The best hidden gem waterfalls in Alaska are Liberty Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Rudleston Falls and 5 more. Highly rated falls that few people review: 4.6 stars or better from 75 or fewer Google reviews.
See every waterfall on the Alaska waterfalls page or the Alaska waterfall map, or browse by town: Valdez, Juneau, Dillingham, Haines, Knik-Fairview.
How we picked: We took the 8 publicly accessible Alaska waterfalls rated 4.6 stars or higher on Google by between 5 and 75 reviewers, then ranked them by a weighted rating that gives more credit to ratings backed by more reviews.
-
1. Liberty Falls
Liberty Falls near Valdez takes the top spot, rated 5.0 out of 5 from 18 reviews. Visitors come here for zombies, waterfall, and camping.
Copper River County, AK 99566 (GPS 61.6207, -144.5481)
Read full write-up
Visitors rate it 5.0 stars across 18 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 12 photos of it on Google Maps. Reviewers mention "zombies", "waterfall", and "camping". The USGS gazetteer describes it as: on Liberty Creek 1.2 mi. S of its mouth, on Copper River, 66 mi. NE. of Valdez, Copper River Basin. The nearest town is Valdez, about 69 miles to the southwest. The nearest other named waterfall is Cheshnina Falls, about 21.6 miles to the northeast.
-
2. Bridal Veil Falls
Bridal Veil Falls, near Valdez, is next up, rated 4.9 out of 5 from 49 reviews.
Read full write-up
Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 49 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 147 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Valdez, about 16 miles to the west. The nearest other named waterfall is Horsetail Falls, about 0.4 miles to the west.
-
3. Rudleston Falls
Rudleston Falls, near Valdez, is next up, rated 4.9 out of 5 from 9 reviews.
Read full write-up
Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 9 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 36 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Valdez, about 16 miles to the west. The nearest other named waterfall is Bridal Veil Falls, about 1.0 miles to the south.
-
4. Ebner Falls
Ebner Falls near Juneau rounds out this stretch of the list, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 6 reviews.
Read full write-up
Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 6 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 25 photos of it on Google Maps. The USGS gazetteer describes it as: just above Last Chance Basin, 1 mi. W of Juneau, Coast Mts. The nearest town is Juneau, about 1.7 miles to the southwest. The nearest other named waterfall is Alaska Chief Falls, about 1.4 miles to the east.
-
5. Brooks Falls
Head to Brooks Falls near Dillingham, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 21 reviews. Visitors come here for bear watching, bears, and walking.
Lake and Peninsula County, AK (GPS 58.5550, -155.7915)
Read full write-up
Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 21 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 141 photos of it on Google Maps. Reviewers mention "bear watching", "bears", and "walking". The USGS gazetteer describes it as: Near the S shore of Iliuk Arm, Naknek Bay, on the outlet of Lake Brooks, in Katmai National Monument, NW on Mount Katmai, Alaska Peninsula, Aleutian Range. The nearest town is Dillingham, about 101 miles to the west. The nearest other named waterfall is Wolverine Falls, about 38.4 miles to the east.
-
6. Reid Falls
Reid Falls near Haines is worth the drive, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 25 reviews. Visitors come here for short walk, rocks, and peaceful place.
Read full write-up
Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 25 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 105 photos of it on Google Maps. Reviewers mention "short walk", "rocks", and "peaceful place". The USGS gazetteer describes it as: 1.9 mi. W of Twin Sewey Peaks and 1.5 mi. NE of Slagway, Coast Mts. The nearest town is Haines, about 18 miles to the south. The nearest other named waterfall is Pitchfork Falls, about 5.1 miles to the northeast.
-
7. Horsetail Falls
Head to Horsetail Falls near Valdez, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 36 reviews. Visitors come here for photo opportunities, easy access, and location.
Read full write-up
Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 36 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 146 photos of it on Google Maps. Reviewers mention "photo opportunities", "easy access", and "location". The nearest town is Valdez, about 15 miles to the west. The nearest other named waterfall is Bridal Veil Falls, about 0.4 miles to the east.
-
8. Thunder Bird Falls
Thunder Bird Falls near Knik-Fairview is another strong option, rated 4.6 out of 5 from 26 reviews. Visitors come here for gorge view, scenery, and restrooms.
Read full write-up
Visitors rate it 4.6 stars across 26 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 77 photos of it on Google Maps. Reviewers mention "gorge view", "scenery", and "restrooms". The USGS gazetteer describes it as: on Thunder Bird Creek, 0.4 mi. S of its junction with Eklutna River, 4.7 mi. NE of Birchwood and 24 mi. NE of Anchorage, Cooke Inlet Low. The nearest town is Knik-Fairview, about 9.4 miles to the northwest. The nearest other named waterfall is Rotary Falls, about 19.4 miles to the north.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best hidden gem waterfall in Alaska?
Liberty Falls tops our 2026 list. Visitors rate it 5.0 stars across 18 Google reviews. It is near Valdez in Copper River County.
How many hidden gem waterfalls are in Alaska?
8 of the 48 waterfalls we track in Alaska qualify. This page ranks the top 8; every waterfall in the state is on the Alaska waterfalls page.
How was this list made?
We took the 8 publicly accessible Alaska waterfalls rated 4.6 stars or higher on Google by between 5 and 75 reviewers, then ranked them by a weighted rating that gives more credit to ratings backed by more reviews.
Which counties are they in?
The 8 on this list are in Copper River County, Chugach County, Juneau County, Lake and Peninsula County, Skagway County, and Anchorage County.
More Alaska Waterfalls by Type
- 10 Best Historic Waterfalls in Alaska 2026
- 5 Best Waterfall Hiking Locations in Alaska
- 5 Most Visited Waterfalls in Alaska
- 5 Must-See Waterfalls in Alaska
Or browse every type on the hidden gem waterfalls by state page and the waterfall types hub.