Utah is a state generally regarded for its truly spectacular landscape, possessing many of the most inspiring features in the United States such as Zion and Bryce Canyons, Waterpocket Fold and the Great Salt Lake.  Utah is not, however, generally well regarded when it comes to waterfalls, yet the state holds a modest quantity of cascades despite its generally more arid climate.  Most of Utah’s waterfalls fall into two primary areas; the Uinta and Wasatch Mountains in the Ogden / Salt Lake / Provo corridor, and the canyonlands in the Zion area in the southwestern corner of the state, with individual waterfalls scattered in other areas as well.

The Uinta Mountains are the state’s tallest, with peaks topping out at over 13,000 feet, but as the mountains have been heavily glaciated in the past most of the valleys feature fairly flat profiles and the waterfalls occurring within them are resultantly not terribly large in either height or volume.  The Wasatch Mountains, on the other hand, feature the state’s biggest waterfalls – many of which are centered around Mount Timpanogos and Provo Canyon just outside of Provo and Orem.  These mountains are much younger and offer much more precipitous drops than their more easterly counterparts.  Both ranges collect a significant amount of winter snow, which fuels their respective waterfalls well into the summer months.

In the southern part of the state, the landscape is dominated by extensive canyonlands and an dry climate.  Perhaps the most spectacular canyons are those occupied by the Virgin River and its tributaries in Zion National Park.  While not nearly as vast and expansive as the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, Zion is arguably the most scenic canyon in the country, cutting as much as 3,000 feet deep into the Kolob Plateau.  Dozens of tributary streams drop into the various forks of the Virgin River, creating dozens of waterfalls in the process.  The tradeoff is that because precipitation is so infrequent here, most of these falls are dry for the majority of the year – flowing best during short-lived summer thunderstorms and immediately following periods of snow in the winter months.

Ultimately it’s the climate and not the terrain that determines the number of significant waterfalls in Utah.  The landscape is certainly there to promote falling water, but that the rainfall totals are generally lacking across much of the state there simply isn’t enough water to remain on the surface in many areas.  While parts of the Wasatch Mountains can receive upwards of 50 inches of precipitation annually, many other parts of the state see fewer than 10 inches.  This wide range of rainfall totals is perhaps the greatest factor in the limited number of waterfalls present in the state of Utah.  At the time of posting our data set we have 74 waterfalls inventoried in Utah, and though we expect to add more in the future, the number may not be too great.

We’ll be slowly filling in holes in the Utah data over the next several weeks, but if anyone has information to contribute, please feel free to help us patch up the gaps in our data.  Up next we’ll discuss the state’s best and most unique waterfalls.

10. Crypt Falls

The hike to Crypt Lake is among the most popular in Waterton Lakes National Park and perhaps one of the most unique hikes in all of the Canadian Rockies.  Starting off visitors are shuttled across Waterton Lake on a boat, then along the 7km climb several waterfalls are passed, culminating with the 575-foot drop of Crypt Falls veiling down the headwall of the valley.  Up close views are restricted because the trail enters a tunnel which bypasses the top of the falls in order to reach Crypt Lake just upstream from the cataract.

9. Caldron Falls

Nigel Falls

While most visitors admire 400-foot Caldron Falls from the Peyto Lake viewpoint some 3 kilometers distant, the falls are quite eye-catching and do their very best to draw the attention away from one of the signature views of the Canadian Rockies.  Those who have the leisure of hiking into the basin of Peyto Creek can observe the falls from a much closer vantage where its true size and power really comes into focus.

8. Nigel Falls

Clocking in at a comparatively modest 109 feet in height Nigel Falls isn’t exactly endowed with lofty stature, but the volume and force created as Nigel Creek hurtles into its lower canyon are indisputably impressive.  In addition to the falls making a powerful statement, the canyon into which it drops is visually quite stunning.  If the natural grandeur isn’t enough, the falls can be viewed framed by the historic steel arch bridge of the Icefields Parkway as it straddles the gorge almost immediately above the falls.

7. Balfour Creek Falls

Though relegated to being seen by just a few mountaineers who journey to the isolated northeastern corner of the Waputik Icefield every year, Balfour Creek Falls is undoubtedly among the most impressive in the Canadian Rockies.  It’s lack of notoriety stems more from the fact that it cannot be seen from any trail or any road, but if transportation across the cerulean waters of Hector Lake can be obtained, the falls will present themselves plunging off of the shelf harboring the Balfour Glacier in what could prove (upon a successfully thorough survey) to be one of the tallest waterfalls in Alberta.

6. Panther Falls

Panther Falls

Panther Falls is one of the most well known waterfalls in Alberta thanks to decades and decades of being advertised as much bigger than it really is, but Panther Falls should still be rightfully known as one of the best waterfalls in Alberta.  The booming waters of Nigel Creek funnels into a narrow gorge and explodes outward with such force that upon impacting a small ledge the falls literally vaporize into mist.  Viewing this spectacle from below is quite inspiring in itself, but getting up close with the falling water from behind its explosive spout (though this is not exactly safe to do) makes a visit much more special.

