Bridal Veil Falls, Alaska

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Bridal Veil Falls in August 2014

My husband asked me the other day if I had been to Bridal Veil Falls, and my response was “Which one?”! It seems to be one of the most common waterfall names that I’ve run into (at least in English). After a quick check, I’ve visited 14 Bridal Veil Falls in 3 different countries. And as of right now, this is the last Bridal Veil Falls I have to write about until I visit another one.

This Bridal Veil Falls comprises what I’ll call a set of three falls you can very easily see if you’re approaching Valdez, Alaska. Unless you’re visiting Valdez, that may be the first big step. And you may visit Valdez on an Alaskan cruise and unless you head onto Alaska state road 4, you won’t see these falls. Two of the falls are named: Bridal Veil and Horsetail Falls, and then there’s another one I’ve called Keystone Canyon Falls. They’re all within a short distance of each other.

And if you’re on the road, drive safely! You won’t have to search hard for these falls, though. You’re surrounded by some amazing cliffs/mountains on both sides of the road, and these are flowing down those cliffs! You will just need to find some place to pull off safely, which if I remember correctly, also wasn’t difficult. From some online maps, I calculated the height of the falls to be about 400′. The city of Valdez says it’s 600′, which could also be possible. Once a waterfall gets this tall, there are some drops that can be difficult to see. It’s definitely worth it to see these falls if you’re in Valdez for some reason!

Directions:

  1. There isn’t any other way to enter Valdez via road than on Alaska Route 4. From Anchorage, you’d follow AK-1 for a really long time to the junction of AK-4.
  2. Turn right and head south on AK-4, and then after an hour or so, you’ll enter Keystone Canyon. It’s clearly signed. It’s hard to miss the different waterfalls.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Length of Hike: roadside
Height: 400-600′ (it’s tall!)

Where in the World is Bridal Veil Falls?

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Hindmarsh Falls, South Australia

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Hindmarsh Falls in May 2023

We are now in Adelaide after being in Melbourne. I’ve been looking for waterfalls to visit in the Adelaide area, and it’s a mixed find. There are a number of waterfalls in the area, but they don’t consistently have water. It has been raining for the past few days on and off, so there might be water over some of them. I decided to search for those that more consistently had water flowing and Hindmarsh Falls fit this description.

We stayed in McLaren Vale for a few days. McLaren Vale is a popular wine-producing region in South Australia. The area isn’t far from some countryside that isn’t necessarily designated for growing grapes. Hindmarsh Falls was about 30 minutes south of McLaren Vale. Some of the waterfalls we visited near Melbourne had some winding, curvy, dizzying drives. The drive to Hindmarsh Falls seemed tame in comparison.

The final bit of the drive is on an unpaved road, but it’s a short distance. Once you reach the parking area for the falls, it’s a short hike on a paved trail to the falls. I wasn’t sure whether to rate this as a 9/10 or 10/10 for accessibility. It is a very easy trail to access, but I don’t think it was 100% accessible. There may have been a few stairs and it did have a bit of an incline. Kids should be able to handle it just fine. Someone in a wheelchair could likely do it with someone else.

The falls are taller than they appear, as seems to be the theme with the other waterfalls I’ve seen on this trip. It’s difficult to get a photograph that captures the whole falls, though. There are trees and shrubs that block certain possible viewpoints that might allow for the full waterfall. Even at the official viewpoint, there are some trees/shrubs that can block pieces of the waterfall. I was able to lean a little bit to the left to get the best view of the falls I could.

Directions:

  1. I’m assuming most people would be approaching from Adelaide or north of the falls. The A13 heads south from Adelaide.
  2. You’ll follow the A13 to the B34 to Hindmarsh Tiers Road. (I’ll let your navigation system give a clearer set of directions.)
  3. From Hindmarsh Tiers Road, you’ll turn onto Hindmarsh Falls Road. That will lead you to the parking lot, which is really the second parking lot. The first is a picnic area.
  4. From the parking lot, it’s relatively obvious where the paved trail is. You can follow that for about 100 meters down to the viewing area.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: ~75′
Hike: 0.12 miles round-trip

Where in the World is Hindmarsh Falls?

Lower Poplar River Falls, Minnesota

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I love visiting the North Shore of Minnesota along Lake Superior. It’s a beautiful drive and there are so many stops along the way, whether it be for waterfalls, wildlife viewing, or enjoying the lake. I’ve visited twice and look forward to the day when I go back.

