A 100-foot intermittent waterfall at the end of the Big Rocky Hollow Trail in Ferne Clyffe State Park, southern Illinois.
Cedar Falls is the 100-foot intermittent waterfall at the end of the Big Rocky Hollow Trail in Ferne Clyffe State Park, a 2,470-acre Illinois Department of Natural Resources property in Johnson County near Goreville. The park's official brochure names the falls, alongside the 150-foot Hawks' Cave shelter bluff, as one of its two best-known natural features. Because flow depends on recent rainfall, water only runs over the sandstone bluff intermittently, and the site can run dry for stretches of the year, particularly in late summer.
The Big Rocky Hollow Trail covers about 0.75 miles to the falls, one leg of 26 miles of marked trails winding through the park's sandstone canyons and bluffs. IDNR warns visitors to stay on designated trails, since naturally occurring hazards exist throughout the park. Ferne Clyffe is reached from Illinois Route 37, a mile south of Goreville, and the park office can be reached at (618) 995-2411. There is no separate fee to see the falls; check the park's official page for current trail and closure notices before visiting.
Know before you go
Ferne Clyffe State Park, IL Route 37, 1 mile south of Goreville, Johnson County.
Intermittent waterfall; flow depends on recent rain, often dry in late summer.
Big Rocky Hollow Trail: about 0.75 miles to the falls (part of 26 miles of park trails).
No separate fee; standard Illinois state park access.
Natural, unpaved trail through bluffs; verify current conditions with the park office.
2026-10-12. Conditions and requirements can change; confirm with the land manager before travelling.
Sources & further reading
- Illinois DNR — Ferne Clyffe State Park ↗
- Illinois DNR — Ferne Clyffe State Park brochure ↗
- USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) ↗
This is a researched visitor guide, not a claim that our editors have personally visited. Trail conditions, permits, and access can change.