Rocky Falls
Eminence, MO
A cascade over pink volcanic rock into a wide plunge pool, popular for a summer swim. The last stretch of road is gravel.
Rocky Falls is a waterfall with a swimming pool in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways in Missouri, on State Highway NN near Winona. The reddish-brown rock is rhyolite porphyry, which flowed onto the surface as molten rock about 1.5 billion years ago. The harder rhyolite squeezes the creek into narrow cracks (a "shut-in"); downstream the valley widens into a pool. Atlas Obscura gives the drop as about 40 feet (12 m).
It is a popular swimming spot in spring and summer and can get very busy in summer. According to Atlas Obscura you can swim in the pool even at low water, and the site is open year-round. There is a parking area, restrooms, grills and picnic tables. A roughly 3-mile (almost 5 km) section of the Ozark Trail links Rocky Falls with Klepzig Mill.
The NPS alerts most recently contained no notice for Rocky Falls. Still, check access and road conditions before you go.
- Nearest town
- Eminence, MO
- Category
- Nature & parks
- GPS
- 37.0880, -91.2090
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. Hot in July–August. Cold, short days in January. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
Campsites nearby
- Shawnee Creek CampgroundCampsite8 mi from Rocky Falls
- Alley Spring CampgroundCampsite14 mi from Rocky FallsTentsCaravans
- Big Spring CampgroundsCampsite15 mi from Rocky Falls
- Timbuktu CampgroundMotorhome stopover19 mi from Rocky FallsMotorhomes
- Timbuktu Walk-In CampingCampsite19 mi from Rocky FallsTents
- Loggers Lake CampgroundCampsite21 mi from Rocky Falls
All campsites in Missouri · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Rocky Falls?
Rocky Falls is in Eminence, MO, at GPS 37.0880, -91.2090. It is about 12 mi from Van Buren.
Can you camp near Rocky Falls?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Shawnee Creek Campground, about 8 mi away; within 25 mi there are 21 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Rocky Falls?
Rocky Falls is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Missouri Ozark springs and shut-ins and Spring pools, gravel bars and granite domes – by camper through Missouri’s Ozark National Scenic Riverways.
What is there to see near Rocky Falls?
Places worth a stop nearby: Alley Spring and Mill (14 mi), Big Spring (15 mi), Round Spring (17 mi) and Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park (37 mi).
When is the best time to visit Rocky Falls?
The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)