Dripping Springs Trail

The Dripping Springs Trail leads to Natural Falls, the tallest waterfall in Oklahoma, a spectacular 77-foot plunge into a moss-lined grotto carved from the Cherokee Nation homeland of the Ozark Plateau. The falls drop from the lip of an overhanging sandstone cliff into a deep pool below, creating a perpetual mist that supports lush fern and moss communities coating every surface of the dark canyon walls. A series of paved paths and wooden boardwalks descend into the canyon, providing multiple viewing angles of the falls from the canyon rim and from a platform at the base of the plunge pool. The canyon microclimate is noticeably cooler and more humid than the surrounding upland forest, supporting plant species more typical of the Ozarks of Arkansas and Missouri than the surrounding Oklahoma landscape. The falls run year-round but are most impressive following rainfall when the flow increases dramatically. The canyon setting, with its overhanging sandstone walls draped in vegetation and the constant sound of falling water, creates an atmosphere of tropical lushness unexpected in northeastern Oklahoma. This short accessible trail is the most visited attraction in the park and suitable for virtually all visitors.