Right off of Minnesota 61 near Lutsen is the Poplar River. There must be multiple waterfalls further upstream as I’ve referred to this one (from other waterfall hunters) as the lower falls. It’s easily viewed by a stop at the Lutsen Resort. In 2015, it was allowed to visit the area without staying at the resort. If that’s changed, please respect the property. After parking the car, we went looking for the falls toward the Poplar River.

It wasn’t difficult to find the falls. They’re pretty obvious as you’re walking along the riverside. You may also be able to see the falls from some of the pedestrian bridges that cross the river. The falls aren’t anything wildly interesting compared to some of the other falls along the North Shore, but it’s still a worthwhile quick stop as they are easily viewed and accessed.

Directions:

  1. Head north along MN-61 past Tofte and into/approaching Lutsen. If headed north, the Lutsen Resort will be on the right side of the road.
  2. You’ll take a turn onto Resort Road and head toward Lake Superior on Cliffhouse Road.
  3. Don’t go any further than the resort. There’s parking on the lake side of the resort. You can get out, walk to Lake Superior, or check out the Poplar River and the lower falls.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 15′
Length of Hike: 0.1 miles round-trip

Lower Poplar River Falls in August 2015

Where in the World is Lower Poplar River Falls?

Secret Falls, Victoria

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I follow this idea that I post about the first waterfall I visit in a specific area. In this case, I’m posting about a quirky waterfall I found on Google Maps that didn’t have much water flowing when we visited yesterday.

We’re in Australia right now, in what is the Southern Hemisphere fall. It’s been rather enjoyable weather here, with a bit of rain and chilliness sprinkled in. We landed in Melbourne and stayed there for two days to adapt to the time zone changes. After two days, we obtained our rental car and headed south from Melbourne. We headed to Phillip Island, and along the way, with a short detour, there’s a waterfall labeled on Google Maps as Secret Falls. I’m guessing it’s “secret” because it’s not a widely advertised waterfall, though that may be due to the seasonality of the creek. There was a tiny bit of water flowing over the falls.

The real attraction here is not the waterfall, though I like looking for waterfalls because they can lead to other beautiful things. The waterfall is in the Kilcunda Coastal Reserve, which is really stunning. You’ll get some amazing views of the Indian Ocean. The cliffs at this location are rather impressive.

Getting to the falls isn’t very difficult, though I found that the location pinned on Google Maps wasn’t exactly accurate. The falls are about 1 kilometer to the west of the pin, at least in walking distance. The walk provides great views of the cliffs. The cliffs are the main attraction, though if you want to see the falls at more flow, visiting after a good rainfall is necessary.

Directions:

  1. Follow the M420 south outside of the Melbourne suburbs. You’ll drive a good ways on M420, essentially until it changes to B420.
  2. At the intersection of B420 and B460, you’ll turn left onto B460. You’ll continue on B460 through a few roundabouts until you reach the Kilcunda Coastal Reserve. The Shelley Beach Carpark will be the location to start at.
  3. From the Shelley Beach Carpark, you can head west along the George Bass Coastal Walk.
  4. The falls are rather easy to find if know that you’re looking for a wood bridge that crosses the seasonal creek where the falls are found. So if you haven’t reached a bridge, keep going along the coastal walk.
  5. Before you cross the bridge, you’ll see a path veer off to the left toward the ocean. You’ll see the falls from there. If there’s not much water, you may not hear the falls. I didn’t go down to see the falls at the base because the waves were pretty intense in that area.

Accessibility: 9/10 (easy)
Height: 15′
Length of Hike: 1 mile round-trip

Not much water flowing over Secret Falls in May 2023

Where in the World is Secret Falls?

Lower Düden Falls, Türkiye

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I’m in Türkiye (formerly known as Turkey) right now, and guess what? There are waterfalls in Turkey! It’s not surprising because there’s a lot of elevation change going on in the country, which is one of the main requirements to have waterfalls. There are probably more waterfalls than are “advertised”. Google does a pretty good job of showing where some of the waterfalls are, though it can be a bit difficult to determine how complicated it is to get to each falls.

The first waterfall we visited in Türkiye is an easy one to visit. It’s also an extremely stunning waterfall that drops about 131′ into the Mediterranean Sea. There are two distinct falls on the Düden Stream/River and they’re not always clearly distinguished. If you go to Google Maps, you’ll see photos for the two falls at the same location. If you could fly between the two, they’re approximately 13 km apart!

