This U.S. State Has More Waterfalls Than Anywhere Else—With Nearly 3,000 to Explore

Waterfalls are the type of natural wonder people cross state lines, country lines, and even oceans for. Places like Niagara Falls, Victoria Falls, and Yosemite Falls are so impressive and awe-inspiring, they attract millions of visitors each year. While each of those attractions might have the name recognition, there’s another destination waterfall chasers should have on their radar.

Washington is frequently referred to as the U.S. state with the most waterfalls, with estimates around 2,900 total falls. While this sort of number is pretty tough to calculate, Reddit user malxredleader attempted to do the impossible a few years ago. By pulling data from the National Hydrography Dataset, a U.S. Geological Survey study, and using the geographic information system software QGIS, they were able to estimate the number of natural waterfalls in each state—noting the final tally “includes only naturally occurring waterfalls and does not include rapids.”

Washington came out on top, with exactly 2,907 waterfalls, but it was closely followed by Alaska, with 2,012 waterfalls, and Oregon and California, with 1,876 and 1,619 waterfalls, respectively.

Sure, you could attempt to see every single one of Washington’s waterfalls over the course of your lifetime, but it’s probably more realistic to narrow down your selection to just a few of the most notable—starting with Palouse Falls. Located on the Palouse River in Palouse Falls State Park Heritage Site, the waterfall drops 200 feet into a swirling bowl. While it’s not the highest waterfall you’ll ever see, it’s incredibly photogenic and easy to reach. There are three viewpoints, but you’ll get the best panoramic view from the highest point, Fryxell Overlook.

If you want to see a few waterfalls in one trip, head to Mount Rainier National Park. Home to numerous waterfalls—some of which only appear in certain times of the year—the national park is a treasure chest of these beautiful sights. In the Carbon River Area of the park, you have Chenuis Falls, Ipsut Falls, and Ranger Falls, the latter of which is a dramatic 3-segmented waterfall. Head to the Stevens Canyon Area to see Fairy Falls, Martha Falls, and Sylvia Falls; you’ll need to bring binoculars and time your trip correctly to get a good glimpse of Fairy Falls, though. The three-tiered cascade used to be fed by glaciers, and the falls are now formed from the snowpack. Other highlights in Mount Rainier National Park include the veil-like Spray Falls and Comet Falls, which is arguably one of the best in the park.