Frozen waterfalls in the US

Frozen waterfalls form in the US in cold winters, mostly in the northern states and the high mountain parks. The National Park Service (NPS) documents an ice cone at the base of Upper Yosemite Fall and ice curtains 20 to 50 feet high at Pictured Rocks in Michigan. The catch for 2026-27 is access. Several of the best-known frozen falls sit behind winter road gates or closed trails this season, and a few can only be reached on skis.

This guide checks winter access for each fall on our site against the managing agency's own pages, with the page date. Use the waterfall map to find falls near you, then check the table below before you drive.

Do waterfalls freeze?

Yes, though no agency says how often a fall freezes solid or exactly when. We found no NPS, NOAA/NWS, USGS or university source that gives a temperature or a number of days for a waterfall to freeze. Figures like "a week below freezing" come from blogs, not from measurements, so we don't use them.

What the sources do describe is how the ice builds. Spray and edges freeze early. NPS says Yosemite's waterfalls "accumulate frost along their edges many nights during the winter," and it tells visitors to "look for the ice cone at the base of the upper fall during winter" (NPS Yosemite waterfalls).

Mist can also freeze into slush that moves downstream. NPS Yosemite calls this frazil ice, "which forms when mist (for example, from a waterfall) freezes, then floats down the creek." It needs days and nights below freezing plus "relatively high flow over waterfalls," and NPS says it is "entirely weather-dependent" (NPS frazil ice). A USGS report describes frazil as disk-shaped crystals 1 to 4 mm across that form in "turbulent, slightly supercooled water" (USGS OFR 1986-298).

Not all waterfall ice comes from a stream. At Pictured Rocks, "Water seeping out of the porous sandstone cliffs freezes into spectacular curtains and columns of white ice" (NPS ice formations).

Moving water also needs more cold than a pond to freeze. The University of Illinois Physics Department says "moving water (like the waterfall in this photo) can freeze. But it has to be a lot colder to do it" (Illinois Physics Q&A).

When to see winter waterfalls

Plan for midwinter, but check the site. At Pictured Rocks, NPS says ice "generally begins to form by mid-December and remains until early April" (NPS ice formations). In Yosemite, frazil ice "most commonly occurs in spring, especially in April," usually before 9 a.m.

Our falls pages carry USGS monthly flow averages. For two northern falls the lowest month is February:

Our read: low winter flow is common but not universal. Bond and Minnehaha bottom out in February. Tahquamenon's lowest month is August, though its winter flow is still far below its April peak. These are long-term averages, not live readings, but they show the rivers keep flowing through February.

Frozen waterfalls you can reach this winter (2026-27)

This table covers falls on our site with a sourced winter fact. "Winter access" is the status on the agency page we cite, as of the date shown. Statuses change fast in winter, so open the source before you go.

Maintained or plowed in winter

Tahquamenon Falls. The Michigan DNR opened a "new 1,100-foot, fully accessible boardwalk" to the Upper Falls in May 2026, replacing "a 94-step staircase." That bulletin says nothing about winter. Our falls page reports that the DNR snow-blows the boardwalk in winter, but we could not re-check that on the DNR site this month.

Gooseberry Falls. The Minnesota DNR says "only one trail to the Upper Falls is maintained in the winter," and "Ice cleats are recommended" (DNR magazine, 2020; DNR winter map). Flooding on April 24, 2026 closed the trails next to the river (Northern News Now). We found no DNR notice that they reopened, so their winter status is unconfirmed.

Myrtle Falls. NPS says "The road between Longmire and Paradise is plowed, but closes at night during the winter" (NPS Paradise, Sep 21, 2026). Typical gate times are 9 a.m. opening, with the uphill gate closing at 4 p.m. and the downhill gate at 5 p.m. (NPS winter travel). We could not confirm winter conditions on the Myrtle Falls path itself.

Open, but trails can close in ice

Brandywine Falls. NPS says "In winter, ice becomes the attraction," but "The boardwalk may be closed during icy conditions" (NPS, Mar 20, 2024). The conditions page says the Stanford Trail "remains open" to reach the falls area (NPS conditions, Oct 19, 2026).

