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💦 Best Waterfall Hikes to Explore

Mapped routes where a named waterfall is part of the hike

Compare waterfall hikes from across the directory by distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty. Every route in this shortlist has a traceable source, mapped geometry, an elevation profile and a waterfall reference in its route name. Conditions change quickly around falling water, so check local access and weather before setting out.

Updated September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

1.5 km

Crap da Sass - Ova dal Sagl (Wasserfall)

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

10 m

Crap da Sass - Ova dal Sagl (Wasserfall)

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Compare the top 10

Start with the effort involved, then open a route for its map and full guide.

Distance, ascent, estimated moving time, difficulty and season field for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentEst. timeDifficultySeason field
Upper Cascade Falls TrailColorado4.9 km784 m2 hr 12 minModerateJuly to September
Beacon Falls Yellow TrailConnecticut2.8 km153 m49 minModerateApril to October
Crap da Sass - Ova dal Sagl (Wasserfall)Grisons1.5 km10 m20 minModerateJune to October
Eienwäldli - WasserfallObwalden2.1 km47 m31 minEasyApril to October
Holzkapelle - WasserfallObwalden2.0 km47 m30 minEasyApril to October
Turkington Falls LoopConnecticut1.5 km22 m21 minEasyApril to October
Lava Falls TrailArizona2.3 km52 m33 minModerateApril to October
Mill Creek Falls TrailCalifornia2.5 km134 m44 minModerateJune to October
Lower Cascade Falls TrailColorado1.3 km38 m20 minModerateJuly to September
Barranco y cascada del ArqueroAragon5.0 km673 m2 hr 3 minModerateApril to October

All waterfall hikes in the shortlist

Moderate

Upper Cascade Falls Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
4.9 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
784 m
Typical duration
2 hr 12 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Moderate

Beacon Falls Yellow Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
153 m
Typical duration
49 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Eienwäldli - Wasserfall

Obwalden · Switzerland

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
47 m
Typical duration
31 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Holzkapelle - Wasserfall

Obwalden · Switzerland

Distance
2.0 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
47 m
Typical duration
30 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Turkington Falls Loop

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
22 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Lava Falls Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.3 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
52 m
Typical duration
33 min
  • Waterfall
  • Mountain
Moderate

Mill Creek Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
134 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • River
Moderate

Lower Cascade Falls Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
38 m
Typical duration
20 min
  • Waterfall
  • Mountain
Moderate

Barranco y cascada del Arquero

Aragon · Spain

Distance
5.0 km
/ 3.1 mi
Elevation gain
673 m
Typical duration
2 hr 3 min
  • Waterfall
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Castle and ruins
Moderate

Dawn Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
266 m
Typical duration
51 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Easy

Falls Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
15 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • Waterfall
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Falls Trail

Georgia · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
56 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Waterfall
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Little Falls Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
32 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • Waterfall
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Tokopah Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
188 m
Typical duration
55 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Rainbow Falls in Mammoth Lakes
Moderate

Rainbow Falls Wagon Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
90 m
Typical duration
31 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Moderate

Berry Creek Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
43 m
Typical duration
23 min
  • Waterfall
  • River
The ravine of Roaring Brook Falls.
Moderate

Roaring Brook Falls Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
115 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • River
Arethusa Falls, Arethusa Falls Trail, Hart's Location
Moderate

Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail

New Hampshire · United States

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
204 m
Typical duration
1 hr 6 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Conway Scenic Railway, Arethusa Falls Trail, Hart's Location, New Hampshire, United States
Moderate

Arethusa Falls Trail

New Hampshire · United States

Distance
2.0 km
/ 1.2 mi
Typical duration
25 min
  • Waterfall
Rainbow Falls in Mammoth Lakes
Moderate

Rainbow Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
180 m
Typical duration
52 min
  • Waterfall
Moderate

Cascade Trail

New Hampshire · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
61 m
Typical duration
26 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Moderate

Valley Falls Loop Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
5.4 km
/ 3.4 mi
Elevation gain
157 m
Typical duration
1 hr 22 min
  • Waterfall
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Seven Falls Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
63 m
Typical duration
28 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Forest
Easy

Grand Falls Trail

Maine · United States

Distance
6.2 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
80 m
Typical duration
1 hr 25 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Moderate

Falls Trail Loop

California · United States

Distance
9.5 km
/ 5.9 mi
Elevation gain
580 m
Typical duration
2 hr 50 min
  • Waterfall
Moderate

Goose Creek Falls Trail

Idaho · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • River
Moderate

Keown Falls Trail

Georgia · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
47 m
Typical duration
19 min
  • Waterfall
Moderate

High Falls Trail - East

Minnesota · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
161 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Waterfall
Thunderbird Falls
Moderate

Thunderbird Falls Trail

Alaska · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
56 m
Typical duration
19 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Mooney Falls after Flooding
Moderate

Beaver Falls Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.3 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
630 m
Typical duration
1 hr 38 min
  • Waterfall

More collections

Plan with more confidence

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Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

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Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

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Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

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