State guide

Waterfalls in Arizona

30 waterfalls across 11 counties, ranked 23rd nationally. The main waterfall regions are Grand Canyon and Colorado Plateau, Southern Arizona Sky Islands, and Mogollon Rim and Central Highlands.

Source: USGS Geographic Names Information System, with visitor ratings from Google Maps listings.

Best WaterfallsMost Beautiful WaterfallsMust-See Waterfalls

Photo of Havasu Falls in Coconino County, Arizona
Pictured: Havasu Falls, AZ

Towns

Why Arizona Has So Many Waterfalls

Arizona is better known for dry canyons than falling water, yet our directory lists 30 named waterfalls here, ranking the state 23rd nationally. Most of them owe their existence to elevation and to rock that has been cut deeply by water over millions of years. The Colorado Plateau in the north is layered sedimentary rock, and where side canyons of the Grand Canyon carry spring water or snowmelt, they drop over resistant ledges and travertine terraces. More than a third of the state's listed falls, 11 of 30, sit in Coconino County, home to the Grand Canyon, Havasu Canyon and the Little Colorado River.

Farther south, the Basin and Range country is broken by isolated mountain ranges, often called sky islands, that catch winter storms and summer monsoon rain. Creeks draining these ranges, such as those above Tucson in Pima County, run over smooth granite and gneiss and produce short-lived falls after wet spells. Between the plateau and the desert, the Mogollon Rim and the central highlands of Gila, Yavapai and Greenlee counties add a scattering of forested canyon falls. A few listings in the far southwest, like Tinajas Altas in Yuma County, are rock basins that hold rainwater rather than flowing streams, which says a lot about how precious water is in this landscape.

Arizona Waterfall Regions

Grand Canyon and Colorado Plateau

15 waterfalls · Coconino County, Mohave County, and Apache County

The canyon country of northern Arizona holds the state's most famous falls. Havasu Falls and Beaver Falls lie in Havasu Canyon on the Havasupai Indian Reservation, where mineral-rich spring water builds travertine and colors the pools a striking blue-green. Inside Grand Canyon National Park, Ribbon Falls and Deer Creek Falls reward long inner-canyon hikes or river trips, while Cheyava Falls flows only seasonally. On the Navajo Nation northeast of Flagstaff, Grand Falls is a broad series of drops on the Little Colorado River that runs muddy brown when it runs at all. Mohave County adds remote canyon falls near Peach Springs and Meadview on the western end of the canyon.

Start with: Havasu Falls, Grand Falls, Beaver Falls, Ribbon Falls, Navajo Falls

Southern Arizona Sky Islands

8 waterfalls · Pima County, Cochise County, Graham County, and Pinal County

Around Tucson, the Santa Catalina and Rincon mountains rise abruptly from the Sonoran Desert, and their canyons funnel rain and snowmelt over bare granite. Tanque Verde Falls and Chiva Falls sit in rugged terrain east of the city, and Bridal Wreath Falls is a hiking destination in the Rincon Mountains. These falls are highly seasonal: they can pour impressively after a wet winter or a strong monsoon storm and shrink to a trickle or dry ledge within weeks. Similar ephemeral falls appear in the ranges of Cochise, Graham and Pinal counties. The contrast of saguaros, bare rock and running water is the main appeal of this region.

Start with: Tanque Verde Falls, Chiva Falls, Bridal Wreath Falls, Reavis Falls, Seven Cataracts

Mogollon Rim and Central Highlands

5 waterfalls · Gila County, Yavapai County, and Greenlee County

The broad escarpment of the Mogollon Rim and the mountains below it form a transition zone between plateau and desert, with ponderosa pine, oak and juniper replacing cactus. Workman Creek Falls in the Sierra Ancha of Gila County is one of the better-known falls here, dropping off a forested mountain bench. Yavapai County listings near Camp Verde and Mayer sit in the drainages of the Verde and Agua Fria rivers, and Greenlee County falls lie in the rough mountain country around Morenci. Flows depend on winter snowpack at higher elevations and on summer monsoon storms, so the region is at its liveliest in early spring and late summer.

Start with: Workman Creek Falls, The Falls, Chitty Falls, Minnehaha Waters, Sardine Falls

25 Featured Waterfalls in Arizona

Ordered by Google rating and review volume, then by documented USGS history.

  1. Havasu Falls

    Grand Canyon Village, AZ · Coconino County
    4.5 (679 reviews)

    Waterfall on the Havasupai Indian Reservation, known for swimming in a dramatic blue-green pool.

