Cattail Falls is a 195-foot spring-fed tiered waterfall on Cattail Creek in Big Bend National Park, Texas, in a secluded basin reached by an unmarked trail. A year-round spring near the lip keeps water spilling over the ledge most of the year, making a green pocket of ferns and pools in the desert.
The falls
Lidar data shows three tiers of horsetails totaling 195 feet: an upper drop of roughly 100 feet that can only be seen with technical climbing, a middle step of about 10 feet and a lower fall of about 75 feet. What hikers see is the lower pour-off, falling about 75 to 80 feet into a pool. The moist basin supports ferns, palms, agaves, columbines and, in season, cardinal flowers.
Getting there
The hike is not signed and does not appear on park brochures or maps, but it is open to hikers; the park compendium closes the Cattail Falls trail only to horses and pack animals. The trailhead sits at the end of a 1.3-mile gravel road off Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive near Sam Nail Ranch. The road is usually fine for passenger cars, though visitors should check at a ranger station to confirm it is open. From the parking area the walk is 3.2 miles round trip with 467 feet of gain, rated moderate; if the road is closed, walking it from Ross Maxwell Drive makes 5.8 miles and 664 feet.
Big Bend's entrance fee is $30 per private vehicle, $25 per motorcycle or $15 per person on foot or bicycle, each valid for seven days. Payment is by card only, and no entry reservation is needed.
When to go
The fall is usually just a trickle and runs much stronger after rain.
On site
The last stretch is a scramble over boulders and rock slabs, and poison oak grows around the basin. The pools below the fall provide water for local wildlife; do not wade in them and step on rock rather than soil. Pets are not allowed on Big Bend trails.
Nearby
Bryans Falls, also on Cattail Creek, is about 0.7 miles away. Window Falls and Copper Plaque Falls are each about 0.6 miles away, and Laguna Falls about 0.8 miles.
Distances are straight-line.