OutdoorLocator Hot springs, waterfalls and swimming holes, mapped from public data

Waterfalls near me: find hikes by state, difficulty and fee

This finder currently covers 114 waterfalls across 11 states: Ohio, Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, Tennessee, Idaho, Arkansas, Texas, North Carolina, Utah and Colorado, each verified against state park, U.S. Forest Service, BLM or National Park Service sources. Every entry lists access type, fee and legal status, so a roadside view and a real hike aren't lumped together as the same kind of visit.

Waterfalls coverage by state Alaska — not covered yet Arizona — not covered yet California — not covered yet Connecticut — not covered yet District of Columbia — not covered yet Delaware — not covered yet Florida — not covered yet Hawaii — not covered yet Iowa — not covered yet Illinois — not covered yet Indiana — not covered yet Kansas — not covered yet Kentucky — not covered yet Louisiana — not covered yet Massachusetts — not covered yet Maryland — not covered yet Maine — not covered yet Michigan — not covered yet Minnesota — not covered yet Missouri — not covered yet Mississippi — not covered yet Montana — not covered yet North Dakota — not covered yet Nebraska — not covered yet New Hampshire — not covered yet New Jersey — not covered yet New Mexico — not covered yet Nevada — not covered yet New York — not covered yet Oklahoma — not covered yet Pennsylvania — not covered yet Rhode Island — not covered yet South Carolina — not covered yet South Dakota — not covered yet Virginia — not covered yet Vermont — not covered yet Washington — not covered yet Wisconsin — not covered yet West Virginia — not covered yet Wyoming — not covered yet

Covered: OH 13 · OR 11 · TN 11 · UT 11 · CO 11 · AL 10 · GA 10 · AR 10 · NC 10 · TX 9 · ID 8 — every other state on the map is not covered yet.

13 Filled state: covered, with the number of listings we have checked -- Dimmed state: not covered yet, no number shown
70 reviewed picks with directions and access notes · 646 more on record, not reviewed — see methodology

How to use the finder

Filter by hike-in access and difficulty to separate roadside waterfalls from real hikes, useful if you're planning a short family stop rather than a half-day trek. A free filter surfaces no-fee sites, which is most of this list, since state parks and national forest land make up the majority of what's covered here. A top rated filter highlights the falls most consistently recommended across our state guides, and a swimming allowed filter flags which falls have an open plunge pool versus a posted no-swim rule. Several falls covered here explicitly prohibit swimming at the base for safety reasons, and the finder makes that distinction rather than hiding it.

Browse by state

More state guides are being added as we verify access and legal status for each one.

Featured waterfalls

Multnomah Falls, Oregon. The state's tallest waterfall at 620 feet, with a seasonal timed-entry parking permit through the Columbia River Gorge, covered in our waterfalls in Oregon guide.

Fall Creek Falls, Tennessee. Tennessee's tallest waterfall at 256 feet, free to visit at the anchor of its namesake state park, covered in our waterfalls in Tennessee guide.

Shoshone Falls, Idaho. At 212 feet, 45 feet taller than Niagara Falls, with flow that shifts dramatically between spring runoff and summer irrigation season, covered in our waterfalls in Idaho guide.

Amicalola Falls, Georgia. At 729 feet, the tallest cascading waterfall in the southeastern United States, covered in our waterfalls in Georgia guide.

Safety and methodology

Most waterfall injuries happen off the marked trail: on wet rocks above the falls, past a closed viewpoint, or from jumping into a plunge pool with hidden rocks underneath. Stay on the established trail, keep back from the edge above a falls, and never climb the rock face for a closer look or photo. See our full waterfall safety guide before you go.

This finder is compiled from public land-manager sources (state parks, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management), USGS GNIS data and published trail reports, not from firsthand visits. Fees, permits and access rules change; every state guide links to its primary sources and notes when it was last checked.

How this guide was researched

This finder is built from public land-manager sources (state parks, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management), USGS GNIS data, and published trail reports, cross-referenced against news coverage for safety-relevant incidents. We haven't visited these sites ourselves. Access, fees and legal status change over time; each state guide notes when it was last checked and links to its primary sources. Last checked August 2026.

FAQ

How do I find waterfalls near me?

Browse by state above, or check a specific state guide for the closest cluster. Eleven states are currently covered, with more being added.

Are waterfalls free to visit?

Most are. The large majority of falls covered here sit inside free state parks or national forest land; a handful, like Ruby Falls in Tennessee or Cummins Falls' gorge-access permit, charge a fee for full access.

Is it legal to swim at a waterfall?

It depends on the specific site. Some waterfalls on this site have an open, unmanaged plunge pool where wading is common; others, including several inside national parks, explicitly prohibit swimming because of dangerous currents. Each state guide notes the swimming status for every falls it covers.

Which waterfalls are good for an easy walk?

Most state guides on this site flag which falls are reachable on a short, flat trail versus which require a real hike. Check the specific state guide's summary table for access details before you go.

We haven't visited these places ourselves, and every page says so rather than implying otherwise. Details are compiled from public land-manager, USGS and NOAA sources and cross-checked where possible; conditions, access rules and fees change without notice, so confirm with the managing agency before you go. Page last checked August 2026. Read our full methodology.