Waterfall Wonders Around the World
Relax and take a look at some of the world's most beautiful waterfalls, including Niagara Falls in New York, Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, Yosemite Falls in California and Huangguoshu Waterfall in China.
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Kwin Mosby
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Skógafoss
With a 200-foot drop, Skógafoss — located in Skógar, Iceland — rivals Gullfoss as the country’s most famous and tallest waterfall. According to legend, the first Viking settler in the area buried a treasure chest in the cave behind the waterfall. Locals found the chest but were able to grasp only a ring, which is now on display at an area museum. Designated camping areas and hiking trails along the Skógá River have made this waterfall a popular tourist spot.
Rhine Falls
The best time to visit Switzerland’s Rhine Falls is between April and October. Tourists flock to the city of Schaffhausen to see the falls via a guided boat tour or train ride. Outdoor enthusiasts can also visit Adventure Park, the country’s largest rope park, built at the Rhine Falls.
Cummins Falls
The namesake attraction of Cummins Falls State Park in Tennessee isn't easy to get to, accessible only by foot through some steep terrain. The reward, though, is a scenic dip below the 75-foot falls in one of the country's most popular secret swimming holes.
Murchison Falls
Murchison Falls, aka Kabarega Falls, is a waterfall on the Nile River in Uganda. At the top of the falls, the Nile is forced through a 23-foot-wide gap in the rocks (seen on the far right) that flows westward into Lake Albert.
Victoria Falls
Take a look at this aerial view of Victoria Falls, found on the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe. Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone, who is believed to have been the first European to view the falls, named the site in honor of Queen Victoria.
Havasu Falls
Havasu Falls in Supai, AZ, is one of the most famous and most visited waterfalls in the Grand Canyon. The site consist of 1 main chute that drops over a 120-foot vertical cliff. Hikers can relax, stop for lunch and sit at the picnic tables near the waterfall.
La Cascata del Sasso
The Metauro River falls over the layers of limestone to create La Cascata del Sasso in Marche, an eastern Italian region. It is one of the 10 largest waterfalls in Italy. Below the waterfall, the lake is surrounded by willow and poplar trees. And it’s also a hot spot for fishermen, who will find rare species including the kingfisher.
Yosemite Falls
Deep in the heart of California's Yosemite National Park, tourists marvel at this waterfall wonder. With its 2,425-foot drop, Yosemite Falls is the sixth-tallest waterfall in the world. The Ahwahneechee, a group of Native American people who lived in the Yosemite Valley, believed that the pool at the base of the falls was inhabited by the spirits of several witches.
Iguazu Falls
A trip to Brazil or Argentina isn’t complete without making a trip to Iguazu Falls. The waterfall runs along the border of the 2 countries and divides the Iguazu River into upper and lower sections. An old legend claims that the falls were created when an angry god split the river in 2 after his fiancée ran away with her lover on a canoe.
Seven Falls
Take a steep climb up 224 steps to get a picturesque view from the peak of Seven Falls, a cascading waterfall in Colorado Springs, CO. While you’re there, hike the Trail to Inspiration Point or the Trail to Midnight Falls. The best time to enjoy the scenery and wildlife on these 2 trails is between May and October.
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is the collective name for 3 waterfalls — Horseshoe Falls (Canada), American Falls (US) and Bridal Veil Falls (US) — found on the Canadian-US border between Ontario and New York. The falls have the highest flow rate of any waterfall in the world. On average, almost 4 million cubic feet of water falls over the crest line in 1 minute. And in case you didn’t know, this waterfall is used as a source of hydroelectric power.
Warren Falls
Visit the Mad River in Warren, VT. Although small when compared with other waterfalls, Warren Falls, aka Carleton Falls, is a perfect outdoor getaway for communing with nature. Take a relaxing stroll around the falls and along the river.
Sutherland Falls
Nestled in the woods behind the fog is Sutherland Falls in Milford Sound, New Zealand. The water spills 1,904 feet into 2 glacial lakes on the mountainside inside Fiordland National Park, making it the second-tallest waterfall in the country, behind Browne Falls in Doubtful Sound.
Huangguoshu Waterfall
Located on the Baishui River in Anshun in the Guizhou province, Huangguoshu Waterfall is the largest in China. The falls reside in Huangguoshu National Park and consist of 18 waterfalls that vary in size.
Bouma Waterfalls
Bouma Waterfalls, aka Tavoro Waterfalls — located in Fiji’s Bouma National Heritage Park — looks like a beautiful backdrop from a spectacular movie scene. It consists of 3 waterfalls. The tallest of the 3, Lower Bouma Falls, has a 78-foot drop.
Kaieteur Falls
Three times the height of Niagara Falls and twice the height of Victoria Falls, Kaieteur Falls plunges 822 feet into the lake below. The site, part of Kaieteur National Park, is a popular tourist attraction in the center of Guyana’s rain forest. Travelers arriving and departing from Ogle Airport and Cheddi Jagan International Airport may be able to catch a glimpse of the waterfall from the plane’s window.