5. Geraldine Falls

The Geraldine Lakes trail presents a fairly easy opportunity for hikers to get into the high country of Jasper National Park, but it also allows up-close views of one of the province’s best waterfalls.  Between middle and lower Geraldine Lakes lie two significant waterfalls, the upper of which features a cumulative fall of about 500 feet, more than half of which falls in a single broad veiling fall.  Though the upper cascades account for a significant portion of the total drop, it’s the final tier which steals the show and sets the stage for comparisons around the rest of the province.

4. Sideways Falls

With the unique distinction as one of the most interesting waterfalls in the Canadian Rockies, as well as one of the best, Sideways Falls presents an opportunity to kill two birds with one proverbial stone.  Zigzagging down a narrow gorge in a lightning-bolt shape, the 349 foot falls present an eye-catching spectacle for motorists passing along the Icefields Parkway, but for those who make the short cross-country hike to the base of the falls the  power and grandeur of the cataract presents itself much more succinctly.

3. Fossil Falls

Athabasca Falls

Perhaps because it’s tucked deep in a side valley in one of the Canadian Rockies less visited parks, Fossil Falls is a waterfall of impressive caliber which doesn’t receive nearly the attention it deserves.  Aster Creek thunders down its headwall in about five distinct sections, featuring a limestone slot canyon near its brink, a resurgent feeder stream which plunges side-by-side with the second tier of the falls, a violent singular horsetail of about 300 feet, and a mini-amphitheater with a plunging final tier soaking the valley floor in mist.  The easiest views are from a distance but for those who venture closer the experience will be quite distinct.

2. Athabasca Falls

Athabasca Falls may be the most powerful waterfall in Alberta.  The 80 foot falls thunder into a narrow swirling gorge carved into the limestone bedrock, ensuring a constant thick mist is ejected into the air, soaking the hoards of tourists who swamp the falls every summer season. The falls are rightly a popular attraction along the Icefields Parkway – possibly the most overrun landmark in Jasper National Park – and though there is little chance to have the falls to yourself, it is worth visiting regardless of the size of the crowds.

Bow Glacier Falls

1. Bow Glacier Falls

Geologically speaking Bow Glacier Falls is a relatively infantile feature.  The Bow Glacier has steadily retreated since the little ice age maximum, when it covered Bow Glacier Falls and much of the valley below in ice hundreds of meters thick.  It wasn’t until the early 1900s that Bow Glacier Falls began to emerge as the glacier retreated, but once the head wall was revealed, the thunderous 505-foot tall waterfall it produced proved to be quite impressive.  For now the glacier continues to retreat, but one day it may advance again and the falls might be lost once more.

Back in June I had the opportunity to spend a couple weeks in Scandinavia and a solid seven days of that involved driving all over western Norway in search of as many of the country’s best waterfalls that I could squeeze in.  The weather was fantastic while I was in Sweden for the week prior, but as soon as I crossed into fjord country it started raining and basically didn’t stop.  This is, however, not a bad thing where waterfalls are concerned – there was a crapton of water.  Everywhere.  Living in Washington State has allowed me to become somewhat jaded about waterfalls because the Pacific Northwest harbors so many in terms of both quality and quantity.  On my first day in Norway I saw waterfalls which would make Washington’s Top 25 list which I had to basically ignore because “they weren’t big enough” (in actuality because I had no time to stop and photograph all the waterfalls I encountered).  There were literally waterfalls everywhere.  Everywhere.

I came back with approximately 9 gigabytes worth of pictures (I should have had double that, easy but the bad weather had other plans) and about 6 gigabytes worth of video – almost none of which I’ve edited yet.  The end result is we’ve just finished posting full survey reports for 86 of Norway’s best waterfalls – including Langfoss, Mardalsfossen, Vettisfossen, Vøringsfossen, Skytjefossen and Tjørnadalsfossen, among others, plus added a good dozen or so others to the database which we gathered some information on but couldn’t complete a proper survey for one reason or another.  Browse through the list of waterfalls we currently have online for Norway and look for the blue highlighted rows to see the cataloged entries.

Our full Norway data is still a long way from being completed, so if you know of a waterfall in Norway which you don’t currently see on our list, it’s coming.  It’s just going to be a while because we have probably another 3,000 records to sort through and add geodata to before we can upload it to the database.  So, for the time being, hopefully this will tide you all over.  I will be posting video when I can edit it together, but when that will be I’m not sure (hopefully some time over the winter).

For the next installment in our ongoing Mythbusting series, we’re going to be addressing one particularly widespread misconception regarding the stature of Alberta’s Panther Falls.

Is Panther Falls 600 feet tall / the 4^th Tallest Waterfall in Canada?

Unlike our previous article in this series on Della Falls, we don’t have to go anywhere as far in depth to address these claims.  Let’s start with the origins of this idea.  During the earlier days of our researching waterfalls, we frequently came across mention of Panther Falls being 600 feet tall in Almanacs, Encyclopedias and other such reference materials, but very little tangible evidence was presented to back this up.  Likewise the Atlas of Canada has listed – and continues to list – Panther Falls as dropping 600 feet (183m).

