The best historic waterfalls in Pennsylvania are Ohiopyle Falls, Dingmans Falls, Marshalls Falls and 7 more. Falls with a written record: a USGS naming history, a gazetteer description or older recorded names.
See every waterfall on the Pennsylvania waterfalls page or the Pennsylvania waterfall map, or browse by town: Dunbar, Birchwood Lakes, East Stroudsburg, Towamensing Trails, Milford, Laporte.
How we picked: We took the 17 publicly accessible Pennsylvania waterfalls that have a written record in the USGS Geographic Names Information System (a naming history, a gazetteer description, or older variant names) and ranked them by how much of that record exists, then by Google review volume.
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1. Ohiopyle Falls
Ohiopyle Falls near Dunbar takes the top spot, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 90 reviews.
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Name history: "An Indian word meaning ""white froth upon the water.""" Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 90 Google reviews. The nearest town is Dunbar, about 9.9 miles to the northwest. The nearest other named waterfall is Cucumber Falls, about 0.5 miles to the southwest.
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2. Dingmans Falls
Dingmans Falls, near Birchwood Lakes, is next up, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 619 reviews.
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The USGS gazetteer describes it as: Vertical drop of 130 feet. Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 619 Google reviews. The nearest town is Birchwood Lakes, about 2.2 miles to the northwest. The nearest other named waterfall is Silverthread Falls, about 0.3 miles to the east.
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3. Marshalls Falls
Marshalls Falls, near East Stroudsburg, is next up, rated 4.1 out of 5 from 118 reviews.
Middle Smithfield Township, PA 18302
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Older records also call it Marshall Falls and Marshall's Falls. Visitors rate it 4.1 stars across 118 Google reviews. The nearest town is East Stroudsburg, about 4.4 miles to the southwest. The nearest other named waterfall is Marshall Falls, about 0.0 miles to the north.
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4. Silverthread Falls
Silverthread Falls near Birchwood Lakes is worth the drive, rated 4.7 out of 5 from 50 reviews.
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The USGS gazetteer describes it as: Vertical drop of 80 feet. Visitors rate it 4.7 stars across 50 Google reviews. The nearest town is Birchwood Lakes, about 2.3 miles to the northwest. The nearest other named waterfall is Dingmans Falls, about 0.3 miles to the west.
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5. Great Falls of the Lehigh
Great Falls of the Lehigh near Towamensing Trails rounds out this stretch of the list, rated 2.9 out of 5 from 17 reviews.
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Older records also call it Lehigh Falls and Stoddartsville Falls. Visitors rate it 2.9 stars across 17 Google reviews. The nearest town is Towamensing Trails, about 8.7 miles to the south. The nearest other named waterfall is Tobyhanna Falls, about 3.7 miles to the southeast.
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6. Pinchot Falls
Head to Pinchot Falls near Milford, rated 2.8 out of 5 from 16 reviews.
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Older records also call it Saw Kill Falls and Sawkill Falls. Visitors rate it 2.8 stars across 16 Google reviews. The nearest town is Milford, about 1.1 miles to the east. The nearest other named waterfall is Raymondskill Falls, about 2.9 miles to the south.
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7. Harrison Wright Falls
Harrison Wright Falls near Laporte rounds out this stretch of the list, rated 5.0 out of 5 from 2 reviews.
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The USGS gazetteer describes it as: 27 feet high. Visitors rate it 5.0 stars across 2 Google reviews. The nearest town is Laporte, about 13 miles to the northwest. The nearest other named waterfall is Eric Falls, about 0.1 miles to the southwest.
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8. White Tail Falls
White Tail Falls is a named waterfall about 1.2 miles northeast of Oakland. USGS notes: Located in Stonycreek Township, along an unnamed tributary of Solomon Run just N of the Johnstown Expressway.
Cambria County, PA (GPS 40.3144, -78.8675)
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The USGS gazetteer describes it as: Located in Stonycreek Township, along an unnamed tributary of Solomon Run just N of the Johnstown Expressway. The nearest town is Oakland, about 1.2 miles to the southwest. The nearest other named waterfall is Winding Staircase Falls, about 0.1 miles to the northeast.
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9. Winding Staircase Falls
Winding Staircase Falls is a named waterfall about 1.2 miles northeast of Oakland. USGS notes: Located in Conemaugh Township, along an unnamed tributary of Solomon Run just N of the Johnstown Expressway.
Cambria County, PA (GPS 40.3150, -78.8667)
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The USGS gazetteer describes it as: Located in Conemaugh Township, along an unnamed tributary of Solomon Run just N of the Johnstown Expressway. The nearest town is Oakland, about 1.2 miles to the southwest. The nearest other named waterfall is White Tail Falls, about 0.1 miles to the southwest.
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10. Marshall Falls
Marshall Falls near East Stroudsburg is another strong option, rated 4.5 out of 5 from 50 reviews.
Middle Smithfield Township, PA 18302
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Older records also call it Marshalls Falls. Visitors rate it 4.5 stars across 50 Google reviews. The nearest town is East Stroudsburg, about 4.4 miles to the southwest. The nearest other named waterfall is Marshalls Falls, about 0.0 miles to the north.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best historic waterfall in Pennsylvania?
Ohiopyle Falls tops our 2026 list. Name history: "An Indian word meaning ""white froth upon the water.""" It is near Dunbar in Fayette County.
How many historic waterfalls are in Pennsylvania?
17 of the 95 waterfalls we track in Pennsylvania qualify. This page ranks the top 10; every waterfall in the state is on the Pennsylvania waterfalls page.
How was this list made?
We took the 17 publicly accessible Pennsylvania waterfalls that have a written record in the USGS Geographic Names Information System (a naming history, a gazetteer description, or older variant names) and ranked them by how much of that record exists, then by Google review volume.
Which counties are they in?
The 10 on this list are in Fayette County, Pike County, Monroe County, Luzerne County, and Cambria County.
More Pennsylvania Waterfalls by Type
- 10 Best Hidden Gem Waterfalls in Pennsylvania 2026
- 10 Best Waterfall Hiking Locations in Pennsylvania
- 10 Most Beautiful Waterfalls in Pennsylvania
- 5 Most Visited Waterfalls in Pennsylvania
- 5 Must-See Waterfalls in Pennsylvania
Or browse every type on the historic waterfalls by state page and the waterfall types hub.