The best tall waterfalls in California are Bridalveil Fall, Nevada Fall, Vernal Fall and 3 more. Falls with a recorded height of 100 feet or more in the USGS gazetteer or their Google listing.
See every waterfall on the California waterfalls page or the California waterfall map, or browse by town: Yosemite Valley, Three Rivers, Burney, Big Pine.
How we picked: We took the 6 publicly accessible California waterfalls whose USGS gazetteer entry or Google listing states a height of 100 feet or more and ranked them by that stated height. Waterfalls with no recorded height are not included, so some tall falls may be missing.
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1. Bridalveil Fall
Bridalveil Fall near Yosemite Valley takes the top spot, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 379 reviews.
Mariposa County, CA 95389 (GPS 37.7166, -119.6468)
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Recorded height: about 620 feet. The USGS gazetteer records: "In Yosemite National Park, 620 ft plunge over the south wall of Yosemite Valley on Bridalveil Creek between the north slope of Leaning Tower and the southwest slope of Cathedral Rocks. (US-T121)." Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 379 Google reviews. The nearest town is Yosemite Valley, about 4.1 miles to the northeast.
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2. Nevada Fall
Nevada Fall, near Yosemite Valley, is next up, rated 4.9 out of 5 from 120 reviews.
Mariposa County, CA (GPS 37.7252, -119.5338)
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Recorded height: about 594 feet. The Google listing records: "594-ft. waterfall in scenic surrounds, featuring hiking trails to the top & sweeping park vistas." Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 120 Google reviews. The nearest town is Yosemite Valley, about 2.6 miles to the northwest.
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3. Vernal Fall
Vernal Fall, near Yosemite Valley, is next up, rated 4.9 out of 5 from 321 reviews.
Mariposa County, CA 95389 (GPS 37.7288, -119.5462)
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Recorded height: about 317 feet. The Google listing records: "Powerful 317-foot waterfall featuring a shady, steep trail to the top & sweeping scenic views." Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 321 Google reviews. The nearest town is Yosemite Valley, about 1.9 miles to the northwest.
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4. Tokopah Falls
Head to Tokopah Falls near Three Rivers, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 110 reviews. Visitors come here for rocky trail, easy trail, and bear sighting.
Tulare County, CA 93262 (GPS 36.6090, -118.6905)
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Recorded height: about 200 feet. The Google listing records: "Viewable via hike, this 1,200-ft. waterfall flows over a granite precipice in Sequoia National Park." Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 110 Google reviews. The nearest town is Three Rivers, about 17 miles to the southwest.
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5. Burney Falls
Head to Burney Falls near Burney, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 1,774 reviews.
Shasta County, CA 96013 (GPS 41.0107, -121.6528)
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Recorded height: about 129 feet. The USGS gazetteer records: "129 feet high." Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 1,774 Google reviews. The nearest town is Burney, about 8.9 miles to the south.
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6. Mist Falls
Head to Mist Falls near Big Pine, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 68 reviews.
Fresno County, CA (GPS 36.8135, -118.5487)
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Recorded height: about 100 feet. The Google listing records: "Scenic 100-foot-drop waterfalls with an 80-mile trail via a forest canyon with bears & mosquitos." Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 68 Google reviews. The nearest town is Big Pine, about 28 miles to the northeast.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tall waterfall in California?
Bridalveil Fall tops our 2026 list. Recorded height: about 620 feet. It is near Yosemite Valley in Mariposa County.
How many tall waterfalls are in California?
6 of the 189 waterfalls we track in California qualify. This page ranks the top 6; every waterfall in the state is on the California waterfalls page.
How was this list made?
We took the 6 publicly accessible California waterfalls whose USGS gazetteer entry or Google listing states a height of 100 feet or more and ranked them by that stated height. Waterfalls with no recorded height are not included, so some tall falls may be missing.
Which counties are they in?
The 6 on this list are in Mariposa County, Tulare County, Shasta County, and Fresno County.
More California Waterfalls by Type
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Or browse every type on the tall waterfalls by state page and the waterfall types hub.