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5.24.2020

PA Waterfalls Bucket List: Our 25+ Favorite Waterfalls in the State

Pennsylvania has a total of more than 345 waterfalls, which our guide at this link will show you how to get to. Out of these falls, this list of 25+ waterfalls covers our absolute favorites. To be clear, visiting any waterfall is probably better than whatever you or I are doing right now, so you really cannot go wrong with any waterfall, but these all should be on any Pennsylvania explorer's bucket list. If you have not visited these falls, be sure to book it on over to check them out. We have not visited every single waterfall in the state, but of the ones that we have visited, these are the ones that have really impressed us.
  • Silverthread Falls is my single favorite waterfall in the state. The sheer height of this waterfall, around 80 feet, down a skinny chute, is just incredible. It does not even get top billing at its location, a few hundred feet from the spectacular Dingmans Falls in the Delaware Water Gap. I could sit and watch this waterfall all day. It is also the easiest waterfall to access on this entire list, located on a short and flat wooden boardwalk that is ADA accessible. For more information on visiting, check out the following article: Silverthread Falls
  • Raymondskill Falls is in a tie with nearby Darbytown Falls as the state's tallest waterfall at 120 feet. The tallest and most eccentric waterfalls in the state are found within the Delaware Water Gap. All three of Pennsylvania's waterfalls that exceed 100 feet are located in and around the Delaware Water Gap, in addition to the bulk of the overall waterfalls that exceed 80 feet. This waterfall is also pretty easy to visit. For information visiting, check out the following article for Raymondskill Falls
  • Dingmans Falls is located on the same wooden boardwalk as Silverthread Falls and measures in at just over 100 feet. The waterfall drops at an angle, which is cool to see, but does not lend itself well to photography. The sheer power of the falls are the most impressive part and make it one of the most memorable to see in the state. The boardwalk to access ends with an aggressive hike that goes up the side of the falls. For more information on visiting, check out the following article: Dingmans Falls
  • Ricketts Glen State Park's Falls Trail offers more than two dozen named waterfalls, of which most of them are just spectacular. Picking favorites at Ricketts Glen is a futile effort, so I will just count all of them in my favorites list.
    • For accessibility, the easiest to get to is Adams Falls, which is located on the same creek as the two main glens, but on the other side of the road. This is one of the finest falls in the state park, but it often gets missed since it is off the main drag of the Falls Trail. It should not be missed though because Adams Falls feels like where Mother Nature really stuck the landing on the 3rd or 4th attempt of several of the waterfalls that are up creek in the glen. I realize that last passage was quite cheesy, but I feel that it really describes Adams Falls. 
    • Oneida Falls is one of the most photogenic of the bunch, even though it is also one of the smallest. The sheer rock face that it flows over adds an extra stunning factor to these falls. 
      Top of Ganoga Falls
      Bottom of Ganoga Falls
    • Ganoga Falls is the tallest of the waterfalls at 94 feet, and you get to see it dramatically unfold before you on the hike, from both directions. Approaching it from the top, all you see is the drop off into a giant abyss, as you climb down the side of the gorge, the falls slowly appear and do not come into full view until you get to the bottom of the gorge. Hiking in the other direction, you see the falls similarly unfold as you approach. The twisted nature of the falls ensure that the only place you get a full view of them is at the immediate bottom of the falls. In addition to the several dozen named falls, there are also a bunched of unnamed falls on side tributaries into the gorge. 
    • The Falls trail is one of the finest hikes in the state, though with the popularity of the falls, it is recommended that you get there first thing in the morning or on a weekday to avoid crowds. It is also critically important that you wear hiking boots, stay away from the edges of cliff and waterfalls, and practice general caution. The state park is also a great camping destination. For more information, check out the following article: Ricketts Glen State Park
      Sullivan Falls - State Game Lands 13
  • Sullivan Falls, State Game Lands 13: State Game Lands 13 is adjacent to Ricketts Glen State Park and has some very nice waterfalls. Sullivan Falls is my favorite of the bunch, but there are lots of falls there. They require some serious physical effort to access because they are not on trails and the effort to access them is not really worth the effort in my opinion. Sullivan Falls is just spectacular though, and going over the the game lands is especially ideal in midday hours when Ricketts Glen is slammed with a bunch of visitors.  For more info and directions, check out the following article: State Game Lands 13
    Hector Falls
  • Hector Falls near the Allegheny National Forest is unique when it comes to the state's waterfalls. The creek falls over a house sized boulder that is like a giant rectangular box. It is probably the most distinctive waterfall within the state. For more information on finding this remote waterfall, check out this article. Hector Falls, Allegheny National Forest, Ludlow, Warren County, PA
    Fallingwater
  • Fallingwater in the Laurel Highlands is one of the world's most recognizable places thanks to the the creation of the Fallingwater House, which was designed by the world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It is an awesome place to tour and it attracts visitors from all over the the planet. For more information on visiting, check out the following article.  https://www.interestingpennsylvania.com/2016/10/fallingwater-frank-lloyd-wrights-world.html
  • Packsaddle Covered Bridge and Waterfalls: Similar to Fallingwater, this waterfall in and of itself is not spectacular because of beauty on its own, but it is noteworthy because of the covered bridge that is located right above it. It is located in a remote part of southern Somerset County and is well worth the effort to get to  PA Covered Bridge Journey: Somerset County 
  • Ohiopyle State Park: Ohiopyle State Park has a bunch of nice waterfalls. None of them are particularly huge, and many feel like repeats of each other, but a few of them are really quite amazing. 