    Rating
    4.5 (679 Google reviews)
    Address
    Coconino County, AZ 86435 (GPS 36.2551, -112.6980)
    Nearest town
    Grand Canyon Village, AZ (34 mi)
    USGS topo
    Havasu Falls quad
  2. Grand Falls

    Flagstaff, AZ · Coconino County
    4.2 (377 reviews)

    Remote, natural waterfall system on Navajo Nation with hiking trails, a viewpoint & picnic benches.

    Rating
    4.2 (377 Google reviews)
    Address
    Coconino County, AZ 86035 (GPS 35.4275, -111.2007)
    Known for
    bumpy road, muddy water, lava flow, dirt road, road conditions
    Nearest town
    Flagstaff, AZ (30 mi)
    USGS topo
    Grand Falls quad
  3. Tanque Verde Falls

    Tanque Verde, AZ · Pima County
    4.8 (169 reviews)

    Tanque Verde Falls is a waterfall in Pima County, Arizona, about 4.8 miles east of Tanque Verde. It appears on the USGS Agua Caliente Hill topographic map.

    Rating
    4.8 (169 Google reviews)
    Address
    Pima County, AZ 85749 (GPS 32.2545, -110.6559)
    Nearest town
    Tanque Verde, AZ (4.8 mi)
    USGS topo
    Agua Caliente Hill quad
  4. Beaver Falls

    Grand Canyon Village, AZ · Coconino County
    4.7 (123 reviews)

    Red-rock canyon with a waterfall accessed by rugged hikes with river crossings & a ladder climb.

    Rating
    4.7 (123 Google reviews)
    Address
    Coconino County, AZ 86435 (GPS 36.2813, -112.7298)
    Nearest town
    Grand Canyon Village, AZ (36 mi)
    USGS topo
    Havasu Falls quad
  5. Navajo Falls

    Grand Canyon Village, AZ · Coconino County
    4.4 (25 reviews)

    Navajo Falls is a waterfall in Coconino County, Arizona, about 33 miles northwest of Grand Canyon Village. Named for the Navajo Indian Tribe (US-T121).

    Rating
    4.4 (25 Google reviews)
    Address
    Coconino County, AZ 86435 (GPS 36.2503, -112.6985)
    Nearest town
    Grand Canyon Village, AZ (33 mi)
    USGS topo
    Havasu Falls quad
  6. Chiva Falls

    Tanque Verde, AZ · Pima County
    4.7 (31 reviews)

    Chiva Falls is a waterfall in Pima County, Arizona, about 8.3 miles east of Tanque Verde. It appears on the USGS Piety Hill topographic map.

    Rating
    4.7 (31 Google reviews)
    Address
    Pima County, AZ 85749 (GPS 32.2581, -110.5959)
    Nearest town
    Tanque Verde, AZ (8.3 mi)
    USGS topo
    Piety Hill quad
  7. Ribbon Falls

    Grand Canyon Village, AZ · Coconino County
    4.8 (26 reviews)

    Ribbon Falls is a waterfall in Coconino County, Arizona, about 9.6 miles northeast of Grand Canyon Village. It appears on the USGS Bright Angel Point topographic map.

    Rating
    4.8 (26 Google reviews)
    Address
    Coconino County, AZ 86052 (GPS 36.1595, -112.0556)
    Nearest town
    Grand Canyon Village, AZ (9.6 mi)
    USGS topo
    Bright Angel Point quad
  8. Bridal Wreath Falls

    Tanque Verde, AZ · Pima County
    4.7 (27 reviews)

    Bridal Wreath Falls is a waterfall in Pima County, Arizona, about 5.4 miles east of Tanque Verde.

    Rating
    4.7 (27 Google reviews)
    Address
    Pima County, AZ 85641 (GPS 32.2268, -110.6501)
    Nearest town
    Tanque Verde, AZ (5.4 mi)
  9. Workman Creek Falls

    Tonto Basin, AZ · Gila County
    4.8 (20 reviews)

    Workman Creek Falls is a waterfall in Gila County, Arizona, about 21 miles east of Tonto Basin. It appears on the USGS Aztec Peak topographic map.

    Rating
    4.8 (20 Google reviews)
    Address
    Gila County, AZ 85554 (GPS 33.8184, -110.9305)
    Known for
    driving, falls
    Nearest town
    Tonto Basin, AZ (21 mi)
    USGS topo
    Aztec Peak quad
  10. Deer Creek Falls

    Grand Canyon Village, AZ · Coconino County
    4.8 (5 reviews)

    Deer Creek Falls is a waterfall in Coconino County, Arizona, about 31 miles northwest of Grand Canyon Village. It appears on the USGS Fishtail Mesa topographic map.

