Bear Creek Polyfloss

Fort Douglas, AR - 3.9 Miles - Moderate Out & Back

Thomas and I explored a stretch of Bear Creek for the first time in December of 2021. To this day, this hike is ranked in my top three favorites! The number of roaring waterfalls in such a small distance is totally impressive!

The first stretch of the hike is down an ATV road and into a food plot. On the far side of the plot, opposite of the ATV road, there is a small swamp, almost hidden in thickets of briars and brambles. Near the swamp is a trodden trail that will lead you into the valley where Bear Creek runs. Most of the trail is marked with orange and pink tape.

We generally hike pretty slow, because we make frequent stops for photos. I love to photograph rock formations, flowers, roots, etc.

Halfway down the trail, you will come to the first significant waterfall. According to Gez Roger's Google Map, this fall is called "Halfway Falls."

Sidewinder Falls

If you stay true to the trail, it will lead you straight to Sidewinder and Swamp Falls. You can witness both of these impressive waterfalls at the exact same time.

Swamp Falls

V Slot Falls

Downstream, on Bear Creek, is V Slot Falls. The area surrounding this pour was very slick, so I struggled to get a good angle. However, the massive boulders that create this waterfall and small pool are fascinating.

As if four, significant waterfalls were not enough, my ALL time favorite photo was taken upstream from Sidewinder Falls. While this was the smallest waterfall that we found that day, the blue pool that it poured into was amazing. I have searched and searched for a name to this photogenic, little fall, but have came up empty handed.

If you use the All Trails app for navigation, it will claim that the trail forms a loop. After searching for a good 30 minutes, we eventually gave up on trying to find the rest of the loop and returned to the trail that we initially came in on.

Bear Creek is truly a gem.

November 24th, 2022

Name: Sidewinder Falls and Swamp Falls

Navigation: AllTrails App

Type: Out & Back

Difficulty: Moderate

Distance: 3.9 Miles

Elevation Gain: 764 Feet

Disclaimer: In the event that you choose to pursue any adventure described on this website, please proceed with extreme caution. All opinions are subjective and will vary from person to person based upon experience and skill. Additional research should be completed before attempting any of the hikes portrayed in this blog.

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