Taughannock and Buttermilk. NY State Parks says Taughannock "is open year round from dawn to dusk." An older parks.ny.gov page, seen only in a search excerpt, says the North and South Rim Trails close in winter, but we could not confirm that on the current page. At Buttermilk, the fall 2025 park notice said: "We anticipate the usual winter Gorge Trail closure to occur once temperatures dip below freezing and ice forms on the trail and gorge walls."

Vernal Fall. NPS says "The lower portion of the Mist Trail along Vernal Fall closes in winter due to risk of falling ice and rock," but "there is a specific route that remains open." A separate repair schedule runs "through October (subject to change)," so check the NPS conditions page for your date.

Wahkeena Falls. The Forest Service says the trail "is not closed when icy so hikers should come prepared with traction devices." It contrasts this with nearby Multnomah Falls, which implies Multnomah's trail does close in ice. We found no direct Forest Service statement on that.

On foot, snowshoe or ski

Bond Falls. The DNR says vehicle access is "typically open ... mid-May through mid-October," while "Access via the hiking trail is open year-round; however, trails and boardwalks are not monitored or groomed for snow and ice." The Forest Service adds that the "Lower parking lot is seasonal and does close in the winter" (USFS Bond Falls).

Fairy Falls. NPS projects that the Madison to Old Faithful road closes to regular vehicles after October 31, 2026 (NPS park roads). NPS lists the parkwide oversnow season for groomed roads as December 15, 2026 to March 15, 2027. In winter, NPS lists a separate Fairy Falls ski trail: "10 mile (16 km) (with ski drop) skier-tracked, round-trip," and "skier shuttles may be offered."

Franklin Falls. No 2026-27 notice is posted yet. Last season the Forest Service said "The Denny Creek Road and parking lot at Franklin Falls will not be plowed," from November 21, 2025 to April 1, 2026. That made it about 7 miles round trip from Asahel Curtis Sno-Park (USFS alert). The Forest Service also warns that the Denny Creek Trail and Franklin Falls Basin "present significant avalanche risks" (USFS trailhead).

Tumalo Falls. Forest Road 4603 is typically gated to cars in winter (not confirmed for 2026; the USFS page we checked gives no date).

Our read: if you want frozen falls this winter without skis or a long walk-in, the best-documented options are Brandywine (when the boardwalk is open), Taughannock, Lower Yosemite Fall and the Pictured Rocks ice along Sand Point Road. Tahquamenon and Gooseberry's Upper Falls trail likely belong on that list, but parts of their winter status are unconfirmed. Fairy, Franklin and Tumalo are trips for people with skis or snowshoes and avalanche awareness.

Famous frozen falls you can't easily reach this winter

Several of the falls that appear on most frozen-waterfall lists are closed or gated for 2026-27.

• Munising Falls, MI. NPS says the trail is "closed until further notice" after a washout on April 28, 2025 (NPS Munising Falls). NPS awarded a rebuild contract on September 3, 2026 and expects it to finish by the end of 2027, weather permitting (NPS release). The same NPS page still calls the site "One of the few areas of the park easy to access in winter, with plowed roads and parking lot," but the trail itself is shut.
• Grotto Falls, TN. The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail ran "4/17-11/29" in 2026 (NPS seasonal roads), and the hike page says "(road closed in winter)" (NPS hike page).
• Mesa Falls, ID. East Idaho News reported on September 17, 2026 that "Upper and Lower Mesa Falls remain closed" and "citations are being issued." The Forest Service hopes to "fully reopen to visitors in the spring"; the report gives no year (East Idaho News). In winter the byway is plowed only to Bear Gulch, 12 miles northeast of Ashton (Idaho Parks guide).
• St. Mary Falls, MT. NPS closed the alpine section of Going-to-the-Sun Road at 7 p.m. October 9, 2026. NPS called it a "temporary road closure," to "re-open ... when conditions improve" (NPS release). It was not announced as the seasonal closure. We could not confirm east-side winter access to the trailhead.
• Stewart Falls, UT. The Forest Service says SR-92 "Typically closes November 1st" (USFS Alpine Loop). The 2026 date is not announced. Last season KUTV reported it was scheduled to close on November 3, 2025 (KUTV).
• Sol Duc Falls, WA. The road was open in October 2026 (NPS current road conditions, Oct 15, 2026), but NPS says it is "often closed in winter due to snow and ice" (NPS Sol Duc brochure).