    Rating
    4.8 (5 Google reviews)
    Address
    Coconino County, AZ 86435 (GPS 36.3895, -112.5082)
    Nearest town
    Grand Canyon Village, AZ (31 mi)
    USGS topo
    Fishtail Mesa quad
  11. Tinajas Altas

    Wellton, AZ · Yuma County
    5.0 (4 reviews)

    Tinajas Altas is a waterfall in Yuma County, Arizona, about 26 miles south of Wellton.

    Rating
    5.0 (4 Google reviews)
    Address
    Yuma County, AZ (GPS 32.3117, -114.0516)
    Known for
    large area
    Nearest town
    Wellton, AZ (26 mi)
  12. Fiftyfoot Falls

    Grand Canyon Village, AZ · Coconino County
    5.0 (1 reviews)

    Fiftyfoot Falls is a waterfall in Coconino County, Arizona, about 33 miles northwest of Grand Canyon Village. USGS notes: In Grand Canyon National Park, 1.3 km (0.8 mi) NW of Supai.

    Rating
    5.0 (1 Google reviews)
    Address
    Supai, AZ 86435
    Nearest town
    Grand Canyon Village, AZ (33 mi)
    USGS topo
    Supai quad
  13. Cheyava Falls

    Grand Canyon Village, AZ · Coconino County
    4.0 (4 reviews)

    Cheyava Falls is a waterfall in Coconino County, Arizona, about 12 miles northeast of Grand Canyon Village. It appears on the USGS Walhalla Plateau topographic map.

    Rating
    4.0 (4 Google reviews)
    Address
    Coconino County, AZ 86052 (GPS 36.1461, -111.9743)
    Nearest town
    Grand Canyon Village, AZ (12 mi)
    USGS topo
    Walhalla Plateau quad
  14. Reavis Falls

    Superior, AZ · Pinal County
    5.0 (2 reviews)

    Reavis Falls is a waterfall in Pinal County, Arizona, about 17 miles north of Superior.

    Rating
    5.0 (2 Google reviews)
    Address
    Pinal County, AZ 85119 (GPS 33.5329, -111.1672)
    Nearest town
    Superior, AZ (17 mi)
  15. Travertine Falls

    Peach Springs, AZ · Mohave County
    5.0 (2 reviews)

    Travertine Falls is a waterfall in Mohave County, Arizona, about 16 miles north of Peach Springs. It appears on the USGS Travertine Rapids topographic map.

    Rating
    5.0 (2 Google reviews)
    Address
    Mohave County, AZ 86434 (GPS 35.7559, -113.4480)
    Nearest town
    Peach Springs, AZ (16 mi)
    USGS topo
    Travertine Rapids quad
  16. Seven Cataracts

    Tanque Verde, AZ · Pima County
    4.0 (2 reviews)

    Seven Cataracts is a waterfall in Pima County, Arizona, about 7.6 miles north of Tanque Verde. It appears on the USGS Agua Caliente Hill topographic map.

    Rating
    4.0 (2 Google reviews)
    Address
    Pima County, AZ 85619 (GPS 32.3620, -110.7265)
    Nearest town
    Tanque Verde, AZ (7.6 mi)
    USGS topo
    Agua Caliente Hill quad
  17. Ernie's Falls

    Tanque Verde, AZ · Pima County
    5.0 (1 reviews)

    Ernie's Falls is a waterfall in Pima County, Arizona, about 5.0 miles east of Tanque Verde.

    Rating
    5.0 (1 Google reviews)
    Address
    Pima County, AZ 85730 (GPS 32.2334, -110.6549)
    Nearest town
    Tanque Verde, AZ (5.0 mi)
  18. Winn Falls

    Pirtleville, AZ · Cochise County
    5.0 (1 reviews)

    Winn Falls is a waterfall in Cochise County, Arizona, about 39 miles northeast of Pirtleville. It appears on the USGS Chiricahua Peak topographic map.

    Rating
    5.0 (1 Google reviews)
    Address
    Cochise County, AZ 85632 (GPS 31.8556, -109.2609)
    Nearest town
    Pirtleville, AZ (39 mi)
    USGS topo
    Chiricahua Peak quad
  19. Mooney Falls

    Grand Canyon Village, AZ · Coconino County

    Mooney Falls is a waterfall in Coconino County, Arizona, about 34 miles northwest of Grand Canyon Village. Named by Richard Evans in the 1880's for James Mooney, a porspector who fell to his death from a homemade ladder over a precipice formed by the falls.