    • Cucumber Falls is easily accessible with its own parking area. It is the tallest of the waterfalls at Ohiopyle and it is very popular to visit. We recommend visiting it early in the morning or on weekdays. 
    • Ohiopyle Falls is the most powerful of the waterfalls at the park, for it carries the waters of the small but powerful Youghiogheny River. On days where the water is especially high, this 15-20 foot waterfall can look like little more than a large river rapid. It is quite an impressive sight
    • Sugar Run Falls: This waterfall is located right off of the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail and off of the Jonathan Run Falls Trail. Jonathan Run Falls is so close to Sugar Run that you cannot help but see both, but Sugar Run is probably my favorite waterfall at the park. On busier days at the park, this is the spot that will have the least people at it. 
    • Meadow Run Cascades: The Cascades are located on Meadow Run, just above the natural waterslides section. Similar to Sugar Run Falls, this section is often overlooked as well and requires more of an effort to access. The effort is well worth it though.
    • To find all of these falls, and the others at this state park, check out the following article:  Ohiopyle State Park
  • Buttermilk Falls, Indiana County: Pennsylvania does not have very many large waterfalls, and none of them are located in Western PA. Buttermilk Falls in Indiana County is Western Pennsylvania's only natural single plunge waterfall that exceeds 40 feet. Its notability for me stems from its importance in the formative years of one my personal heroes, Mister Fred Rogers. It is located in a public park that is easy to access. The following article has location information. Buttermilk Falls, Indiana County, PA
  • Rainbow Falls at Trough Creek State Park: The trail this is located on leads through a beautiful gorge that is filled with rhododendrons, and by Balanced Rock, a cool rock outcrop formation. The short, but beautiful, journey makes seeking out these falls well worth the effort. The following article gives information on visiting:  Trough Creek State Park: Copperous Rock, Balanced Rock, and Rainbow Falls 
  • Freedom Falls, Venango County: One of the most picturesque waterfalls in Western Pennsylvania is Freedom Falls. It is pretty easy to access and it has several awesome industrial remnants near it, including an old iron furnace that is incredibly intact for its age, and a rail tunnel on a rail trail along the Allegheny River. For more information on visiting, check out this article.
  • Springfield Falls is located in Mercer County near Grove City. It is very pretty and very easy to access. For information on visiting, check out this article
  • Frankfort Mineral Springs at Raccoon Creek State Park is a funky little waterfall that flows over a small cave. It was home to an old mineral springs resort, where people would go for supposed medicinal healing purposes. It is a pretty neat place to visit. For more information on visiting, check out this article
  • Hells Hollow Falls at McConnells Mill State Park is a unique waterfall that flows over a rugged rock formation. Of all of the falls at McConnells Mill State Park, this is the one that I think is worth the effort of checking out. It requires a short hike to visit and we highly recommend checking it out. For more information on visiting, check out this article: Hells Hollow Falls
  • Cole Run Falls is one of the most picturesque falls in the state. It is relatively small, but very nice and worth checking out in Forbes State Forest and the Laurel Highlands. For more information on visiting, check out this article. 
  • Dry Run Falls is memorable to me because it is located directly on the way to the stunning High Knob Overlook near Worlds End State Park. This scenic overlook is just incredible and you cannot miss Dry Run Falls as you are heading out from the overlook. While it is not the most scenic of the falls we have talked about, it is certainly memorable and it makes our list of favorite waterfalls within the state. My shot is quite dark for I took it after viewing a tremendous sunset up at the High Knob Overlook. For more information on visiting, check out this article
  • Big Falls at Cascade Park in New Castle, PA: Big Falls is the centerpiece of a tract of land in New Castle that has served picnickers for more than a century. This location was once home to an amusement park, but still remains as a wonderful picnic grove and community gathering place. At the bottom of the falls, you can see part of the structure that once carried the park's roller coaster across the bottom of the waterfall's gorge. For more information on visiting, check out this article from our sister website.
  • Tobyhanna Falls: This waterfall in the Poconos is located in the beautiful Austin T Blakeslee Natural Area. What this waterfall does not have in waterside is more than made up for in sheer power. This is a powerful waterfall that is worth checking out if you are in the area. For more information on visiting, check out this article
  • Fall Run Falls and Park, Shaler: This waterfall makes the list mainly for its easy accessibility for us in Pittsburgh. It is about a ten minute drive away from where we live and because of this, it is a place that we will often go to just as a quick walk in the woods after a long day at work. It is very special to us because of this and how much time we end up spending there. I am sure that all of you have a local waterfall that you like to frequent and in the end, these are the types of waterfalls that are our true favorites. The places that draw us and our communities together and closer to nature. For more information on finding this waterfall, check out this article. 

So get out there and explore!

2 comments :

  1. I've seen most of them on the East and middle of Pennsylvania. Maybe one or two in the west.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I plan to visit them all.

    ReplyDelete

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