They’re both worthwhile to visit and Lower Düden Falls is the one that is seaside. There is a park dedicated to visiting the falls. It’s pretty easy to get to. If you’re driving in a Turkish city, it can be rather chaotic getting used to a different driving style. If you don’t want to take the effort to drive there, you can take the bus to the falls or you can purchase a tour guide/company to take you to the falls.

We are renting a car right now because our final destination is İstanbul. If you rent a car, then it is worthwhile to see the other three falls in a day (or over multiple days). There’s Manavgat Falls, Kurşunlu Falls, and Upper Düden Falls. You may also be able to find a tour guide that combines the four falls together. Tourism is a major business in Antalya, and the benefit is you can really go anywhere on a tour.

Directions:

  1. I’ll direct you to Google Maps if you’re driving. Look for Düden Park Şelalesi. Şelalesi is the term for waterfall. You can also set your directions to the Düden Otopark which is easy parking to get to the falls. It costs ~20 TL, which is about 1 USD.
  2. You could also take a tour guide there and not have to worry about where to park.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 131′
Length of Hike: 0.1 miles round-trip

Lower Düden Falls in March 2023

Where in the World is Lower Düden Falls?

Garfield Falls, Oklahoma

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The Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Sulphur, Oklahoma has a number of odd waterfalls. I think that’s probably the best way to describe them. Some of them don’t seem natural, but I include them anyway because somehow it’s been decided they’re important enough to be named.

There’s Little Niagara Falls, Bear Falls, and Cave Island Falls in addition to this fourth falls, Garfield Falls. They are all barely 5′ tall at the highest. There is supposed to be another waterfall in the Recreation Area, but I couldn’t easily find the falls. The Chickasaw NRA is honestly a beautiful place to visit, even if it isn’t for the waterfalls. The trails around the park were definitely enjoyable.

Directions:

  1. From US-177 in Sulphur (at the intersection of OK-7), head south along US-177.
  2. There are two entrances that will both lead you to the same general location. The first option is to turn left onto Perimeter Road soon after that intersection. The second option is to head just under a mile south and turn left (on what might also be Perimeter Road). Why would you choose the second? Part of the drive is one-way, and the only way to get to the falls from the first entrance is to drive over the river at some point. When I was there in early March, the river over the road, and there was no way I was going to cross in my rental car. The second option avoided this river crossing.
  3. If you choose the second, southern option, you can drive directly to the sign for the falls for Little Niagara. The other falls can be accessed along the trail nearby.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 3′
Length of Hike: roadside

Garfield Falls in March 2018

Where in the World is Garfield Falls?

Lace Falls, New York

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Lace Falls is a freebie that comes with a visit to one of the many waterfalls in Ithaca, New York. The interesting thing about the other waterfall is that it seems to have many different names: Wells Falls, Businessman’s Lunch Falls, or Van Natta’s Falls.

Lace Falls in May 2009

I don’t honestly remember the hike down to the falls as I visited Lace Falls 13 years ago and am just now getting to writing about it. Luckily I wrote about Wells Falls way back when, so the trail directions are down below. Once you get to the base of Wells Falls, Lace Falls is flowing off to the side. It’s a separate waterfall from Wells Falls. After a good rainfall, it will be impressive. If it’s been dry, there may not be much of a waterfall!

Directions:

  1. From the center of Ithaca, head out on East NY-79.
  2. You’ll pass the intersection for NY-366, but do not turn here. Shortly after that, you’re going to turn onto Water St.
  3. Water St. will end at the parking lot of a nature preserve that is right next to Six Mile Creek.
  4. Park in the nature preserve and walk across Giles St. and over the bridge that crosses Six Mile Creek.
  5. After you have passed the bridge, you have two options. First option: There is a trail that has been widely used that you will come up to first. This trail can give you some very good views of the crest of the falls, but not the base. If you continue on the trail, you will most likely end up with the trail ending abruptly. Second option: If you go a very short distance further, you’ll will notice a somewhat inclined trail/rock road/path that leads downward. If you follow this trail, you’ll end up with a much better view of the base of the falls. Try both options for multiple photo opportunities.

Accessibility: 7/10 (easy/moderate)
Height: 75′
Length of Hike: 0.2 miles round-trip

Where in the World is Lace Falls?

