 | | Bridal Veil Fall -Yosemite National Park |
What makes a waterfall great? What makes for a "best" waterfall? There are probably as many different opinions of 'great' and 'best' as there are people asked. One thing is for sure -- there is something special and alluring about waterfalls. They make great destinations for hikes and subjects for photography. Our article is going to attempt to define what makes a "best" (and therefore 'great') waterfall.
We are going to get a few things out of the way at the beginning. Our opinions are just that -- our opinions. While we have visited many waterfalls in person and have seen hundreds of waterfalls on many web pages of the Internet, we make no claim that ours is the definitive answer to the ten 'best' waterfalls. We also make no claim that we have seen all the waterfalls there is to see. America is truly 'the beautiful' when it comes to the natural world. This country is full of great destinations with great waterfalls, regardless of the definition. We limited our ten best waterfalls to the continental US excluding Canada and Hawaii. There are very exhaustive waterfall web sites on the Internet. Visit some of them to develop your own opinions.
What is "Best"?
For the benefit of our article and to make some means of determining the order of our list of the ten best waterfalls, we had to come up with a working definition of a 'best' waterfall. We believe a 'best' waterfall should inspire the viewer, should not be seasonal (it should be relatively consistent year round) and it should be unique in some way. Several elements went into our decision to choose one waterfall over another. These are some of the variables of waterfalls -- magnitude, height, width, power, location, surroundings, type, volume, and if seasonal. Magnitude and power have to do with the force of the water. Height and width are obvious variables. By location we mean whether the waterfall is in the mountainous West or the forested East or the desert Southwest or the Northeast. We did not choose any certain number from the sections of the country. There are an overwhelming number of great, high waterfalls in the Yosemite area. Choosing the best of those was a difficult decision. In that instance our other criteria aided in making that and other decisions. We did not eliminate a waterfall because it was difficult to find. On the contrary, some of our waterfalls made the list because of where they are.
Type of waterfall refers to whether the waterfall is tiered, a cascade or plunging. The plungers tend to be more dramatic and spectacular. Volume and seasonal are also obvious and are related to each other. Most waterfalls have better viewing times throughout the year. We tried to choose those that were not seasonal.
Our "Best" Ten
 | | Horseshoe Falls at Niagara Falls |
Our list of the ten 'best' waterfalls will go in descending order. At the end of our article we will list a few "honorable mention" waterfalls that were so good we just had to give them some recognition.
Number one is the waterfall by which all others are rated and measured -- Niagara Falls. Even though Niagara is partly in Canada and the US, it still makes our list as #1. Many waterfalls are billed as "Niagara of the west or south or whatever", but there is only one Niagara and therefore is our Number One. There are reasons why Niagara is the basis for comparison. Huge. Magnificent. Breathtaking. In every sense Niagara has all the characteristics that makes it our “best” waterfall.
Niagara is a triple falls -- Horseshoe on the Canadian side and Rainbow and Bridal Veil on the US side. Horseshoe and Rainbow are impressive. The Canadian Horseshoe Falls plunges one hundred seventy feet. On the American side Rainbow’s water plunges at a range of from seventy to one hundred ten feet to the rocks at its base. To get an idea of the volume of Niagara Falls, more than 6 million cubic feet of water go over the falls every minute during peak daytime tourist hours.
 | | Yosemite Falls, California |
Our pick for Number Two best waterfall is Yosemite Falls of California. We are combining the Upper and Lower into one falls although both exist and both in their own right would make our ten best list. But since this is our list, and if we combine the two, it makes space for another great waterfall to be ranked. Yosemite has a combined height of 1750 feet (Upper Yosemite at 1430 feet and Lower Yosemite at 320 feet) and is set against the magnificent backdrop of Yosemite National Park. The watercourse for this falls is Yosemite Creek. Although Yosemite Falls does not hold the same volume yearlong (most waterfalls do not), it makes up for any lack of volume during the spring.
