Waterfalls of the United States
Find a waterfall near you, browse every state, compare heights and plan the trip. Fallsdiscovery.com lists 10,737 named waterfalls and 1,082 river rapids in 47 states, with the height, the type, the stream it falls on, the nearest town and directions for each one.
Every waterfall on one map
Each number on the map is how many waterfalls and rapids sit in that area. Zoom in or click a circle to split it, then click a marker for the height, the type and a link to the waterfall’s page.
Waterfalls by state
Washington leads the country with 2,596 named waterfalls, followed by Oregon (1,342), California (1,039) and New York (879). Every state page has a map, the tallest falls, a list of counties and a guide to where to go, when the water runs best and which passes or permits apply.
Browse by state 47
- Alabama 97
- Arizona 66
- Arkansas 280
- California 1,039
- Colorado 345
- Connecticut 79
- Florida 3
- Georgia 298
- Idaho 249
- Illinois 20
- Indiana 24
- Iowa 8
- Kansas 24
- Kentucky 65
- Louisiana 6
- Maine 175
- Maryland 13
- Massachusetts 37
- Michigan 294
- Minnesota 43
- Mississippi 8
- Missouri 11
- Montana 252
- Nebraska 14
- Nevada 25
- New Hampshire 264
- New Jersey 5
- New Mexico 20
- New York 879
- North Carolina 495
- North Dakota 1
- Ohio 26
- Oklahoma 30
- Oregon 1,342
- Pennsylvania 274
- Rhode Island 5
- South Carolina 22
- South Dakota 10
- Tennessee 427
- Texas 71
- Utah 76
- Vermont 229
- Virginia 127
- Washington 2,596
- West Virginia 13
- Wisconsin 83
- Wyoming 267
The tallest waterfalls in the US
Heights come from the newest survey available, often a lidar or field measurement, so they can differ from the round numbers printed on park signs. Many of the tallest drops are remote cascades in the Cascades and the Sierra Nevada, reached only by long hikes.
Tallest waterfalls in the United States
- Falls Creek Falls2,715 ftPierce County, Washington
- Colonial Creek Falls2,568 ftWhatcom County, Washington
- Johannesburg Falls2,465 ftSkagit County, Washington
- Yosemite Falls2,425 ftMariposa County, California
- Cloudcap Falls2,400 ftWhatcom County, Washington
- East Snow Mountain Falls2,200 ftPlacer County, California
- Seahpo Peak Falls2,200 ftWhatcom County, Washington
- Lower Falls Creek Falls2,198 ftPierce County, Washington
- Sulphide Creek Falls2,182 ftWhatcom County, Washington
- Buck Mountain Falls2,040 ftChelan County, Washington
Find a waterfall by type
A plunge drops clear of the rock, a horsetail stays in contact with it, and a tiered fall steps down in several drops. Knowing the type tells you what the water does before you walk in.
All 13 types explained, with examples
What each waterfall page gives you
- Height, the tallest single drop and the number of drops for tiered falls.
- Type and stream, so you know what you are walking in to see.
- Where it is: county and state, the nearest town with its distance, a map and a directions link.
- Location verified on waterfalls whose position was checked against aerial imagery.
- Waterfalls nearby, so one visit can turn into a day of them.
- Photos and visitor reviews, including when people went and what the trail was like.
Where the data comes from
The list starts from the US Geological Survey’s inventory of named waterfalls and rapids. Every entry was placed in its state and county from its coordinates, and heights were checked against current waterfall surveys; where a newer lidar or field measurement exists, it replaces the older figure. Researched guides name their sources at the bottom of the page, and photos carry their author and license.
River rapids too
The same catalogue covers 1,082 named river rapids, from short riffles to whitewater drops that paddlers portage, each with the river, the county and the nearest town. Browse rapids by state.
Questions people ask
- How many waterfalls are there in the United States?
The US Geological Survey inventory behind this site names 10,737 waterfalls in 47 states. Countless small, unnamed drops are not counted, so the real number is higher.
- Which state has the most waterfalls?
Washington, with 2,596 named waterfalls, well ahead of Oregon with 1,342. Rain and snowmelt off the Cascades and the Olympic Mountains feed most of them.
- How do I find waterfalls near me?
Open Waterfalls near me and allow your browser to share its location once. The closest waterfalls appear sorted by distance. You can also type a town, a park or a ZIP code instead.
- When is the best time to see waterfalls?
Most rain- and snow-fed falls run strongest in spring, and many small ones thin to a trickle by late summer. Spring-fed falls keep flowing all year. Each state page describes the season for its region.
- Why do heights differ from park signs?
Signs often repeat an old estimate. This site uses the newest survey it can find, frequently a lidar measurement, and says so on the page when an official figure differs.