Quick Facts
Accessibility: 10/10 (Easy)
Height: 500′ / 152 m
Length of Hike: Viewed from cruise/boat
The Record
I was searching through photos from travels in past Augusts, and was reminded of several waterfalls I saw on a visit to Alaska. I’m always a bit surprised at how difficult it can be to find information about waterfalls in our 49th state. Some Alaskan waterfalls are very commonly advertised, but other impressive falls aren’t catalogued as much, though information has become more available.
If you search for Anderson Falls, you’ll find a few hits, but sparse information. And yet Anderson Falls is one of the tallest (easily visited?) waterfalls in the state. Based on the terrain, there are many more that are just too inaccessible to visit. And in terms of “easily visited”, it does require a boat ride. Luckily, several fjord and glacier cruise tours leave from Valdez and will pass right by this waterfall.
From analysis of the landscape, Google Gemini approximates that Anderson Falls is 500′ tall. There are two portions to the falls. The top plunge drop, followed by the lower cascades. The falls continue even more as they meet the shoreline. It’s a really impressive sight, and one that I wasn’t particularly expecting!
Directions
- In this case, the most “difficult” part is getting to Valdez. I flew into Anchorage, and it was a 5-hour drive to Valdez. (There are flights on prop jets into Valdez.)
- After arriving and seeing some of the other waterfalls in Valdez, I hopped on one of the boat cruises (Lu-Lu Belle or Stan Stephens, I don’t remember which) and enjoyed the cruise to see waterfalls, glaciers, and wildlife! It’s definitely worth it!
Waterfall Record 
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