Waterfalls never cease to amaze us. It seems whenever a waterfall is spotted, the grace, power and beauty of these natural wonders elicit awe and appreciation for nature. Yes, mother nature can certainly cook up some incredible spectacles that make us stop, stare, photograph and bask in the moment. Here are 17 waterfalls in the United States that certainly fit the bill of awe-inspiring.
Some of these are well known worldwide and others are slightly off the beaten path. See which ones you’ve visited and discover new ones you might not have seen before as we explore some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the United States.
1. Bridal Veil Falls, Provo, Utah
Bridal Veil Falls is a 607-foot-tall (185 m) double cataract waterfall in the south end of Provo Canyon, close to US189 in Utah, United States.
2. Bond Falls, Ontonagon County, Michigan – 17 Beautiful Waterfalls in the United States
Bond Falls is a waterfall on the middle branch of the Ontonagon River, a few miles east of Paulding in Haight Township in southern Ontonagon County, Michigan. The site is near U.S. Highway 45 in the western portion of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The waterfalls are listed by the state of Michigan as the Bond Falls Scenic Site.
3. Havasu Falls, Grand Canyon
Havasu Falls is a waterfall of Havasu Creek, located in the Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States. It is within Havasupai tribal lands.
4. Wailua Falls, Kauai, Hawaii – 17 Beautiful Waterfalls in the United States
Wailua Falls is a 173 foot waterfall located near Lihue (Kauai, Hawaii) that feeds into the Wailua River. The waterfall is prominently featured on the opening credits of the television series Fantasy Island.
5. Burney Falls, Shasta County, CA
Burney Falls is a waterfall on Burney Creek, within McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, in Shasta County, California. The water comes from underground springs above and at the falls, which are 129 feet high, and provides an almost constant flow rate of 379 million litres per day, even during the dry summer months. Burney Creek is a tributary of the Pit River, with its mouth on the Lake Britton reservoir to the north.
6. Snoqualmie Falls, WA – 17 Beautiful Waterfalls in the United States
Snoqualmie Falls is a 268-foot (82 m) waterfall in the northwest United States, located east of Seattle on the Snoqualmie River between Snoqualmie and Fall City, Washington. It is one of Washington’s most popular scenic attractions, but is perhaps best known internationally for its appearance in the cult television series Twin Peaks. More than 1.5 million visitors come to the Falls every year, where there is a two-acre (0.8 ha) park, an observation deck, and a gift shop.
7. Great Falls Park, Virginia
Great Falls Park is a small National Park Service (NPS) site in Virginia, United States. Situated on 800 acres (3.65 km2) along the banks of the Potomac River in northern Fairfax County, the park is a disconnected but integral part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
8. Cedar Falls Hocking Hills State Park, OH – 17 Beautiful Waterfalls in the United States
Hocking Hills State Park is a non-contiguous state park in the Hocking Hills region of Hocking County, Ohio, United States; it is contiguous with the Hocking State Forest. Within the park are several spectacular rock formations.
9. Myrtle Falls, Mount Rainier National Park
Located in the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park, from Paradise Inn follow signs toward the Skyline Trail or Golden Gate Trail. The falls are located 0.4 miles along the trail. A short spur trail to the right leads to a scenic viewpoint of the falls.
10. Rainbow Falls, Manitou Springs, CO – 17 Beautiful Waterfalls in the United States
Rainbow Falls is a waterfall located on Fountain Creek in Manitou Springs, Colorado. These falls are known for the large amount of graffiti painted on the canyon walls and bridge overpass. The falls’ plunge is located beneath a bridge that links Manitou Avenue to Highway 24. The trail head to the falls is located on a 180 degree bend in Serpentine Drive, about a half mile off of HWY 24 across from the entrance to the Cave of the Winds.
11. Upper Whitewater Falls – North Carolina
Upper Whitewater Falls is a waterfall in North Carolina on the Whitewater River. As with most of North Carolina’s waterfalls, it is in the mountainous area of the state. There is a cluster of falls in the area where the borders of Georgia and the Carolinas come together. Whitewater Falls is part of that group, very close to the South Carolina border.
12. Great Falls Paterson, New Jersey – 17 Beautiful Waterfalls in the United States
The Great Falls of the Passaic River is a prominent waterfall, 77 feet (23 m) high, on the Passaic River in the city of Paterson in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States.
13. Minnehaha Falls, Georgia
Minnehaha Falls is a series of cascades located on Falls Creek in Rabun County, Georgia. The waterfalls descend about 100 feet over a stepped rock formation. The falls are near Lake Rabun, within the boundaries of the Chattooga River Ranger District of the Chattahoochee National Forest.
14. The Broadmoor Seven Falls Colorado Springs, Colorado – 17 Beautiful Waterfalls in the United States
The Broadmoor Seven Falls Colorado Springs, Coloradois a series of seven cascading waterfalls of South Cheyenne Creek in South Cheyenne Cañon, Colorado Springs, Colorado. The sum of the height of the seven falls is 181 feet (55 m) and there are a total of 224 steps on the staircase from the base of the falls to the peak.
15. Silver Strand Falls – Yosemite National Park, CA
Silver Strand Falls drops 574 feet (175m) along Meadow Brook, at the western end of Yosemite Valley, within Yosemite National Park.[1] The falls are commonly thought to drop 1170 feet (356m); this is incorrect. The name Widow’s Tears had been applied to Silver Strand Falls in the past, but the lower-volume waterfall located one drainage to the east of Meadow Brook is now known as Widow’s Tears and is thought to drop 1,170 feet (360 m), hence the confusion regarding the height.
16. Brooks Falls – Katmai National Park and Preserve Alaska – 17 Beautiful Waterfalls in the United States
Brooks Falls is a waterfall located within Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Located on the Brooks River a mile and a half (2.4 km) from Brooks Lake and an equal distance from Naknek Lake, the falls are famous for watching salmon leap over the 6 foot (1.8 m) falls to get to their Brooks Lake spawning grounds.
17. Vernal Fall – Yosemite National Park, California
Vernal Fall is a 317-foot (96.6 m) waterfall on the Merced River just downstream of Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park, California. Like its upstream neighbor, Vernal Fall is clearly visible at a distance, from Glacier Point, as well as close up, along the Mist Trail.