Figure 1: Panther Falls, allegedly 600 feet tall

As we discussed in our Della Falls article, sources of information such as a governing body are usually treated as trusted and accurate, so in continuing to list Panther Falls at 600 feet tall, readers would understandably come to believe that this was accurate information.  Additionally, the Atlas of Canada presents Panther Falls as the fourth tallest waterfall on this list, and though they do make the distinction that said list is selected waterfalls of Canada rather than the tallest waterfalls of Canada, some observers may not understand the distinction that the Atlas of Canada list is not all-inclusive right away and as a result may assume it to be a complete and accurate list.

So where did this idea come from?  The answer is not nearly as obvious as we’d like.  Our best guess stems from a hand-tinted photograph taken in 1907 by one Mary Schaffer which shows what appears to be nearby Sideways Falls – which itself is much taller than Panther Falls – and labels it as “Panther Falls?”, though we cannot confirm that it is indeed Sideways Falls (we can confirm that it is not Panther Falls though).  Considering the first time we visited Sideways Falls we attributed it a height of around 600 feet, it’s not unreasonable that a visitor at some point thought that waterfall to be around 600 feet tall and was confused about its name at the time and reported it to be Panther Falls.  This is merely conjecture though, and considering other photographs taken by the same photographer and dated at the same year show the correct Panther Falls labeled as such, we will operate under the assumption that Panther Falls has always been correctly identified as being along Nigel Creek.

Fortunately this is one case where we don’t have to spend a lot of time examining the evidence and presenting a case where we cannot provide specifics.  Survey members from the World Waterfall Database have visited Panther Falls on three separate occasions and were able to accurately measure the falls to stand 218 feet (66m) tall, so the idea that Panther Falls is 600 feet tall is pretty clearly wrong.  What is more puzzling however is that topographic maps very clearly show the drop of Nigel Creek to be nowhere near the suggested 600 foot loss that has been touted in the past, so the ultimate question becomes how did this idea of a 600 foot drop come to subsist for so long?  Unfortunately we simply can’t answer that question.

Figure 2: 1:20,000 scale Topographic Map showing Panther Falls. Notice the contour lines are 40m intervals and clearly do not account for 183m worth of drop on Nigel Creek at Panther Falls

On to our second point of attack, we address the more obvious.  If the Atlas of Canada’s list is indeed selected waterfalls rather than the final word, then we simply need to double check that Panther Falls is not the 4^th tallest waterfall in Canada.  Well, as is plainly seen by looking at our list of Tallest Waterfalls in Canada, Panther Falls doesn’t even come close to 4^th tallest – right now it lands around 190^th tallest, and that’s with data for only two provinces available (when Quebec, Labrador & Newfoundland, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories are added, expect its placement to drop considerably).  Right now we have 46 waterfalls inventoried at over 1,000 feet in height in Canada, and more will undoubtedly be added, so right there this claim is way, way off base.  Even if the original idea was that Panther Falls was the 4^th tallest free-falling waterfall in Canada, the criteria still doesn’t hold up for two reasons; 1) Panther Falls isn’t a free-fall of 600 feet, it’s a free-fall of just over 200 feet, and 2) if the name Panther Falls was originally meant to be applied to Sideways Falls, that waterfall is not free-falling either.  So pretty succinctly both of these ideas get tossed out the window.

Myth(s): Panther Falls is 600 feet tall and the 4^th tallest waterfall in Canada.

False (on both counts)

Like the previous claims we addressed regarding Della Falls being considered the tallest waterfall in Canada, the primary point of propagation of the claims surrounding Panther Falls seems to stem from information being disseminated by the Canadian Government.  Unfortunately we cannot determine with certainty the point of origin of their data, but it is pretty clear that their information is incorrect.  That no effort seems to have been taken to correct the error simply refutes the idea that a single source of information should not be viewed as accurate without proper evidence to back up the claims being made.

Maligne Canyon Falls, click for more

Waterfalls of Maligne Canyon

Found just outside of the town of Jasper in Jasper National Park, Maligne Canyon is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the park.  While there are numerous limestone slot canyons in the Canadian Rockies, Maligne Canyon is special for several reasons, but the most impressive feature is the slow resurgence of the Maligne River.  At the head of the canyon a small mountain stream plunges over several waterfalls – the largest about 75 feet tall.  As the canyon continues downstream, seeps and springs feed more and more water into the canyon and by the time it reaches its mouth 3km from the top, a full size river flows forth.  Where does the water come from?  The full size Maligne River actually sinks into the ground several kilometers upstream and remains so until it intersects the porous rock at the bottom of the canyon, providing an outlet.  Hiking down the trails along the canyon, watching the waterfalls steadily increase in volume over such a short distance is quite intriguing.

Vermilion Falls

Vermilion Falls is the northern most waterfall we currently have inventoried in Alberta and it really isn’t special in the sense that the other waterfalls on this list are, there is just one standout characteristic that makes Vermilion Falls unique: its size.  As the Peace River is one of Canada’s largest, the falls automatically become one of the most globally significant waterfalls based on volume.  But with a crest width of 1.8 kilometers (1.2 miles), the falls are also the widest waterfall in North America – twice the width of Niagara – that we are currently aware of.  However, since the falls are only 15-20 feet tall, Vermilion Falls is hardly the spectacle that Niagara is.

