Waterfall Hikes

A local expert shares her secrets on finding the state's best waterfalls—from easy walks to more adventurous tours deep in the mountains.

Waterfalls aren't summer-only destinations—these cascades are even cooler when frozen in the winter.

Follow this loop mixing on- and off-trail travel through vibrant wildflower displays and past snow-fed streams to a huge alpine lake with unbeatable campsite views of Mount Meeker.

No two waterfalls are exactly alike, but these will always capture our imagination.

California’s oldest state park hides champion old-growth redwoods in tight gorges and steep, mossy canyons threaded with waterfalls.

We've got your picks for the best after work, day-long, and overnight trips near Beantown, including the White Mountains, Blue Hills, and more.

This hiking and camping trip is filled with water falls that gush over into a valley 200 feet below and a 2,000 foot sentinal panoramic view.

This beautiful 4.3-mile loop adjacent to the Illinois River adds welcome relief--waterfalls, sculpted sandstone canyons, and impressive overlooks--to the usually pancake-flat landscape.

Explore 4.4 miles through old growth timber to a glacier-carved lake on this family-friendly hike in the Cascade Mountains.

Visit a lesser-known treasure of Harriman State Park on this 5.7-mile jaunt, which contours through hilly hardwood forest and along cascading creeks to a few peaceful ponds.

This steep 7.8-mile hike climbs through deep forest and alpine tundra to the summit of one of New Hampshire's famed Presidentials for views as far as Maine.

Walk 6.8 miles out and back on a rocky singletrack path into an intimate ravine streaming with cold, blue mountain waters. The hike ends at a quiet Appalachian high point.

Climb past cascading waterfalls, alongside rocky ledges, and over three exposed summits on this 7.8-mile loop, which offers some of the best views in the White Mountains.

Solitude rules on this 9.4-mile out-and-back hike along Little Kachess Lake to rock gardens ablaze with wildflowers,giant green forests, and a quiet lakeside hideout.

Switchback 1,800 vertical feet to a sapphire-blue glacial lake in the shadow of Mt. Index on this moderate 6.4-mile round trip- with a killer picnic at Bridal Veil Falls.

This moderate 7.9-mile loop descends into lush tunnels of rhododendron, then rises to lofty views of endless forest in Fort Mountain State Park.

This preserve offers plenty of big city escape. Shady forests, gentle waterfalls, and a lofty vista over the Des Plaines River are just a few stops along this 10.1-mile multi-use loop.

This easy 4.7-mile route loops past Sycamore Canyon Falls and the shady bottom of Big Sycamore Canyon.

This challenging 2,000-foot climb coils through 7.9 miles of mixed forest then unloads killer views from the tops of two favorite local peaks.

This 6.2-mile out-and-back follows the new Ira Spring Memorial Trail, which winds for 3.2 miles above Snoqualmie Valley, ending at picturesque Mason Lake.

This all-season, 7-mile loop in the Boulder River Wilderness gently ascends through fast-growing (and fast-falling) alders, fragrant cedars, and rugged Douglas firs.

Camp under sharp peaks and sharper stars on this 4-day, 20-mile tour along the eastern edge of Yosemite National Park. Summits, swimming holes, and trout abound.

Climb two peaks, then return through an abandoned village on this historic 6.2-mile loop in Bear Mountain State Park.

Hike, ski, or bike a hidden pocket of sylvan wilderness just an hour from Manhattan.

Waterfalls, lush forests, and magnificent creekside views make this 5-mile out-and-back through Cliff Falls Wilderness a superb dayhike in northern Georgia.

This 14.4-mile loop starts in a lush canyon framed by a secluded waterfall, then ascends to a mellow ridgeline in the Santa Ana foothills.

Nestled in a quiet corner of the Cohutta Wilderness, this 10.2-mile out-and-back features giant hardwood stands, waterfalls, and a remote mountain campsite.

This romantic 6.1-miler follows Lovers Lane Trail to four waterfalls and countless cool swimming holes set in the deep forests of Olympic National Park.

KENNEDY MEADOWS to TUOLUMNE MEADOWS: The highlight reel of this 209-mile section includes three national parks, several high passes with heavenly views, two stunning wilderness areas, and not a single road. Option: Detour up Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the Lower 48.

Walk 8.2 miles through blooming rhododendron patches and towering hemlock stands to a double-spouted waterfall in Chattahoochee National Forest.

