Best Swimming Holes in the Ozarks
20 natural swimming holes · 2026 guide
The Ozarks of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri are spring and river country: the Buffalo National River, Big Piney Creek, and dozens of clear, gravel-bottomed creeks cutting through oak forest. Swimming here is old-fashioned — rope swings, bluff pools, and gravel bars, mostly free and mostly uncrowded outside holiday weekends.
Top swimming holes
- Blanchard Springs - North Sylamore Creek
North Sylamore Creek at Blanchard Springs - spring-fed, clear, and cold - offers the Ozarks' prettiest creek swim.
- Buffalo National River - Buffalo Point
Buffalo Point's 100-foot bluffs tower over the lower Buffalo's deep swimming pools.
- Buffalo National River - Ponca Access
The Ponca access is the Buffalo River's adventure headquarters - elk country, outfitters, and deep swimming holes between the rapids.
- Buffalo National River - Steel Creek
Steel Creek's towering bluffs frame the Buffalo National River's most photographed swim - deep, clear pools beneath 500-foot cliffs.
- Buffalo National River - Tyler Bend
Tyler Bend's riverside bluffs and deep pools make it the middle Buffalo's classic swim and camp.
- Devil's Den State Park - Lee Creek
Devil's Den's Lee Creek offers the Ozarks' classic state-park swim - clear water, bluffs, and caves.
- Falling Water Falls
A roadside waterfall on Falling Water Road pouring into a clear swimming pool - the Ozarks' easiest waterfall dip.
- Gunner Pool Recreation Area
The CCC's stone dam on North Sylamore Creek creates Gunner Pool's stepped waterfall and emerald tiers - 'like something from Middle Earth.' Shallows suit kids; a hidden…
- Haw Creek Falls Recreation Area
Haw Creek Falls' small cascade feeds a clear, cold pool that most visitors photograph but few swim - their loss.
- Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park
Johnson's Shut-Ins is Missouri's most famous natural water park, where the East Fork of the Black River squeezes through 1.5-billion-year-old volcanic rock.
- Long Pool - Big Piney Creek
Big Piney Creek's famous Long Pool - a long, deep swimming hole in the Ozark National Forest.
- Mulberry River - Turner Bend
The Mulberry River at Turner Bend is the Ozarks' wild float stream - deep pools between Class II-III rapids.
- Richland Creek Recreation Area
417 Magazine's pick for dusk swimming: Richland Creek Recreation Area's main hole is 'large and deep' with sunbathing boulders, a short walk from the 11-site campground.
- Six Finger Falls
Six Finger Falls' series of cascades on Falling Water Creek offers deep pools and a local's rope swing.
- Spring River - Hardy
The Spring River at Hardy is Arkansas' classic float stream - spring-fed, cold, and clear, with swimming holes between the ledges.
- Triple Falls - Richland Creek Wilderness
Triple Falls - also called Twin Falls - pours three ribbons of water into Richland Creek in the Richland Creek Wilderness.
- Barkshed Recreation Area
Barkshed Recreation Area's North Sylamore Creek pools are the quiet alternative to Gunner Pool's crowds.
- Buffalo National River - Gilbert
The ghost town of Gilbert sits on a gentle Buffalo River bend with deep swimming pools and a historic main street.
- Cherry Corner Access, Shoal Creek
Missouri Department of Conservation access on Shoal Creek about 3.5 miles south of Diamond, with a gravel bar and canoe launch.
- Current River at Pulltite Campground
National Park Service campground on the Current River at the end of Highway EE, with river access points for swimming along the spring-fed stream.
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Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to swim in the Ozarks?
May through September. Spring brings the best river levels; late summer creeks run lower and warmer. Avoid swimming during or after heavy rain.
Do Ozark swimming holes require reservations or permits?
Most are free public access on national forest or national river land. Developed recreation areas may charge a small day-use fee in season.
Are Ozark swimming holes safe?
Rivers here flood fast and bluff jumping is a real hazard — check depth first and never jump blind. Spring-fed spots stay cold even in August.