Michele Falls

Just east of Banff National Park and north of the David Thompson Highway is the popular Michele Lakes basin at the head of aptly named Waterfalls Creek.  The lakes are a favorite destination for heli-hiking in that the scenic quality of the Rockies parks remains while the red tape of landing aircraft do not.  As Waterfalls Creek flows out of the lower lake, it surges down a thousand-foot cliff, most of the water disappearing into a sink just after it starts to fall.  Halfway down the cliff, the entire stream bursts forth and veils visibly for the remainder of its descent.  While there are many waterfalls in the Canadian Rockies which feature such karst topography, this may be the tallest waterfall in Alberta (which we know of) which falls out of the side of a cliff in one drop.

North Saskatchewan Falls, click for more

North Saskatchewan Canyon

Similar to the aforementioned Maligne Canyon, the slot canyon along the North Saskatchewan River is carved into limestone, but this one differs from most of the other canyons in Jasper and Banff in that the river has cut such a narrow, twisting slot that the river can only be heard, not seen at the bottom of the gorge.  The canyon is so narrow in places – including at the waterfall at its head – that it is literally possible to jump across the gorge (though we would not recommend this, as falling in would be certain death).  Its possible to peer over the edge of the gorge where the river plunges in only to stare into blackness, with the echoing thunder of the falls swirling in your ear.

Weeping Wall

Weeping Wall is not a significant waterfall in most regards.  It usually flows throughout the summer, but only with noticeable vigor for a few months.  But while it may be minor in almost all characteristics, the simple configuration of the seemingly dozens and dozens of delicate strands of water dripping over the roughly 1,200 foot cliff make this location a popular stop along the Icefields Parkway.  During the winter the falls freeze into one of the most impressive collections of icicles in the Rockies.

Cascade Falls, click for more

Cascade Falls

Those traveling to Banff National Park from the Calgary area will be greeted by the sight of Cascade Falls springing out of the side of Cascade Mountain as they approach the town of Banff.  Fed by melting snow which percolates into crevices all over Cascade Mountain, the falls spring right out of the side of the mountain and skip nearly 1,000 feet down the side of the valley in a narrow ribbon.  During the winter the falls freeze into solid sheets of ice, providing one of the most popular destinations for ice climbing in the Banff area.

Grassi Lakes Falls

The Grassi Lakes are a moderately popular attraction found just outside of Canmore near the southern border of Banff National Park.  The two lakes – both of which are not much more than about 150 feet in diameter – produce a full size stream which calmly meanders from the lower lake and promptly veils over a rather impressive two-stepped waterfall of over 150 feet in height.  The reason the lakes are able to produce such a consistent volume of water is that the nearby Whiteman’s Pond, part of the Canmore Hydroelectric system, leeches water into the ground which then resurges in the Grassi Lakes.

Sideways Falls, click for more

Haig Glacier Falls

Haig Glacier Falls holds the distinction of being both one of the most significant waterfalls in Alberta in terms of height and volume, as well as possessing some of the most unique characteristics of any waterfall in the province.  The Upper Kananaskis River emerges from the Haig Glacier and flows through a barren outwash plain before beginning its descent down a twisted limestone slot.  As the river falls over a thousand feet down the canyon it drops through no less than three natural arches, as well as winding in and out of numerous stretches of slot canyon interspersed along the length of the falls.  Despite its size no trails lead to views of the falls and while the top of the falls is very close to the frequently used Haig Glacier Hut, extensive off-trail travel (in Grizzly Bear country no less) is necessary to actually see the falls.

Sideways Falls

One of the most aptly named waterfalls visible from the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park also does double duty as one of the most unique and most impressive waterfalls in Alberta.  Sideways Falls occurs along an unnamed branch of the North Saskatchewan River near Big Bend, emerging from a slot canyon in a series of sliding cascades which pitch over diagonally stratified bedrock.  Between each sliding “step” the water pools, which makes it appear as if the stream were falling in a stereotypical lightning-bolt shape.  At the bottom of this zigzagging pattern the stream is funneled into a narrow chute, from which it explodes into a powerful spout of water which shoots clear across the face of the canyon.  After all this has taken place, the falls lose much of there character, but still fall for several hundred more feet, dropping a total of 349 feet.

Cameron Falls - justbkos, flickr

Cameron Falls

Waterton Lakes National Park wraps around the southern edge of the Canadian length of the Rocky Mountains and visitors entering the small town of Waterton in the park will inevitably stumble across Cameron Falls.  While Cameron Creek is partially dammed above the falls to provide power to the town, Cameron Falls is a waterfall with a very distinct appearance at any time of the year.  The creek first slides down a long incline formed by diagonally uplifted bedrock.  Where the slide terminates the majority of the creek plunges over a sheer cliff, while a portion of it runs along a chute with the grain of the rock, then when it can’t slide any further plunges in parallel to the main creek.  Both plunges then hit on a second diagonal shelf, which allows part of the water to essentially flow behind one of the plunging parts of the falls.  Pictures do a much better job of explaining what happens, so we’ll just leave it at this is a waterfall you’ll want to see.