Spoonauger Falls, South Carolina

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Looking at the map just now, I didn’t realize (or maybe remember?) that Spoonauger Falls was so close to the South Carolina/Georgia border. Georgia’s just a stone’s throw from the Spoonauger Falls and it’s partner, Kings Creek Falls. I don’t remember going as far as Burrells Ford, but the road to the falls crosses over into Georgia.

Spoonauger Falls in March 2017

I didn’t go as far as Burrells Ford because the parking area that leads to both falls is right before you would need to cross the Chattooga River. If you head right/north from the parking area, you’ll find Spoonauger Falls. If you head left/south, you’ll find Kings Creek Falls.

Spoonauger Falls is the shorter of the hikes, and is an easier, straight shoot to the falls. It must have been some uphill and downhill hiking since I rated it as a moderate hike. It’s a really beautiful waterfall, and the fact that it wasn’t too difficult to arrive at the falls and then hike to this and another waterfall makes it a worthwhile set of waterfalls to visit!

Directions:

  1. Drive along SC-107 (in between the North Carolina border and Oconee State Park).
  2. Find Burrells Ford Road. If heading south along SC-107, it will be on your right. Turn onto Burrells Ford Road.
  3. Drive for about 2.5 miles along the road to a parking area on your left. It’s mostly gravel, but it’s well kept.
  4. Park and look for the kiosk near the front of the parking area. The trail to the falls starts right after the kiosk.

Accessibility: 6/10 (moderate)
Height: 50′
Length of Hike: 0.6 miles round-trip

Where in the World is Spoonauger Falls?

St. Louis Canyon Falls, Illinois

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Starved Rock State Park is a wonderful state park to see some fascinating geological features and some amazing waterfalls if you show up at the right time! I’ve posted about LaSalle Canyon Falls and Wildcat Canyon Falls already.

St. Louis Canyon Falls in April 2012

There are many parking areas in the park that can lead to different canyons. St. Louis Canyon is unique in that it’s somewhat on the edge of the park. There’s a designated parking area for St. Louis Canyon off of IL-178. Once you park, you hike west and you’ll come to St. Louis Canyon Falls. You can continue on the Bluff Trail to the main parking area, which then leads to an extensive trail system which parallels the Illinois River.

The important thing to make your visit worthwhile. Visit in spring or after a good rainfall. The waterfalls in these canyons disappear after it gets warmer and drier. The area is still amazing, but if you’re looking for waterfalls, timing is important.

Directions:

  1. There are different parking areas in Starved Rock State Park. To most quickly access St. Louis Canyon Falls, the parking are is found directly off of IL-178 south of North Utica. If you reach the Grand Bear Resort, you’ve gone too far. The parking area will be on the left if you’re headed south.
  2. From the parking area, follow the trail into St. Louis Canyon.

Accessibility: 8/10 (easy/moderate)
Height: 40′
Length of Hike: 0.8 miles round-trip

Where in the World is St. Louis Canyon Falls?

Cascade Springs Falls, Georgia

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Cascade Springs Falls isn’t a large waterfall, but it’s one of the more interesting waterfalls (in a certain respect) in Georgia. If you head one or two hours outside of Atlanta, you can find a multitude of waterfalls in the north of the state. If you head south, there aren’t as many, with High Falls being the main one. But in Atlanta, there aren’t many.

Cascade Springs Falls in May 2014

But there is Cascade Springs Falls! Just to the west of the downtown, you can stumble upon this fun waterfall, which is in a fascinating nature preserve. When I visited, it honestly felt a bit out of place…I’m thinking there should be the hustle and bustle of a major city, and yet there’s this ethereal park where you’ll find some really random and interesting treasures.

The ethereal feeling might come from the hobbit-like spring pump house you’ll find as you approach the falls. There’s also Civil War earthworks, though I don’t have much recollection of seeing directions as where to look for those.

Directions:

  1. I’m not sure what the best way to approach the park is…so I’ll give directions from I-285, which might be the main road closest to the falls.
  2. If you’re headed north on I-285 (north of the intersection of GA-154 or south of the intersection with I-20), you’ll come to exit 7, which is indicatively named Cascade Road.
  3. If headed north, you’ll turn right onto Cascade Road. Head just under 1.5 miles along Cascade Road to the entrance/parking area for Cascade Springs Nature Preserve.
  4. Follow a path south/southeast-ish to get to the falls.

Accessibility: 9/10 (easy)
Length of Hike: 1.9 miles round-trip (though I don’t think it’s that long to the falls)
Height: 6′

Where in the World is Cascade Springs Falls?