Where do the locals go? To the lovely waterfalls, big ocean views, and hidden ruins on this 4.3-mile dayhike in the Santa Monica Mountains.

The must-see list for this 5.7-mile dayhike to Glacier Gorge is long: raging waterfalls, alpine lakes, and a skyline of humbling mountain views.

Count five waterfalls--including one of Georgia's most scenic--on this 10.8-miler in Chattahoochee National Forest. Go midweek for more solitude.

Trek across vibrant wildflower meadows to two alpine lakes tucked into a rocky chasm below Mt. Massive on this 5.8 miler outside Leadville.

This mostly forested loop climbs 1,250 feet to three misty waterfalls and dynamite views of the Olympic Mountains.

Wooded lakeshores. Civil War hotspots. A giant granite mountain. This 7.4-mile hike tops out with peerless views of rolling green Piedmont from the summit of an open dome east of Atlanta.

Head to the dark hills of Black Rock Mountain State Park for a 6.3-mile loop along soothing mountain streams to lookouts with classic Appalachian views.

Trail run or hike on this 3.8-mile woodland loop past granite outcrops and small cascades to the floodplain of the Ocmulgee River.

Go from rocky canyons to desert slickrock to an off-trail overlook with five-star views on this 5.6 mile-trek starting in Lost Dutchman State Park.

This 11-miler traverses four mountains and passes the faded remains of settlements and iron mines. Along the way, you'll skirt the base of Fitzgerald Falls.

This 16.3-mile shuttle hike splashes through the Jacks River region (read: 40-plus creek crossings) in the Cohutta Wilderness Area.

Test your limits on this New York backcountry challenge.

This 5.9-mile loop is great for eager flatlanders who are acclimating to the thin Rocky Mountain air.

This 10-mile trek down the East Fork of the San Gabriel River ends at the 120-foot-high Bridge to Nowhere, a popular bungee jumping destination.

Immerse yourself (literally) in the crystal clear waters of the Coconino National Forest on this multi-day amphibious trek that features classic—and unavoidable—canyon swims.

Climb over the picturesque north face of Mount Wilson, the site of a historic observatory, on this 11-mile loop in L.A.'s San Gabriel Mountains.

Splash through a pink slot canyon in the Salome Wilderness Area on this fun canyoneering route.

Stunning views of Weavers Needle and a fun, route-finding slickrock descent make this 4.6-mile Superstition Wilderness loop a Phoenix-area favorite.

Trace a mountain stream through knee-high grasslands and shady aspen groves to a 20-foot waterfall on this moderate 6.2-miler in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Find solitude less than an hour from 20 million Angelenos on a 14-mile out-and-back peppered with fishing spots, waterfalls and rock pools.

Soak in a series of refreshing swimming holes in Sequoia National Park.

Trek past cloud-scraping peaks and shimmering lakes en route on this 8.1-miler in the untamed Indian Peaks Wilderness.

A lush, green garden of waterfalls and giant pools awaits on the dells of Matthiessen State Park; this route tacks on a bluff-top viewpoint for 5.8-miles of prime Illinois day-hiking.

Just a 30-minute trek from downtown, this short-and-steep trail lands at the base of Cornet Falls, an 80-footer that is one of Telluride's most accessible cascades.

Warm up to Telluride's steep ascents with this mellow 4.5-miler that climbs steadily along Bear Creek to a 100-foot falls in the Uncompahgre National Forest.

Five-star mountain views, two alpine lakes, and gold mine relics highlight this 4.5-mile out-and-back near Breckenridge, Colorado.

Dip into 7 water-carved canyons on this 7.3-mile lollipop loop through the quieter side Starved Rock State Park. Soaring cascades (and a steep, stair-step climb) will take your breath away.

Wind, twist, bob and weave. This 2.7-mile loop on the west side of Starved Rock State Park hits some of the state’s most dramatic sandstone canyons, rocky cliffs, and wooded bluffs—all alongside the mighty Illinois River.

This 21.5-mile clockwise loop in Grand Canyon National Park strings together faint trails and an Eden of waterfalls and swimming holes.

Get up close and personal with 220-foot Whiskeytown Falls on this 3.1-miler in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.

Take in the iconic McWay Falls with Big Sur, a California treasure.

On this four-day trip through the Clark Range, push deep into Yosemite's backcountry to discover a wonderland of slickrock waterfalls, pristine alpine lakes and jagged peaks.

Tour glacial valleys and navigate to off-trail lakes and waterfalls on this six-day circuit in Rocky Mountain National Park.