As Canada’s 4^th most populace province, Alberta is generally known more for its rolling farmlands, vast oil and natural gas reserves and the 1984 Winter Olympic games, but not so much for waterfalls.  However, with the southwestern edge of the province running down the spine of the Rocky Mountains, there are actually a decent number of waterfalls to be found – all of the province’s waterfalls with three or four exceptions are found in the Rockies.  To date we have 239 waterfalls inventoried within Alberta, and undoubtedly more will be added in the future.

As the majority of the Canadian Rockies are composed of Limestone and Marble, the geology of the waterfalls in Alberta is largely related to erosion of soluble bedrock.  Many of the most famous waterfalls in Jasper and Banff National Parks – arguably the crown jewels of the Canadian national park system – have been formed by their respective rivers wearing down canyons in fractures in the bedrock.  Several of the most famous tourist destinations in the Rockies parks feature waterfalls – Maligne Canyon, Athabasca Falls, Sunwapta Falls, Mistaya Canyon and Johnston Canyon all offer impressive waterfalls at their heads.  The tallest waterfalls in the province stem from melt from glaciers perched high up on the tallest peaks in the mountain range, but because of both the extensive glaciation in the past and the softer bedrock, the waterfalls on the Alberta side of the continental divide are not nearly as tall as those on the British Columbia side and as such Alberta’s waterfalls are simply not as big as those in the neighboring province.  Heading east from the Rockies, the terrain flattens out and becomes as anti-waterfall as possible.  Only two waterfalls are known to occur east of Edmonton, both of which occurring on a large river far in the northern part of the province.

Alberta is the final of our launch-day ready data to be discussed.  We’ll be posting three more articles related to Alberta’s waterfalls and then start getting into the new data.

10. Angeline Falls

Deep in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Angeline Lake offers up a waterfall of a stature not commonly seen outside of the rugged glaciated parts of the North Cascades.  Rather than flowing down a ice-shrouded mountainside, Angeline Falls percolates from the subterranean outlet of Angeline Lake and veils 450 vertical feet in a 100-foot wide curtain of water.  The lake-waterfall-lake pattern exhibited here is actually common in the Alpine Lakes area, but nowhere else to as grand an effect as with Angeline Falls.

Bridal Veil Falls, click for more

9. Bridal Veil Falls

As one of the closest “tall” waterfalls to the Puget Sound metropolitan area, Bridal Veil Falls is widely revered as a quality destination for hiking, yet few visitors actually grasp the true magnitude of the falls.  Dropping out of aptly named Lake Serene Bridal Veil Falls drops for a total of just over 1,300 feet, with its two most prominent tiers standing about 650 feet alone.  Viewed from below, each tier displays as multiple braids veiling over dark granite cliffs, allowing a level of intimacy not usually afforded to waterfalls of similar height.

8. Multnomah Falls

For the same reason that Idaho has only one representative on this Top 10 list, Oregon too only harbors one waterfall which can hold a candle to those in Washington State: the famous Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge.  With a total drop of 635 feet and a single, uninterrupted free-fall of 542 feet, Multnomah Falls is among the tallest free-falling waterfalls in the United States.  Its location just 45 minutes from downtown Portland ensures a constant population of tourists and despite the Columbia Gorge possessing hundreds of waterfalls, Multnomah reigns king over all of them without dispute.

7. Comet Falls

Mount Rainier is known as the Queen of the Cascades, and Comet Falls could comparatively be the Queen of waterfalls in Mount Rainier National Park.  Though there are taller falls in the park, Comet Falls stands most regal among all of them.  In four steps the falls drop 462 feet, with a single free-fall of 392 feet as its centerpiece, the falls are framed amid a subalpine glade, surrounded by flowering meadows and lofty trees.  Few who visit the falls walk away without feeling like they’ve stepped into a fairytale.

Jordan Creek Falls, click for more

6. Jordan Creek Falls

While the behemoths in North Cascades National Park may hold the titles of the state’s best, Jordan Creek Falls is infinitely easier to get to and despite standing “only” 588 feet tall, does its best to try and usurp the title of best waterfall from the others in the area.  Fed by two large lakes, Jordan Creek produces a volume of water large enough that viewing the falls up close can be like getting into a staring contest with a tropical storm.  Those who don’t wish to weather the monsoonal spray at the base of the falls can still appreciate the giant cataract from quite some distance thanks to its prominent visibility.

5. Shoshone Falls

Let’s forget for a second that part of Niagara Falls is located in the United States.  What would the country’s biggest waterfall be then?  The answer is Idaho’s Shoshone Falls.  With a height of 212 feet and a crest of just over 900 feet, the Snake River creates a cataract which nearly rivals the American half of Niagara…when it’s flowing.  As with most of the large-river waterfalls in the country, Shoshone was too tempting a target.  Several dams along the Snake River upstream of the falls divert nearly all of the summertime flow to canals for irrigation, and the little water which does reach the falls is sent through a powerhouse, bypassing the falls entirely.  When snow is melting in the basin upstream the falls still flow with force, but without the consistent power of the Snake River, Shoshone Falls just doesn’t have the best-of-the-region gravitas that would have catapulted it to the top spot if left untamed.