Winter closure calendar, 2026-27

The chart shows only winter rules with a date on an agency page.

Dated winter road and trail rules at frozen-waterfall sites, 2026-27

Five winter rules have published dates. Three have no reopening date announced: Stevens Canyon Road, the Roaring Fork road to Grotto Falls and the Yellowstone road past Fairy Falls.

Dated closure or ruleNo reopening date announced yet

Show the dates

Place	What	From	To	Source
Stevens Canyon Road	Scheduled to close for the season on October 26 (subject to change)	2026-10-26	Not announced	NPS road status, Oct 23, 2026
Mount Rainier chain rule	All vehicles must carry tire chains when traveling in the park	2026-11-01	2027-05-01	NPS road status, Oct 23, 2026
Madison to Old Faithful road	Closed to regular vehicles after Oct 31 (projected). NPS lists the parkwide oversnow season for groomed roads as Dec 15, 2026 to Mar 15, 2027	2026-11-01	Not announced	NPS park roads, Oct 13, 2026
Sabbaday Falls Trail (portion)	Seasonal trail closure under order R9-22-19-24, each year or as posted. Dates from an earlier read of the order; not re-checked Oct 2026	2026-11-01	2027-04-15	USFS order R9-22-19-24
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail	Road to the Grotto Falls trailhead closes after its Nov 29, 2026 last day. No 2027 opening date is published	2026-11-30	Not announced	NPS seasonal roads, Apr 20, 2026

The Sabbaday Falls Trail row comes from Forest Service order R9-22-19-24, which, by an earlier read we could not re-check this month, closes a portion of the trail from November 1 to April 15 each year "or as posted." Confirm it on the forest orders page. For Yosemite, NPS says "Chains are often required ... from November through March, less often in October and April," with no fixed dates (NPS chains).

Safety and rules on ice

Frozen falls add hazards that summer visits don't have. Here is what the agencies say. Our waterfall safety guide covers slick rock and cliffs in general.

Falling ice

Ice breaks off frozen falls. NPS closes the lower Mist Trail "due to risk of falling ice and rock." At Minnehaha, CBS Minnesota reported in January 2018 that a 20-year-old woman "was hurt when ice broke off and fell on a group of people" the year before, with three people hurt in total. Park Police Lt. Calvin Noble called the area "a safety hazard" (CBS Minnesota).

Don't walk behind frozen falls like Minnehaha or Munising

At Munising Falls, NPS says "Walking into or behind the falls is prohibited." In Minneapolis, the park board said in 2015: "Anyone behind and at the base of the falls will be considered trespassing," citing "moving water, boulders, slippery slopes." It also said "During the winter, the stairs leading down to the creek are cordoned off" (Fox 9, 2015). CBS reported in 2018 that trespass citations bring "an automatic court date and a fine." We found no newer park board statement, so follow the signs on the day.

The Minneapolis park board says its "paved trails are consistently maintained throughout the winter months" (MPRB). The south-side access and viewing areas were "currently closed" for repairs in a July 2024 bulletin (MPRB bulletin), and we found no reopening notice.

Hidden ice and traction

Ice is not always visible. At Dry Falls in North Carolina, the Forest Service warns: "During winter the rocks do not look icy, but beware they are coated with ice and are extremely slippery" (USFS Dry Falls).

Three agencies tell visitors to bring traction:

• Wahkeena (USFS): "hikers should come prepared with traction devices."
• Gooseberry (MN DNR): "Ice cleats are recommended."
• Pictured Rocks (NPS): "Ice cleats of some sort are critical to avoid slipping or falling" (NPS winter activities).

