10 of the Smallest Waterfalls in the US (2026 Updated)
Lists of record-breaking waterfalls usually chase height. This one goes the other way: the ten smallest named waterfalls in the United States that have a recorded height, from 3-foot ledges to 10-foot drops across Illinois, Vermont, Idaho, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
How We Measured
Most named waterfalls have no official height on record. We searched the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Google listing descriptions for every waterfall in our directory and found an explicit height for 145 of them. These ten are the smallest of that group, excluding falls recorded on private land. Heights are approximate and describe the drop, not the width.
| # | Waterfall | State | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canyon Creek Cascade | Illinois | About 3 ft |
| 2 | Gages Falls | Vermont | About 3 ft |
| 3 | Tappan Falls | Idaho | About 6 ft |
| 4 | Canyon Creek Falls | Illinois | About 8 ft |
| 5 | Chippewa Falls | Michigan | About 10 ft |
| 6 | Cascade Falls | New York | About 10 ft |
| 7 | Plumb Brook Falls | New York | About 10 ft |
| 8 | Shingle Mill Falls | New York | About 10 ft |
| 9 | Shady Falls | North Carolina | About 10 ft |
| 10 | Middle Creek Falls | Tennessee | About 10 ft |
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1. Canyon Creek Cascade, Illinois
About 3 feet · DuPage County · near Lemont
Canyon Creek Cascade is a waterfall about 1.2 miles north of Lemont, Illinois. The USGS gazetteer records it as: "approx. 3 ft. high; located along East Branch Canyon Creek in Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve; Sec. 17, T37N, R11E, Third Principal Meridian" The nearest other named waterfall is Canyon Creek Falls, about 0.0 miles to the southwest.
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2. Gages Falls, Vermont
About 3 feet · Windham County · near Bellows Falls
Pictured: nearby Fay Falls (6.6 mi) Gages Falls is a waterfall about 1.3 miles southwest of Bellows Falls, Vermont. The USGS gazetteer records it as: "3 ft. high; located along the Saxtons River at Covered Bridge Road in North Westminster, 0.5 mi. NW of Bald Hill" The nearest other named waterfall is Twin Falls, about 0.1 miles to the east.
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3. Tappan Falls, Idaho
About 6 feet · Lemhi County · near Challis
Tappan Falls is a waterfall about 36 miles northwest of Challis, Idaho. The USGS gazetteer records it as: "6 ft. high falls; on the Middle Fork Salmon River in the Salmon-Challis National Forest/Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, 0.6 miles W of the mouth of Cove Creek; Sec. 19, T18N, R15E, Boise Meridian" The nearest other named waterfall is Napias Creek Falls, about 32.3 miles to the northeast.
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4. Canyon Creek Falls, Illinois
About 8 feet · DuPage County · near Lemont
Canyon Creek Falls is a waterfall about 1.1 miles north of Lemont, Illinois. The USGS gazetteer records it as: "approx. 8 ft. high; located along East Branch Canyon Creek, in Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve; Sec. 17, T37N, R11E, Third Principal Meridian" The nearest other named waterfall is Canyon Creek Cascade, about 0.0 miles to the northeast.
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5. Chippewa Falls, Michigan
About 10 feet · Gogebic County · near Bessemer
Pictured: nearby Algonquin Falls (1.3 mi) Chippewa Falls is a waterfall about 8.2 miles north of Bessemer, Michigan. The USGS gazetteer records it as: "The falls have a vertical drop of 10 feet." The nearest other named waterfall is Algonquin Falls, about 1.3 miles to the north.
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6. Cascade Falls, New York
About 10 feet · St. Lawrence County · near Canton
Pictured: nearby Rushton Falls (0.1 mi) Cascade Falls is a waterfall in Canton, New York. The USGS gazetteer records it as: "10 ft. high; in the Village of Canton along the Grass River, 1.3 mi. NNW of the mouth of the Little River" The nearest other named waterfall is Rushton Falls, about 0.1 miles to the northeast.
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7. Plumb Brook Falls, New York
About 10 feet · St. Lawrence County · near Canton
Pictured: nearby Lampsons Falls (3.9 mi) Plumb Brook Falls is a waterfall about 14 miles south of Canton, New York. The USGS gazetteer records it as: "10 ft. high; in Whippoorwill Corners State Forest in the Town of Russell on Plumb Brook" The nearest other named waterfall is Lampsons Falls, about 3.9 miles to the east.
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8. Shingle Mill Falls, New York
About 10 feet · Lewis County · near Lowville
Shingle Mill Falls is a waterfall about 12 miles east of Lowville, New York. The USGS gazetteer records it as: "10 ft. high; along Otter Creek, in Independence River Wild Forest and Adirondack Park in the Town of Greig, 2.6 mi. NE of Brantingham" The nearest other named waterfall is Eatonville Falls, about 3.9 miles to the west.
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9. Shady Falls, North Carolina
About 10 feet · Transylvania County · near Brevard
Pictured: nearby Triple Falls (3.6 mi) Shady Falls is a waterfall about 3.5 miles east of Brevard, North Carolina. The USGS gazetteer records it as: "25 ft. wide, 10 ft. tall, 0.85 mi. NW of Black Knob, 2.3 mi. NE of Becky Mountain." The nearest other named waterfall is Glencannon Falls, about 1.3 miles to the west.
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10. Middle Creek Falls, Tennessee
About 10 feet · Hamilton County · near Signal Mountain
Pictured: nearby Laurel Falls (5.3 mi) Middle Creek Falls is a waterfall about 1.7 miles west of Signal Mountain, Tennessee. The USGS gazetteer records it as: "approx. 10 ft. tall; on Signal Point (cliff), 0.3 mi. upstream from the mouth of Middle Creek" The nearest other named waterfall is Three Creeks Falls, about 0.0 miles to the northwest.
Why Small Waterfalls Are Worth a Visit
Short drops are often the easiest falls to reach, frequently sit in town parks or beside roads, and keep flowing in seasons when tall, thin falls dry up. They are also where geology is easiest to read: a single resistant ledge of rock holding back a stream. For the opposite end of the scale, see the largest waterfalls in the US by state, or learn the difference between a cascade and a plunge in our guide to types of waterfalls.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the smallest named waterfall in the US?
Among named waterfalls with a recorded height, Canyon Creek Cascade in Illinois is the smallest at about 3 feet, tied with Gages Falls in Vermont.
How were these heights measured?
Each height comes from an explicit figure in the waterfall's USGS Geographic Names Information System record or its Google listing description. We found stated heights for 145 of the named waterfalls in our directory; most named falls have no official height on record.
Why does a 3-foot drop count as a waterfall?
There is no minimum height in US naming standards. A feature is a waterfall if water drops steeply or vertically over a ledge, and the name is official once it is recorded in the federal gazetteer.
Are small waterfalls safer to visit?
Not always. Low ledges on big rivers can form recirculating currents that trap swimmers. Read is it safe to swim at waterfalls before getting in the water.