China Falls
A 68-foot Leatherwood plunge named after the horse Helen Elsner was riding when she first discovered it.
- Height
- 68 ft
- Type
- Plunge
- District
- Tributary
- Round trip
- 0.5 mi
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Best season
- Spring
- Est. time
- 30–45 min
- Flow-dependent
- Yes
- Pet friendly
- No
- Coordinates
- 36.04380°N, 92.38364°W
Current conditions
- Rain 24h
- 0.00″
- Rain 72h
- 0.00″
- Rain 7d
- 0.00″
Next 3 days (preview)
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Featured route
⭐ The Rand Road Four Falls Tour
Part of the Leatherwood Wilderness Four Falls Road Trip — drive Rand Road and visit Cougar Falls, China Falls, Little Glory Hole, and Crosscut Falls in a single afternoon.
The falls
Named after a favorite horse that Helen Elsner — the same local legend who inspired Helen's Pouroff — was riding when she first discovered these falls. That detail alone makes China Falls one of the more charming origin stories of any waterfall in the Buffalo River region. At 68 feet it is a significant drop by any measure, tumbling over a Leatherwood bluffline into a sheltered hollow that catches and amplifies the sound of falling water on a good flow day. The approach requires a steeper bushwhack than Cougar Falls — zig-zagging on the way back up is recommended rather than a straight climb. Navigation tip: if you hit the bluffline on the way in turn right to reach the falls; if you hit the creek first turn left and follow it up to the top of the falls. Either way you will find it with a GPS. China Falls is the second stop on the Leatherwood Wilderness Four Falls Road Trip. See nearby: Cougar Falls, Little Glory Hole, and Crosscut Falls.
Getting there
From Big Flat head east on Hwy 14 for 3.8 miles and turn left onto Hwy 341. Go 2.3 miles and turn left onto Rand Road/FR#1118. Continue 1.9 miles and park. Bushwhack down the hill to the right — the descent gets steep so take your time and zig-zag back up on the return. If you hit the bluffline turn right; if you hit the creek turn left and follow it to the top of the falls. Quad: Big Flat.