Lake ice

Pictured Rocks sits on Lake Superior, and NPS is plain about lake ice there: "No one can tell you if the ice is safe to walk on."

Can you climb a frozen waterfall?

Only where the land manager allows it. At Pictured Rocks, NPS says "Ice climbing is the only kind of cliff climbing allowed," but "Munising Falls is closed to ice climbing" (NPS ice climbing). Its other rules:

• "Camping is not allowed at climbing sites."
• No pets on the Sand Point climbing trails.
• "parking is prohibited along the road itself."

That NPS page mentions no permit or registration. At Gooseberry, a DNR page seen only in a search excerpt mentions ice climbers on the Middle and Lower Falls in January and February. The DNR requires a permit for rock climbing in designated areas, but we could not confirm whether that rule covers ice. For Looking Glass Falls in North Carolina, we found no Forest Service rule on ice climbing either way.

Our read: ice climbing is a separate sport with its own gear and training. If the agency page doesn't say climbing is allowed at a specific fall, ask the managing office before you plan it.

Frozen waterfalls FAQ

Do frozen waterfalls exist?

Yes. NPS documents an ice cone at Upper Yosemite Fall and seep-ice curtains at Pictured Rocks; see Do waterfalls freeze?.

Where can I see frozen waterfalls in the US?

Brandywine, Taughannock, Lower Yosemite Fall and Gooseberry's Upper Falls trail (with its post-flood status unconfirmed) have documented winter access. See the access table for the rest.

How cold does it have to be for a waterfall to freeze?

No agency gives a number. NPS ties frazil ice to below-freezing days and nights, and Illinois Physics says moving water "has to be a lot colder" to freeze.

Can you climb a frozen waterfall?

Only where the land manager allows it, as at Pictured Rocks. See Can you climb a frozen waterfall?.

Can you walk behind a frozen waterfall?

Not at Munising or Minnehaha. See the rules.

Is Minnehaha Falls frozen right now?

Check the Minneapolis park board page and current weather. Our Minnehaha Falls page lists closures.

Plan your next step

• Find falls near you on the waterfall map.
• Read the waterfall safety guide before a winter hike.
• Browse waterfalls by state: Michigan for Tahquamenon and Bond Falls, Minnesota for Gooseberry and Minnehaha, New York for Taughannock and Eternal Flame, Tennessee for Grotto Falls and Washington for Myrtle and Franklin Falls.
• For Yosemite Falls' height and season, see the tallest waterfalls in the US.

Winter access last checked October 24, 2026. We plan to re-check in mid-December and mid-January. Conditions change: confirm with the official source before you go.