Snoqualmie Falls, click for more

4. Snoqualmie Falls

Being situated under an hour’s drive from downtown Seattle, Snoqualmie Falls is among the most popular tourist attractions in the Pacific Northwest.  The 268-foot cataract sees well over a million visitors every year for good reason – its power unmatched anywhere else in Washington State and only bested by Idaho’s Shoshone Falls.  It was this power that led to the development of the first underground powerhouse in the United States, which continues to operate (albeit with upgraded equipment) today.  The commercial development of Snoqualmie Falls is essentially the only reason it isn’t ranked higher among the United States’ great waterfalls.

3. Berdeen Falls

Counterpart to Green Lake Falls, Berdeen Falls also flows out of a high elevation glacial lake which is extremely difficult to access.  Falling in three main steps for a total of about 850 feet, Berdeen Falls is effectively second candle to its sibling across the valley, but with a similar volume and a more prominent free-fall, Berdeen Falls is not far behind in terms of oomph.  Unfortunately, as with Green Lake Falls, the lack of access again prevents the falls from gaining the notoriety it rightfully deserves.

Depot Creek Falls, click for more

2. Depot Creek Falls

Found just shy of the US-Canada border, Depot Creek explodes over an immense cataract, plunging over 250 feet then turning into a tumultuous, precipitous waterslide of an additional 700 vertical feet.  Typically the thought of a “waterslide” is not associated with the idea of a great waterfall, but with Depot Creek fed by four large glaciers, the volume of water coursing down the headwall (which is quite steep for a “slide”) will so consistently result in visitors staring jaws agape that its status has become something somewhat of legend for the mountain climbers who frequent the area.

1. Green Lake Falls

Were it not so far isolated deep within the wilderness of North Cascades National Park the falls emanating from Green Lake might be more well regarded, but as it is this behemoth fall can only be seen from the air or across the deep canyon of Bacon Creek after several days of difficult cross-country hiking.  Truly this is a shame because the nearly thousand-foot tall falls are of a stature equal to that of many of the waterfalls in California’s famous Yosemite Valley.

We’ve just posted part 5 of our Top 100 list of the World’s best waterfalls.  Head on over to the Top 100 page to see what else has made the cut.  Right now our goal is to have the whole Top 100 list online by Christmas, if not sooner.

In other news, the World Waterfall Database is now on Facebook!  If you’ve got an account (and really who doesn’t in this day and age), please Like us – convenient button to do so over to the right side of this page – and help spread the word.

We’ve just finished pushing our first major data update since the new site went online.  Because this was essentially a test of our infrastructure it wasn’t without flaws, so only two-thirds of it will appear on the Updates page, but rest assured all of it is there.  With this update, we’ve added 297 new waterfalls in British Columbia (pushing its total to over 2000 entries), 242 new waterfalls in Washington (now over 1,700 entries), 99 new waterfalls in Oregon (now over 1,000 entries) and posted our complete data for the African country of Chad, which we know to harbor all of two waterfalls.  With this functionality in place, we’re essentially ready to start posting our data sets as quickly as we can get them prepared.  Some of them will be ready quickly, some not so quickly.  There will be lots and lots of data posted over the winter months, rest assured.

Its been a while since we’ve posted anything of substance here, I suppose that adding as much content as we have been will do that.  So we’re gonna try to speed things along again and get back into our Pacific Northwest data set articles.  Time to discuss the most interesting waterfalls in the Pacific Northwest.  Like our introductory post about the Northwest states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho, we’re going to go about this one as one group to save some time.  But as we’re dealing with three states, two of which hold perhaps the highest density of waterfalls in the United States, we’re going to expand this list from 10 to 15 entries, so hike up your bootstraps and hold on.

Panther Creek Falls (WA)

Panther Creek Falls

Hidden within a thickly forested ravine in southwestern Washington is Panther Creek Falls, one of the most unique and visually interesting waterfalls in all of the United States.  As Panther Creek drains from the southern half of the Indian Heaven volcanic field, it picks up numerous springs and seeps which burst forth from the extremely porous bedrock.  At a point where the creek encounters a step in the valley, it sluices along a trough then plunges to the floor of the canyon parallel to a gorgeous veiling spring which sends hundreds of braids of water into the canyon parallel to the falls on the main part of the creek.  After these two falls drop together, the collective water then splits into a three-channeled lower fall.  The entire configuration is really quite difficult to explain without a lot of visual aids, so just take our word that you’ll be hard pressed to find a more eclectic waterfall than this.

Curly Creek Falls (WA)

Waterfalls with natural arches in front of them are not a common occurrence, but neither are they terribly rare either.  Without looking through our data extensively, it’s probably safe to estimate that there are at least a hundred waterfalls around the world which feature a natural arch of some sort.  What is significantly less common is a waterfall with two natural arches spanning its face, as is the case with Curly Creek Falls.  While the lower arch is still in the process of being formed, most of the stream’s volume will flow under it outside of the wettest months of the year.  The upper arch spans the falls high and dry (okay not totally dry), providing an interesting window through which visitors can observe the falling water.  If that isn’t enough, taking it one step further a sink was recently observed to swallow part of Curly Creek upstream from the falls, which can result in the falls running dry during very dry summers – so you could almost classify that as a third arch of sorts.

