A roughly 100-foot intermittent waterfall at the head of Big Rocky Hollow in Ferne Clyffe State Park, flowing only after substantial rain. The mostly flat Waterfall Trail is about 1.1 miles round-trip and family-friendly.
At 100 ft, it stands above roughly 74% of the 775 documented falls in this guide.
Ferne Clyffe Falls (Big Rocky Hollow) sits on Big Rocky Hollow stream. You'll find it in Johnson, Illinois. It is protected within Ferne Clyffe State Park (Illinois DNR).
This is a short hike waterfall: reached by a short trail, generally under about a mile each way. A short walk gets you to the viewpoint, so it works for most casual visitors and families. The walk to the main viewpoint runs about 1.1 miles round trip. Base a visit out of Goreville, the closest town.
When to go: Spring (within a day of heavy rain). Like most waterfalls, Ferne Clyffe Falls (Big Rocky Hollow) runs highest after snowmelt or heavy rain and can thin out in late summer, so it's worth checking recent streamflow and the land manager's conditions page before a long drive.
