7 Missouri Waterfalls

A haven for gorgeous scenery, the Ozarks is brimming with stunning waterfalls.

Mike McArthy of Photozarks loves hunting for and photographing waterfalls. He has spent more than twenty years searching them out, exploring falls at Taum Sauk Mountain, Lower Rock Creek, Rocky Falls, Rocky Creek, Dewey Creek, Grand Falls, and more.

To capture the flowing, glassy effect on moving water, Mike photographs waterfalls in low-light conditions with slow shutter speeds.

Dewey Cove Falls is located outside Branson in the Henning Conservation Area off Highway 76. The falls, which flow from Dewey Cove Creek, are hidden away off the nature trail and flow generously after substantial rainfall. This area is beautiful in the springtime when rare wildflowers bloom on the glades.

Black Mountain Falls is next to Highway E, between Mark Twain National Forest and the St. Francis River, west of Fredericktown on the edge of a proposed wilderness area called Lower Rock Creek. This photo was taken during a dangerous storm with lightning striking around me.

Rocky Falls in Shannon County is one of my favorites. Located just off Highway NN, it cascades down sixty feet of igneous rock. Shooting the falls in early morning or just before dark is the best way to capture the smooth flowing effect.

One winter after a storm, I stumbled on Black Mountain’s Little Rock Creek Falls while hiking the area west of Fredericktown on Highway E. Because of dim lighting conditions, I had to keep the camera’s shutter open for a full second.

At the foot of Taum Sauk Mountain, Johnson’s Shut-Ins is home to volcanic rock carved out by the East Fork of the Black River. You can approach the falls from countless angles, which allows you to capture shots from above and down in the shut-ins.

Grand Falls near Joplin tumbles twenty-five feet over a ledge on the Shoal Creek. In this photo, it’s also flowing through a sycamore tree trunk wedged up against the falls. You never know what you’ll find when you go exploring in the Ozarks. Take your camera along to capture some of these memories. They’ll last you a lifetime!

Located on Taum Sauk Mountain, Mina Sauk Falls is the tallest waterfall in the state at more than one hundred and thirty feet. A three-mile round-trip hike to Mina Sauk reveals breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. There are hundreds of smaller waterfalls to see on your visit. The best time to visit the falls is during the wet weather season.