Cougar Falls
At 77 feet, the tallest of four Leatherwood Wilderness waterfalls strung along Rand Road — and one of the most accessible big waterfalls in the Buffalo River region.
- Height
- 77 ft
- Type
- Plunge
- District
- Tributary
- Round trip
- 0.6 mi
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Best season
- Spring
- Est. time
- 30–45 min
- Flow-dependent
- Yes
- Pet friendly
- No
- Coordinates
- 36.04055°N, 92.37685°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
At 77 feet Cougar Falls is the tallest of four remarkable waterfalls strung along the edge of the Leatherwood Wilderness just off Rand Road — and at only 0.6 miles round trip it is also one of the most accessible big waterfalls in the entire Buffalo River region. A short walk down into the drainage and along the creek brings you to the top of the falls in just 0.3 miles. A spot on the left allows you to drop down for a dramatic face-on view of the full 77-foot drop. These four Leatherwood waterfalls are best saved for wet weather — all of them pour over tall bluffs and look most spectacular with significant water behind them. Visit within a day or two of good rain for the full effect. Cougar Falls is the first stop on the Leatherwood Wilderness Four Falls Road Trip — a unique waterfall adventure that strings together four distinct falls along the same gravel road, each requiring only a short bushwhack from the car. See nearby: China 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 1.2 miles and park on the right. Head down the hill into the drainage and follow the little creek to the top of the falls at 0.3 miles. Look for a drop-down spot on the left for the best face-on view. Quad: Big Flat.