and other activities include picnicking, catch and release fishing, and disc golf.
There is a campground in the park if you want to stay overnight in your tent or RV. You can even rent a yurt.
Is It Worth It?
We drove about an hour from Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas to see Natural Falls State Park as a day trip, and we thought the effort was worth it.
The drive from Tulsa, Oklahoma is almost exactly the same amount of time so I’d recommend Natural Falls State Park as a weekend outing or overnight camping trip for anyone living in Tulsa!