Sources

• NPS: Munising Falls (updated Aug 19, 2026): trail "closed until further notice", no walking into or behind the falls, winter access wording
• NPS Pictured Rocks news release (Sep 3, 2026): Munising Falls Trail contract awarded, completion expected by end of 2027
• NPS Pictured Rocks: Winter activities (Jan 14, 2026): ice cleats, lake ice warning
• NPS Pictured Rocks: Ice climbing (Dec 13, 2022): ice climbing rules
• NPS Pictured Rocks: Viewing ice formations (Dec 15, 2022): seep-ice curtains 20 to 50 ft, mid-December to early April
• NPS Great Smoky Mountains: Seasonal roads (Apr 20, 2026): Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail 4/17-11/29
• NPS: Hike to Grotto Falls (Aug 15, 2026): "road closed in winter"
• NPS Yosemite: Vernal and Nevada Falls trail (Jul 27, 2026): lower Mist Trail winter closure, open winter route
• NPS Yosemite: Current conditions (Oct 23, 2026): Yosemite Falls dry, Mist Trail repair schedule
• NPS Yosemite: Waterfalls (May 12, 2026): ice cone, frost along edges
• NPS Yosemite: Frazil ice (Jan 25, 2018): how frazil ice forms and when
• NPS Yosemite: Tire chains (Dec 3, 2025): chains often required November through March
• NPS Mount Rainier: Road status (Oct 23, 2026): carry chains Nov 1 to May 1, Stevens Canyon Road closing Oct 26
• NPS Mount Rainier: Paradise (Sep 21, 2026): road plowed but closes at night in winter
• NPS Mount Rainier: Winter travel (Oct 14, 2026): typical gate times
• NPS Glacier news release (Oct 9, 2026): temporary closure in alpine section of Going-to-the-Sun Road
• NPS Yellowstone: Park roads (Oct 13, 2026): Madison to Old Faithful season, parkwide oversnow dates
• NPS Yellowstone: Fairy Falls ski trail (Apr 21, 2025): 10 mi round trip with ski drop
• NPS Olympic: Current road conditions (Oct 15, 2026): Sol Duc Road open
• NPS Olympic: Sol Duc area brochure (Apr 11, 2025): road often closed in winter
• NPS Cuyahoga Valley: Brandywine Falls (Mar 20, 2024): winter ice, boardwalk may close when icy
• NPS Cuyahoga Valley: Conditions (Oct 19, 2026): 50 ft from top and bottom, Stanford Trail open
• USFS: Dry Falls (search excerpt): hidden ice warning
• USFS: Wahkeena Trail 420 (search excerpt): not closed when icy, traction devices
• USFS alert: Franklin Falls Sno-Park closed (2025-26 season, search excerpt)
• USFS: Franklin Falls Trailhead (search excerpt): avalanche risk
• USFS: Tumalo Falls Day Use Area: no 2026 closing date found
• USFS: Alpine Scenic Loop Backway (search excerpt): SR-92 typically closes November 1
• USFS White Mountain NF: Forest Supervisor's Orders (updated Jul 6, 2026): order R9-22-19-24
• USFS Ottawa NF: Bond Falls (Sep 10, 2025, search excerpt): lower lot closes in winter
• Michigan DNR: Bond Falls Scenic Site (search excerpt): vehicle season, trail open year-round
• Michigan DNR bulletin (May 18, 2026): new 1,100-foot Tahquamenon boardwalk
• Minnesota DNR, Conservation Volunteer (Jan-Feb 2020, search excerpt): one maintained winter trail at Gooseberry
• Minnesota DNR: Gooseberry Falls winter map, PDF (search excerpt)
• Northern News Now (Apr 24, 2026): flooding closes Gooseberry trails
• NY State Parks: Buttermilk Falls State Park (alert posted Oct 13, 2026)
• NY State Parks: Taughannock Falls State Park (trails update Apr 17, 2026): open year-round
• Erie County: Chestnut Ridge Park (changed Apr 20, 2026): winter hours
• Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board: Minnehaha Regional Park: winter trail maintenance
• MPRB bulletin (Jul 22, 2024): south-side access and viewing areas closed
• Fox 9 (Dec 30, 2015): walking behind frozen Minnehaha Falls is illegal
• CBS Minnesota (Jan 4, 2018): falling ice injuries and trespass citations at Minnehaha
• City of Sioux Falls: Falls Park: daily hours
• East Idaho News (Sep 17, 2026): Upper and Lower Mesa Falls remain closed
• Idaho Parks & Recreation: Bear Gulch and Mesa Falls ski guide, PDF (search excerpt): end of plowed byway
• KUTV (Nov 2, 2025): Alpine Loop scheduled to close for 2025 winter season
• University of Illinois Physics, Ask the Van (Oct 22, 2007): moving water can freeze but needs more cold
• USGS Open-File Report 1986-298, PDF (search excerpt): frazil ice crystals
• USGS gage 04033000, Middle Branch Ontonagon River near Paulding (monthly means, fetched Oct 23, 2026)
• USGS gage 05289800, Minnehaha Creek at Hiawatha Ave (monthly means, fetched Oct 23, 2026)
• USGS gage 04045500, Tahquamenon River near Paradise (monthly means, fetched Oct 23, 2026)