Lost Valley Trail is a 2.1 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Ponca, Arkansas that features a waterfall and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, nature trips, and bird watching and is accessible year-round.
This area is heavily visited on the weekends. Best visited during the week if you want a little solitude. The trail ranges from crushed rock to natural services. The most scenic area of the trail is more demanding but worth it. There is no bridge to cross the creek so be prepared to walk in the water.
Shelter, restrooms, picnic tables, parking lot for cars/trucks with small trailers. Steel Creek campground
Steel Creek Ranger Station, 870-861-2570
Directions from Jasper: Travel west on State Hwy. #74 for 15 miles and turn left on Hwy. #43. Travel for one mile, south, and follow signs to the trailhead.
January 23, 2021This is a nice trail with some great features, including some if you get off the actual trail and explore a little. Overall easy trail and very popular. The cave is currently closed.
January 17, 2021This was lovely. Enough exertion to make us a bit winded but not enough to slow us down. Gorgeous scenery and rock formations with nice falls about half way. Very enjoyable. Conditions: fair, slight wind, dry, 45 degrees. Hikers: early 60s used to east to moderate trails no more than five miles. We saw a lot of children.
January 17, 2021Great family friendly hike. Unfortunately the Eden Cave is closed for now, but it’s gorgeous and well worth the hike!
January 15, 2021Easy hike nice scenery
January 4, 2021I loved this trail! Lots of natural stairs in some areas! Beautiful waterfalls! It was pretty nice and paved in the beginning and lots of spots to get some water if you have a filter!
January 4, 2021Pretty excellent features at the end! The falls and cave was worth the trek, but the trail to these features was so boring that we opted to climb through a small cave, and traverse the creek to the cave, then to the falls last and back. Definitely recommended!
January 4, 2021This is such a great hike for anyone who is new to hiking or for any experienced hiker who wants to see some cool sights on an easier hike. Creek crossing today was manageable without removing shoes or getting wet. The trail is always very busy, but beautiful and worth the time. Please don’t bring your dog. Also, Eden cave is still closed!
January 3, 2021January 3, 2021Best hike we did in 4 days in the Ozarks. We had to cross the creek (no bridge,) so we ended up taking off socks and boots and crossing. Very paved trail with informative markers and beautiful caves and falls. Eden cave is closed due to COVID. Easily best hike in the area.
January 2, 2021Very beautiful! We had to cross a flowing creek to get to the trail. A couple rocks that stuck out of the creek but not enough to cross on. We ended up rolling up our pants and taking off our socks and shoes to cross. 100% worth it when you get to the end!
January 2, 2021Great trail! Amazing views
December 30, 2020Amazing hike! Fairly easy with super cool caverns and rocks to climb on. One of the prettiest hikes I’ve done!
December 28, 2020Great trail with views. Some rock scrambling at the end. Eden cave was closed to COVID. Saw lots of kids so it is kid friendly.
December 25, 2020December 21, 2020December 20, 2020Great afternoon hike. Very easy, well maintained trail. Cave is closed for the season. Beautiful views.
December 20, 2020Relatively easy trail, slick in some places due to melting snow/ice. Be prepared to go up some rock steps.
December 14, 2020Beautiful trail.
December 12, 2020Here on a Saturday morning after a Friday afternoon and evening full of rain. Well maintained trail and no mud. The waterfall was flowing nicely!
December 5, 2020December 4, 2020Classic hike in the Buffalo National River area. The cave above Eden Falls is closed on account of Covid.
December 1, 2020Great easy hike with beautiful waterfall.
November 29, 2020Beautuful hike. Trail is well marked. Cave closed due to covid.
November 29, 2020Short and sweet! Loved the waterfall. The trail to the cave was closed due to Covid so hopefully we can see it one day.
November 28, 2020This was so fun! My 3 kids (ages 9, 12, 15) all had a great time climbing around the rocks and caves. Eden Cave was closed but it was still very fun!
November 27, 2020November 27, 2020Love!! So many cool things to see and super easy trail
November 24, 2020November 23, 2020I’ve just started hiking and this is for sure the best trail I’ve done so far. Waterfalls, caves, and so much more. Great experience!
