Updated July 2026
Ferne Clyffe Falls
A seasonal 100-foot waterfall in Ferne Clyffe State Park, flowing best after rain or snowmelt at the head of Big Rocky Hollow. The roughly three-quarter-mile gravel trail to the base is gentle and family-friendly.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check Ferne Clyffe State Park (Illinois DNR) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ferne Clyffe Falls drops about 100 feet. That makes it the 219th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 73% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Big Rocky Hollow Trail reaches it about 1 miles (out-and-back), rated easy. The nearest town is Goreville. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Ferne Clyffe State Park (Illinois DNR) for closures and current conditions.
Spring (after rain or snowmelt). Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Illinois waterfalls
- Burden Falls · 100 ft
- Cascade Falls (Matthiessen State Park) · 45 ft
- Ferne Clyffe Falls (Big Rocky Hollow) · 100 ft
- French Canyon Falls · 45 ft
- Jackson Falls
- LaSalle Canyon Falls · 25 ft
- Ottawa Canyon Falls · 45 ft
- St. Louis Canyon Falls · 40 ft
Sources
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