Free waterfalls

How we confirmed each falls is free

To build the list, we kept falls whose guide cites a named source saying the site is free or has no fee. Many quote a plain statement, such as 'Free to all' from The Trustees at Doanes Falls. A guide that only says no fee is listed was not enough to qualify.

Closed falls are left off even when they are normally free. Dingmans Falls has been closed since May 12, 2025, and Paradise Falls was closed for rain when last checked. Partly open and seasonal sites stay on the list, with the limit named in the card.

Each fee was confirmed on its falls guide during the October and November 2026 checks. Fees can change between seasons, and each falls guide links the source behind its listing.

Who runs the free ones

Many falls here are free because of a statewide or park-wide policy. Ohio state parks charge no entrance fee, which covers Ash Cave and Old Man's Cave in Hocking Hills. Tennessee State Parks says there is no entry fee at Fall Creek Falls or Burgess Falls. Kentucky State Parks says there is no general admission fee at Cumberland Falls.

Several National Park Service areas charge no entrance fee at all. They include Cuyahoga Valley for Brandywine Falls, Big South Fork for Yahoo Falls and New River Gorge for Sandstone Falls. NPS also says there is no charge at Little River Falls, and Chickasaw has no entrance fee for Little Niagara Falls.

City parks and the Forest Service fill out the list. The City of Sioux Falls says there is no cost to visit Falls Park, even during Winter Wonderland. At Creation Falls, the Forest Service says 'No fees are required for this site.'

When parking still costs money

Free entry doesn't always mean free parking. Niagara Falls State Park charges $10 a day at Lots 1 and 2 through March 31, 2027. Lot 3 charges no fee from September 8 to May 21 and is free Tuesday to Thursday all year. Snoqualmie Falls has a free lot across the street and a paid lot at $7 per hour.

In Spokane, the City of Spokane says the falls are free to view, but Riverfront Park lots are paid and the optional SkyRide costs $13.95 for adults. Gooseberry Falls is free in the Visitor Center lots, while the lakeshore and Picnic Flow areas need a $7 state park permit.

Free falls with a closure or seasonal limit

A few listings carry a partial closure. At Burgess Falls, the main overlook was open and the gorge closed as of the park's April 2026 update. IDNR has closed the Lake Falls bridge and trail at Matthiessen State Park. At Southford Falls, CT Trail Finder still shows the trails as partially open after flooding.

Seasonal roads matter too. FS Road 222 to Roughlock Falls closes December 15 to March 31, though GFP keeps the trail from Spearfish Canyon Lodge open year-round. Cumberland Falls is open, but DuPont Lodge closed for renovation on November 1, 2025.

Free trails for a longer day

Some free falls fill a half day or more. Alamere Falls is a 13.2-mile round trip at Point Reyes, where NPS charges no entrance or parking fee. The last stretch follows Wildcat Beach, which is safe only at low tide.

In Hocking Hills, the Grandma Gatewood Trail links Old Man's Cave and Ash Cave over 6 miles, rated difficult by ODNR. Spearfish Falls shares the Spearfish Canyon Nature Area with Roughlock Falls, and GFP says no entrance fee is required for either. McCloud Falls takes about 3.5 miles round trip to see all three falls, with no fee at the Lower Falls Picnic Area.

No fee, same rules

Free sites still have rules. At Ash Cave, Ohio code bars swimming and wading outside designated areas, and leaving the posted trails in Hocking Hills is illegal. To compare more falls by state, browse the Ohio and South Dakota guides. Free or paid, the same hazards apply; see the waterfall safety guide.

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