Are you the kind of traveler who simply falls for a fully-rushing waterfall? With the winter snow and frozen lakes and rivers melting, now is really the time to make your travel plans. In order to help you with that difficult task, here are the best US national parks for waterfalls.

The Best US National Parks For Waterfalls

1. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

The 25 active glaciers here make this park one of the best places for waterfalls. As the glaciers melt, they feed over 150 waterfalls and cascades. Many are over 300 feet high.

You can actually see a number of them from specific viewpoints at the side of the road. To see others, you’ll have to do some hiking. Myrtle Falls is an example of the latter. Narada Falls is a good example of the former. Like many waterfalls, the best time to visit them is from spring to early fall. Other noteworthy falls found here include Christine Falls, Comet Falls, and Silver Falls.  

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina, And Tennessee

This park is home to over 100 waterfalls and cascades. The park is fairly riddled with over 2,000 miles of rivers and streams thanks to abundant rainfall and a reportedly “ideal elevation gradient.” While there are literally dozens of lesser cascades, the most popular are reported to be Abrams, Grotto, Laurel, and Rainbow Falls. The best time to see the falls is spring through early summer. You can camp here or even take a day trip out of nearby Asheville.

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Yosemite National Park, California

Situated east of San Francisco, Yosemite is home to a plethora of pretty waterfalls. Yosemite Falls, which drops 2,425 feet, is one of the world’s highest waterfalls. The best time to visit is usually May through June when most of the snow melts. If you visit in late spring, you can see the Yosemite Falls moonbow. (For those not in the know, a moonbow is a lunar rainbow that is actually created by moonlight instead of direct sunlight.) Other iconic falls here include Bridalveil Fall, Horsetail Fall, Nevada Fall, and Vernal Fall.  

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Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Most people probably don’t think about waterfalls when they think of the Grand Canyon, and yet Havasu Falls is truly an oasis within this arid, unforgiving landscape. It’s arguably one of the most spectacular waterfalls on the planet and is found in the Havasupai Indian Reservation, west of the Grand Canyon Village’s main tourist area on the South Rim. The Havasupai Tribe runs the reservation and getting to the falls requires some planning.  

Permits sell out quickly and you can make reservations starting in February. Day hiking is not permitted so plan on camping overnight. The best time to visit is in the spring.  

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Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Lovely Lower Doyles River Falls is perhaps the most beautiful waterfall in this park. Mind you, there are several stunning waterfalls here. The most easily accessible and popular of them all is Dark Hollow Falls.

If you’re up for an invigorating day hike past several waterfalls, head for Whiteoak Canyon. The trailheads are all found on surprisingly scenic Skyline Drive. The best time to see the falls here is spring through early summer. Be sure to see Rose River Falls, South River Falls, and (of course) Whiteoak Canyon Falls.

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Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

Nestled deep in the woods of this underrated national park, is beautiful Blue Hen Falls. You have to hike a short trail in but it’s nothing strenuous. Aside from the scenic waterfalls here, these protected lands also include noteworthy natural scenery, and wildlife too.

If you prefer, you can rent a bicycle here or even climb aboard the popular Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad to explore the park. The best time to visit is in the spring and fall. Be sure to see Brandywine Falls too!

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Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Idaho, And Montana

There is a trio of memorable waterfalls here in Yellowstone. Upper Yellowstone Falls (pictured) is but one of them. This vast national park is one of the best to visit in the spring. It is famous for more than waterfalls.  

There are wonderful hot springs and geysers, and wildlife such as American bison, grizzly bears, and wolves. Indeed, in comparison, the waterfalls are almost a well-kept secret. There are over 40 named waterfalls here and several more that are still unnamed.

Perhaps the most popular falls here are the Lower Falls in the well-known Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Check out the Kepler Cascades, the Undine Falls, and the Wraith Falls as well.

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Glacier National Park, Montana

Despite climate change, there are still approximately 37 glaciers here in Glacier National Park. While the glacial melt continues to feed lakes and streams here, the window to see waterfalls here is relatively narrow. So it’s important to remember that summer is the best time to chase waterfalls.    

Take a road trip and pencil in some time to cruise the great Going-to-the-Sun Road. It is said by some sources to be “one of the best roads” in the US national parks. More importantly, it is here on this drive that you will come across a number of different hiking trails that specifically lead to some wonderful waterfalls. Veteran visitors suggest seeing the McDonald Falls, the St. Mary Falls, and the Virginia Falls as well.

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Olympic National Park, Washington

This park has everything needed for waterfall hunting including epic coastlines, massive mountain ranges, and primeval forests. There’s also plenty of water and a lot of places where it can go rushing down. The Sol Duc Falls is reported to be one of the park’s top attractions. Other waterfalls worth checking out include Donahue Creek, Madison, Marymere, and Royal Basin. Be sure you visit sometime in the spring or early fall.

There you have it, fellow frequent flyers, the best US national parks for chasing waterfalls. Did we mention your favorite? Let us know in the comments section below! 

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