Curly Creek Falls

Hog Canyon Falls (WA)

Eastern Washington’s canyonous geology is very conducive to waterfalls but its arid climate, thanks to the extensive rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains, is not.  When there is enough water to form a significant stream the waterfalls involved are usually not terribly unique, but that is not the case at Hog Canyon Falls at the inlet of Hog Lake near Spokane.  While the falls aren’t terribly tall, dropping perhaps 50 feet in all, the 8-tiered stairstep formation is set against a very well formed outcrop of columnar jointing.  At the bottom of the falls is a wide breadth of rocks and boulders which have broke off the adjacent cliffs and piled so deep that the stream appears to suddenly stop at the base of the falls, only to emerge in Hog Lake a few hundred feet downstream.

Cave Falls (WA)

Another product of the Indian Heaven volcanic field in southwestern Washington, the Lewis River has carved a 500-foot deep canyon through a basalt formation, down which several tributaries drop.  As Big Creek plunges down Cave Falls to meet the river it has scoured an incredibly narrow canyon.  While the shape of the gorge precludes close up views and is even hard to see from a distance, what makes it so interesting is the stream appears to flow underground in several areas, including near the top of the falls and again at the base of the falls.  Whether these caves were formed by erosion or are remnants of lava tubes is not known.  Unfortunately the geology is so impenetrable that we may never really know what the creek does in that canyon.

Lower Devil Creek Falls

Lower Devil Creek Falls (WA)

While Cave Falls is essentially inaccessible, Lower Devil Creek Falls might represent a small scale reproduction of what Cave Falls might look like.  Carved into a segment of the Grande Ronde Basalt formation Devil Creek has scoured out a half-mile long, 100 foot deep canyon with a pretty 40-foot waterfall pouring out of the foot-wide slot at its head.  The falls plunge into an alcove which is so deeply undercut and open to the sky that it feels as if it were underground (the falls likely never see direct sunlight).  Incidentally just downstream is Boulder Cave, where the creek undercut the cliff so much that it collapsed and formed a 500-foot long cavern with the stream flowing through it.  Unlike Cave Falls, Lower Devil Creek Falls and its canyon is readily accessible via a well developed nature trail.

Loowit Falls and Step Falls (WA)

While perhaps not unique in the world, there are not many places where one can witness a waterfall pouring out of the crater of an active volcano, let alone multiple waterfalls.  When Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, it left a huge, gaping crater in its place.  A large glacier has since formed in the crater and the melt water of which now feeds two major streams, each producing waterfalls.  The larger stream, Loowit Creek, harbors four major waterfalls ranging from about 30 feet up to the nearly 190-foot drop of Loowit Falls as it descends from the crater.  Along a parallel course Step Creek drops down a much more impressive canyon in two falls of roughly 120 feet each, but of considerably lesser volume than Loowit Creek.  Unfortunately because of the fragile environment traveling off-trail is not allowed in the area so only distant views of most of these waterfalls are possible.

Rucker Falls

Rucker Falls (WA)

The massive north face of Big Four Mountain is among the more recognizable peaks in Washington State, but Rucker Falls which drains off of the small snow fingers which cling to its sides are seldom recognized.  The falls seem to be ephemeral in volume but flow all year thanks to melting snow, but much more recognizable than the waterfall are the ice caves which form at its foot.  The falls occur at the apex of an avalanche gully which funnels a large volume of snow to the valley floor in the winter, allowing a permanent cone of ice to form that was at one time thought to be a glacier.  As the water in the falls sprays down behind the cone of ice, it pushes air underneath it, allowing the ice to melt from the inside out, forming an extensive network of ice caves in the autumn months.

Silver Falls State Park (OR)

Among Oregon’s most famous tourist destinations, Silver Falls State Park harbors eleven named waterfalls varying from 27 to 178 feet in height.  While none of the falls have special or unique shapes, the geology has allowed for the four most significant falls in the mark – North Falls, Middle North Falls, South Falls and Lower South Falls – to have undercut their respective ledges to certain degrees and as a result trails have been constructed passing behind each of these waterfalls, each with a different flavor.  South Falls plunges off a high undercut ledge, so walking behind the falls feels exposed and airy.  Middle North Falls and Lower South Falls curtain down over a wide breadths, which makes walking behind either of them it feel like walking behind a fountain.  North Falls, on the other hand, has undercut its alcove to a depth of as much as 100 feet, so not only does passing behind the falls produce a deafening echo, but it almost feels like watching a waterfall from a window underground.

Twister Falls

Tunnel Falls & Twister Falls (OR)

The Eagle Creek Trail in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge is famous for its impressive quantity of waterfalls and stellar scenery.  Not only does it harbor some of Oregon’s most photogenic waterfalls, but two of Oregon’s most unique waterfalls nearly side-by-side.  Tunnel Falls, arguably the best waterfall along the trail is encountered six miles from the parking lot where the trail is blasted into the side of a sheer cliff, contouring around the alcove harboring the falls and passing behind the falls via a tunnel carved into the solid bedrock – there was simply no other feasible way to cross the East Fork of Eagle Creek.  While the trail gives Tunnel Falls its character, just around the corner on the main stem of Eagle Creek lies Twister Falls, which seems to fold over on itself as it falls, giving it a very distinct criss-crossing appearance that is not at all commonly seen.

