The West's 100 Best Waterfalls

Who doesn't love an incredible waterfall? We sure do. Particularly the ones you can visit. Unlike mountains with big vistas, waterfalls can be enjoyed rain or shine. In fact, heavy rains are a river's lifeblood that truly bring cascades to form, making soggy days the best days for exploration.

There are literally thousands of waterfalls in the U.S. West, and it's hard to pick favorites. Incredibly, roughly 70% of all the waterfalls in the U.S. are located within just two states, Oregon and Washington. The Pacific Northwest's consistent winter showers bring up to 240 inches of rain a year, and spring and summer snowmelt can keep river flows impressive year round. Unfortunately, many of the giants in the Pacific Northwest are completely unaccessible.

Elsewhere, massive falls drop out of the desert, such as the iconic 100-foot Havasu Falls in the Grand Canyon, or Emerald Pool Falls in Zion National Park, which has two distinct falls of 300 and 110 feet. And you can look to the Sierra for the nation's tallest single drop: Yosemite Falls, at 2,425 feet, which continues to awe us all.

We've developed quite a portfolio of incredible waterfalls based on our Contributor submissions from throughout the west, but there are still many we still have yet to feature. Nevertheless, here's a list of our top 100 waterfalls in the West including a few in the Canadian West, so strap on your waterproof boots or hiking sandals and hit the trail to one of these beautiful cascades.