Horsetail Waterfalls in the United States
882 horsetail waterfalls across the United States. The water keeps contact with the rock as it falls down a steep face. All waterfalls.
Browse by state 47
- Alabama 97
- Arizona 66
- Arkansas 280
- California 1,039
- Colorado 345
- Connecticut 79
- Florida 3
- Georgia 298
- Idaho 249
- Illinois 20
- Indiana 24
- Iowa 8
- Kansas 24
- Kentucky 65
- Louisiana 6
- Maine 175
- Maryland 13
- Massachusetts 37
- Michigan 294
- Minnesota 43
- Mississippi 8
- Missouri 11
- Montana 252
- Nebraska 14
- Nevada 25
- New Hampshire 264
- New Jersey 5
- New Mexico 20
- New York 879
- North Carolina 495
- North Dakota 1
- Ohio 26
- Oklahoma 30
- Oregon 1,342
- Pennsylvania 274
- Rhode Island 5
- South Carolina 22
- South Dakota 10
- Tennessee 427
- Texas 71
- Utah 76
- Vermont 229
- Virginia 127
- Washington 2,596
- West Virginia 13
- Wisconsin 83
- Wyoming 267
Mariposa County, California
1,425 fttotal height
- 5 drops
- On Gossamer Creek
- Under 1 mi from Yosemite Valley
Snohomish County, Washington
1,315 fttotal height
- Tallest drop 322 ft · 7 drops
- On Bridal Veil Creek
- 8 mi from Gold Bar
Location verified
Tuolumne County, California
1,300 fttotal height
- On Falls Creek
- 19 mi from Yosemite Valley
Location verified
Mariposa County, California
1,275 fttotal height
- On Royal Arch Creek
- Under 1 mi from Yosemite Valley
Location verified
King County, Washington
1,200 fttotal height
- Tallest drop 505 ft
- On Otter Creek
- 15 mi from Tanner
Whatcom County, Washington
948 fttotal height
- On Depot Creek
- 39 mi from Peaceful Valley
Mariposa County, California
755 fttotal height
- 11 drops
- On Snow Creek
- 3 mi from Yosemite Valley
Mariposa County, California
620 fttotal height
- On Meadow Brook
- 6 mi from Yosemite Valley
Location verified
Mariposa County, California
594 fttotal height
- On Merced River
- 3 mi from Yosemite Valley
Location verified
Whatcom County, Washington
565 fttotal height
- Tallest drop 275 ft · 7 drops
- On Lookout Creek
- 13 mi from Peaceful Valley
Utah County, Utah
430 fttotal height
- Tallest drop 175 ft · 3 drops
- 6 mi from Orem
Hood River County, Oregon
410 fttotal height
- Tallest drop 255 ft · 3 drops
- On Wonder Creek
- 6 mi from Carson
Rutherford County, North Carolina
404 fttotal height
- Tallest drop 351 ft
- On Fall Creek
- 3 mi from Lake Lure
Location verified
Cochise County, Arizona
370 fttotal height
- On tributary of Carr Creek
- 4 mi from Sierra Vista Southeast
Skagit County, Washington
365 fttotal height
- Tallest drop 192 ft · 2 drops
- On Iron Creek
- 14 mi from Darrington
Dawson County, Georgia
360 fttotal height
- On Amicalola Creek
- 12 mi from Dawsonville
Location verified
Pierce County, Washington
354 fttotal height
- On Spray Creek
- 17 mi from Crocker
Location verified
Jefferson County, Washington
345 fttotal height
- Tallest drop 239 ft · 4 drops
- On Rocky Brook
- 8 mi from Seabeck
Rabun County, Georgia
330 fttotal height
- Tallest drop 150 ft · 3 drops
- 10 mi from Clayton
Tillamook County, Oregon
319 fttotal height
- Tallest drop 233 ft · 3 drops
- On Munson Creek
- 8 mi from Tillamook
Rabun County, Georgia
295 fttotal height
- Tallest drop 185 ft · 3 drops
- On Mud Creek
- 6 mi from Mountain City
Location verified
Essex County, New York
270 fttotal height
- Tallest drop 135 ft · 3 drops
- On Roaring Brook
- 12 mi from North Elba
Location verified
Hood River County, Oregon
270 fttotal height
- Tallest drop 141 ft · 3 drops
- On Starvation Creek
- 7 mi from Carson
Snohomish County, Washington
259 fttotal height
- 10 mi from Darrington
What is a horsetail waterfall?
A horsetail waterfall keeps contact with the rock for most of its descent. The water spreads and streaks down a steep face rather than leaping clear of it, which gives the fall its resemblance to a horse's tail. Horsetails form on hard, smooth rock at a steep but not vertical angle, and they change character with the season: a thin veil in late summer, a roaring sheet after snowmelt. The catalogue lists 881 horsetail falls, nearly half of them in Washington, with Oregon second. Wapama Falls in Hetch Hetchy and Widow's Tears in Yosemite are classic examples; many falls that are tiered or segmented also carry the horsetail label because that is how each individual drop behaves.
Tallest horsetail waterfalls
- Louis Creek Falls1,720 ftChelan County, Washington
- Widow's Tears1,680 ftMariposa County, California
- Torment Falls1,440 ftSkagit County, Washington
- Staircase Falls1,425 ftMariposa County, California
- Margaret Falls1,350 ftPierce County, Washington