The waterfall making our Number Three rating is Multnomah Falls in Oregon's Columbia Gorge. From either side of Columbia Gorge, you can see the stately column that is Multnomah Falls as it plunges 620 feet from high moss-clad cliffs to the river below. The falls actually spills down in two tiers, the first 542 feet, the second 68. A pedestrian bridge crosses in front of the top of the lower level, so close that you'll get damp walking by. Another vantage point is a little more distant and dry. To get to Multnomah Falls, drive east from Portland on Interstate 84 to the Multnomah Falls exit and follow directions.
Our Number Four best waterfall is Bridal Veil Falls also in Yosemite National Park. Bridal Veil Falls – such a popular name among waterfalls -- softly plunges six hundred twenty feet. Travelers arriving from the south see this waterfall first.
 | | Multnomah Falls |
Another waterfall in Yosemite making our top ten list at Number Five is Nevada Falls. The Merced River contains a series of falls – Nevada, Vernal and Illilouette. Vernal Falls is our Number Six best waterfall. So we will describe Nevada and Vernal together. One of the best day-long hikes in Yosemite is to take the Panorama Trail from Glacier Point down past Illilouette Falls, along the edge of Panorama Cliff to the top of Nevada Falls, then down the Mist Trail past Vernal Falls to Happy Isles. Arrange a car shuttle, or take the bus, so you can do this one way (downhill) - it looses over 3500 feet of altitude.
Nevada Falls at 594 feet is another beautiful waterfall. There is a deep green pool just above the falls in which hikers wade and sometimes swim despite the warning signs. "IF YOU SLIP AND GO OVER THE WATERFALL YOU WILL DIE." Vernal Falls, whose name means “springtime,” is 317 feet. The valley below the falls is kept ‘spring-like’ by the mist of the falls.
Yellowstone Falls is our Number Seven waterfall of the US. Again we are combining a falls’ upper and lower portion into one. The Lower Falls - 308 Feet – is viewable from the roadside or by hiking a short distance. Uncle Tom's Trail provides a unique, up close view, of this grand display. The Upper Falls drops 109 feet and is viewable from the roadside or from a 1/8-mile hike. Upper Falls is a magnificent display at the head of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It is often overlooked because of its proximity to its greater downstream sibling, Lower Falls. As a side note, sandwiched between Upper and Lower Falls is another waterfall -- the graceful Crystal Falls.
 | | Yellowstone Upper Falls |
Moving toward the end of our top ten list is Number Eight – Snoqualmie Falls in Washington State is twenty-five miles east of Seattle. The waterfall plunges from the Snoqualmie River two hundred sixty-eight feet into a sixty-five foot deep pool. The volume fluctuates throughout the year. Snoqualmie Falls is one of Washington State’s most popular scenic attractions. There is an observation platform 300 feet above the Snoqualmie River, a restaurant and a luxurious lodge for guests. Salish Lodge and Spa is unique in offerings and location.
When enjoying the falls from the park, visitors may not be aware of the two power plants under the falls. The power plants provide 41,990 kilowatts of electricity, enough energy to serve 16,000 homes. Built in 1898, it was truly an engineering marvel, requiring excavation through solid rock. Both the National Register of Historic Places and the American Society of Civil Engineers have recognized Snoqualmie's Plant 1 site as an historic landmark. It was the world's first completely underground electric generating facility. Nearly a century after start up, the four original Plant 1 generators are still producing power. Even though Snoqualmie Falls is a developed area, the size and the history associated with its power plants make this falls notable.
Washington State is the location of the Number Nine best waterfall – Rainbow Falls.
There are at least four “rainbow falls” in Washington State. This ‘Rainbow Falls’ is near Stehekin on Lake Chelan. Part of the attraction of Rainbow Falls is its surroundings. Stehekin is a remote, wilderness village, located at the head of 55-mile long Lake Chelan. Surrounded by the mountain peaks of the North Cascades National Park, there are no roads to Rainbow Falls. Because of the sheer walls of Lake Chelan, the only way in and out of Stehekin is by boat, floatplane or by foot. About 80 people live year around in Stehekin, many of them descendents of the original pioneer families who settled the area over a century ago.
Rainbow Falls is accessible by hikers from one of several trails of the area. The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail passes through the North Cascades National Park near Rainbow Falls. From Chelan along US Highway 97 visitors can either take a toll ferry for the fifty-five mile trip up Lake Chelan to Rainbow Falls of charter a floatplane. The Lake Chelan Boat Company has several boats with a variety of schedules for seeing Lake Chelan and Stehekin. Rainbow Falls is near Stehekin.
