Falls Branch Trail – Lake Catherine
Falls Branch Trail, Hot Springs, AR, USA
24 hours
$
parks, camping, hikes
Happyly is better in app
Get the Happyly app to discover more activities like this one, plus get curated adveture plans, build lists of activities to try and more!
Enter your phone number to receive a download link
Hike the Family Friendly Loop with a Waterfall, Creek, and Lake View!
This is a great 2.0-mile hike in Lake Catherine State Park. While it’s good for families in general, do note that there is a bit of elevation at the start (go right at the beginning) and there are tons of stones and boulders and slippery areas near the creek. Our 5-year-old face planted, after tripping on some roots. You’ll want to take your time if you have younger children.
The trail begins near the campground parking lot – you’ll want to go right and up, up, up at the beginning to wind through the woodlands and crossing the gorgeous creek several times before you find yourself at the main attraction: the large (apparently seasonal?!) waterfall a little over halfway into the loop hike.
Towards the end of the hike, after the main waterfall, you’ll have some nice views of the lake. Note that there is an industrial site across the lake on the far shore (so if that kind of thing bothers you, beware). There are several benches to rest on, along the way. And there is a really fun suspension bridge that we had fun jumping on as a family as we crossed.
Per the website:
The only full-service marina on the lake is here at the park and open in the summertime for bait, snacks/drinks, and fuel. Boat rentals are available year-round. The park also includes a launch ramp, pavilion, picnic sites, playgrounds, and a well-marked trail that leads to a waterfall.
The park has 20 fully equipped cabins, including one two-bedroom cabin with a patio overlooking the water and private access to the lake from its own fishing pier.
There are also many native stone and wood buildings on-site. The history of these structures dates back to the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s.
The park offers 70 campsites (47 Class AAA and 23 Class B), six primitive tent sites, one Rent-A-Camp, and one Rent-A-Yurt. Many of these sites are on the lakeshore.
Park interpreters offer hikes, lake tours, and programs year-round. Guided horseback rides are offered seasonally.