Hole-in-the-Wall Falls (OR)

While Hole-in-the-Wall Falls is technically speaking not a natural waterfall, it is individually unique in the Pacific Northwest.  Warren Creek formerly dropped over a waterfall about 300 feet to the west of its current course, but debris would apparently gather in the channel above the falls and wash down onto the original Columbia Gorge Highway below, so in the 1930s highway engineers blasted a tunnel through the adjacent cliff and redirected the falls away from the road to prevent future debris slides.  While parts of the concrete culvert have crumbled away over the years, looking closely at the point where the falls emerge from the cliff will reveal it to be quite obviously man-made.

Upper Proxy Falls

Upper Proxy Falls (OR)

While nearby Proxy Falls is in every regard a better waterfall – its taller, much more voluminous and infinitely more photogenic – Upper Proxy Falls holds one very unique characteristic over its big brother.  Upper Proxy Falls is fed directly by springs in the hillside which spurt out of the ground and immediately cascade down amid mossy boulders and stairstep cliffs.  At the bottom of the falls, the stream flows into a calm pool of about thirty feet in diameter, from which there is no apparent outlet, so it appears as if the falls begin and end with the same immediacy.  The explanation is the volcanic history in the valley: an eruption from Collier Cone on the northwest side of North Sister about 1600 years ago sent an extensive lava flow nearly 14 miles down the valley of the White Branch, covering it with blocky, very porous lava that allows every stream which enters the valley to sink underground and emerge some distance downstream in springs.  The stream feeding Upper Proxy Falls just sinks underground with much greater immediacy than Proxy Creek itself does.

Tamolitch Falls (OR)

If it seems like we’ve discussed waterfalls which are affected by volcanic geology a lot here that’s because there is so much volcanic history in the Pacific Northwest.  Maybe the very best example of this influence is found at Tamolitch Falls along Oregon’s McKenzie River.  The McKenzie begins in full force in spring fed Clear Lake about five miles upstream, but before it reaches Tamolitch Falls nearly all of the river is diverted at the Carmen Reservoir, leaving the streambed below the dam essentially dry for the majority of the year.  But at Tamolitch Falls, where a dry 60-foot waterfall usually resides a huge pool remains at the base of the falls.  Fed by an immense spring the McKenzie River springs back to life in full spate from the foot of the dry falls, fed by the huge aquafir to the east.  While Tamolitch Falls does flow during the height of the spring melt season, there is nothing quite like seeing a full-size river starting from the foot of a dry waterfall.

Tamolitch Falls - Blue-Eyed-Adventure-Girl, Flickr

Devil’s Slide Falls (ID)

The Pacific Northwest isn’t known for an abundance of waterfalls formed by granite outcrops, and generally most of the waterfalls which are formed by granite are much steeper.  Devil’s Slide Falls is perhaps the biggest outlier of this rule.  After the falls crash down a rugged step, Kent Creek glides over a long, smooth natural waterslide for several hundred feet.  While the sliding part of the falls may not appear to conform to the definition of a legitimate waterfall, the upper tiers are certainly worthy of the title and are the draw for those looking to add to their tally.  But the slides are the real attraction here, often adorned with visitors sliding down the long slabs and sunbathing on the adjacent rocks.

Waterfalls of Thousand Springs (ID)

Idaho’s Snake River Plain is a vast arid landscape which doesn’t appear at first glance to be the type of terrain where one could find an extensive network of waterfalls.  But as the Snake River has carved a lengthy canyon in the otherwise flat landscape, its tributary streams tend to experience some sort of significant change in elevation.  The Thousand Springs complex is a completely different outlier however.  The Snake Plain is said to harbor an aquafir with a volume equal to that of the Snake River itself, and it all comes spilling out of the earth in the Snake River Canyon near the town of Hagerman.  The very aptly named Thousand Springs formerly consisted of a quarter-mile long wall of waterfalls pouring over 100 feet from the middle of the cliffs into the Snake River, but by 1916 the entire wall of waterfalls was fully harnessed to generate electricity and for all intents and purposes it no longer exists.  Adjacent are several other waterfall fed by the same aquafir – Lemmon Falls, Minne Miller Falls, Wing Spring and Juniper Falls – all of which can be seen from various places along the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway, but none of which live up to the sheer scale of the namesake feature.

Thousand Springs before the diversion - waterarchives, Flickr

Rainbow Falls (ID)

Yeah, we know Rainbow Falls is a real common name and you’ll have no idea which one we’re talking about at first glance.  This particular Rainbow Falls is found in southeastern Idaho in the Snake River Range near the Wyoming border.  The falls serve as the inspiration for the name of its valley, Waterfall Canyon, but the falls don’t quite behave like a primary feature in the canyon.  Instead of being found on the stream running lengthwise along the valley’s floor, the creek emerges  high up the side of the valley wall from a spring at an elevation of around 8300 feet.  What makes this so unusual is there is barely any mountain above the spring to feed the aquafir.  Most of the water feeding the falls actually percolates through the mountain from the next valley to the east, which features a broad basin which collects plenty of snow to feed into the water table, ensuring the falls flow consistently throughout the year.