To locate our Number Ten best waterfall in the US one must cross the country to the waterfall-dominated Western United States. Eastern waterfalls are different critters than their western relatives, mainly because of the contrast of terrains of the two sections of the country. While the majority of our top ten waterfalls are in the western part of the country in areas characterized by rugged mountains, only two are located in the eastern portion. Along with Niagara, the one waterfall that is the basis of comparison of most of the others, Cumberland Falls in south central Kentucky makes our list as Number Ten. Cumberland Falls is called the “Niagara of the South” and has a special distinction that qualifies it for our top ten list. Cumberland Falls is sixty feet tall with a width of about one hundred twenty feet. That hardly qualifies it as a large waterfall. It flows year-round and is an impressive waterfall. That qualifies it for our list. But the feature that makes Cumberland Falls distinctive is its moonbow.
Cumberland is the only waterfall in the Western Hemisphere that regularly exhibits a moonbow on clear nights with a full moon. Other waterfalls have moonbows that appear on occasion, but not with the consistency that Cumberland Falls does. Check out the Kentucky State park website for a schedule of moonbows.
Honorable Mentions
There is a selection of waterfalls that are just too good to pass up without mentioning them. It was a very difficult task to choose the best waterfalls of the US. However, some had to be left out. So our putting them in this category is our way of saying these waterfalls are also great but do not exactly meet all the criteria for our "best". Among them are: Palouse Falls in Washington State; Havasu Falls in Arizona; Upper Mesa Falls of Idaho; Shoshone Falls of Idaho; and Illilouette Falls of Yosemite.
In Washington State long ago, glacial floods formed a series of waterfalls along the Palouse River before it entered the Snake River. Palouse Falls, with a height of 198 feet, is the only one that remains today and is most spectacular in the spring and early summer. The landscape around Palouse Falls makes this waterfall an honorable mention. The Palouse River chiseled out a path along the moon-like landscape of the area creating a stark contrast with its surroundings. It is a picturesque waterfall located in a very rugged and unique portion of Eastern Washington. Palouse Falls State Park is located along Washington State Highway 261 near Lyons Ferry State Park and the Snake River
The two major attractions of Arizona’s Havasu Falls are its setting and the difficulty at getting to it. That is not to say that any hard to reach waterfall will make the list. (It also is not to say that there may not be a waterfall overlooked BECAUSE it was difficult to get to.) Havasu Falls is located in the Havasu Canyon, which is a part of the Grand Canyon. The Havasupai Tribe owns this remote area. This is not a waterfall viewable alongside a roadway. The trail to Havasu Falls is twenty-two miles roundtrip, 8 miles to the village of Supai and another 3 miles to the falls and campground.
Supai is a remote village and is home to some 500 Havasupai Indians. All their supplies (including the mail) are brought in by helicopter or horseback. Upon arrival in Supai, stop by the visitor center and pay the twelve-dollar entrance fee for the privilege of hiking another three miles into the canyon to the campground and waterfalls. There are four waterfalls in the canyon – Navajo Falls, Havasu Falls, Mooney Falls (twice as high as Havasu), and Beaver Falls. We selected Havasu Falls rather than one of the others because of its setting and beauty -- towering cliffs, lush landscape and an awesome waterfall plunging into a blue-green pool.
To get there, from Interstate 40 arriving from the East take Exit 123 on Arizona 66 near Seligman and head northwest. From the West take Exit 53 Highway 66 at Kingman. Watch for a small sign pointing the way to Supai. The Hualapai Hilltop and start of the trail is another 63 miles, and about 325 miles from Phoenix.
Upper Mesa Falls and Shoshone Falls of Idaho and Illilouette Falls of California are also Impressive waterfalls, but we limited our selection to the top ten waterfalls; so many have to be omitted.
Our selection of the ten “best” waterfalls of the US was a labor of love. We understand there would probably be as many different ‘ten best’ as there are writers that would attempt such a quest. Additionally, there are waterfalls that were probably overlooked, but we think these ten waterfalls are among the very best in the country.
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