    Address
    Coconino County, AZ (GPS 36.2631, -112.7085)
    Nearest town
    Grand Canyon Village, AZ (34 mi)
    USGS topo
    Havasu Falls quad
  20. Ash Creek Falls

    Swift Trail Junction, AZ · Graham County

    Ash Creek Falls is a waterfall in Graham County, Arizona, about 10 miles west of Swift Trail Junction. It appears on the USGS Webb Peak topographic map.

    Address
    Graham County, AZ 85543 (GPS 32.7298, -109.8940)
    Nearest town
    Swift Trail Junction, AZ (10 mi)
    USGS topo
    Webb Peak quad
  21. The Falls

    Camp Verde, AZ · Yavapai County
    1.0 (2 reviews)

    The Falls is a waterfall in Yavapai County, Arizona, about 8.2 miles southeast of Camp Verde. It appears on the USGS Horner Mountain topographic map.

    Rating
    1.0 (2 Google reviews)
    Address
    Yavapai County, AZ 86322 (GPS 34.4586, -111.7865)
    Nearest town
    Camp Verde, AZ (8.2 mi)
    USGS topo
    Horner Mountain quad
  22. Columbine Falls

    Meadview, AZ · Mohave County

    Columbine Falls is a waterfall in Mohave County, Arizona, about 10 miles northeast of Meadview. It appears on the USGS Columbine Falls topographic map.

    Address
    Mohave County, AZ (GPS 36.0927, -113.9218)
    Nearest town
    Meadview, AZ (10 mi)
    USGS topo
    Columbine Falls quad
  23. Glynns Falls

    Wellton, AZ · Yuma County

    Glynns Falls is a waterfall in Yuma County, Arizona, about 29 miles east of Wellton. It appears on the USGS Mohawk Mountains SW topographic map.

    Address
    Yuma County, AZ (GPS 32.5881, -113.6535)
    Nearest town
    Wellton, AZ (29 mi)
    USGS topo
    Mohawk Mountains SW quad
  24. Two Hundred and Fivemile Rapids

    Peach Springs, AZ · Coconino County

    Two Hundred and Fivemile Rapids is a waterfall in Coconino County, Arizona, about 33 miles north of Peach Springs. It appears on the USGS Whitmore Point SE topographic map.

    Address
    Coconino County, AZ (GPS 36.0055, -113.3422)
    Nearest town
    Peach Springs, AZ (33 mi)
    USGS topo
    Whitmore Point SE quad
  25. Whitmore Rapids

    Peach Springs, AZ · Mohave County

    Whitmore Rapids is a waterfall in Mohave County, Arizona, about 44 miles north of Peach Springs. It appears on the USGS Whitmore Rapids topographic map.

    Address
    Mohave County, AZ (GPS 36.1455, -113.2005)
    Nearest town
    Peach Springs, AZ (44 mi)
    USGS topo
    Whitmore Rapids quad

Highest Rated in Arizona

  1. Tanque Verde Falls 4.8 from 169 reviews · Tanque Verde
  2. Ribbon Falls 4.8 from 26 reviews · Grand Canyon Village
  3. Beaver Falls 4.7 from 123 reviews · Grand Canyon Village
  4. Chiva Falls 4.7 from 31 reviews · Tanque Verde
  5. Bridal Wreath Falls 4.7 from 27 reviews · Tanque Verde

Waterfalls with at least 25 Google reviews.

Arizona Waterfalls by the Compass

The farthest-apart named falls in Arizona are about 364 miles apart.

Names and History

10 waterfalls have alternate historical names on record, such as Havasu Falls (also Bridal Veil Falls) and Grand Falls (also Grand Falls of the Little Colorado).

From the USGS record for Mooney Falls: "Named by Richard Evans in the 1880's for James Mooney, a porspector who fell to his death from a homemade ladder over a precipice formed by the falls. His body was buried four years later perfectly preserved by the travertine spray (AZ-T101/p.419)."

Best Time to See Waterfalls in Arizona

Arizona waterfalls follow two water seasons rather than one. The first comes from winter storms and snowmelt, usually peaking from late winter into spring, when the sky island falls near Tucson and Grand Falls on the Little Colorado River are most likely to be running. The second is the summer monsoon, typically July through September, when afternoon thunderstorms can switch on dry falls within hours but also bring flash floods. Late spring and early summer, roughly May and June, are usually the driest and hottest stretch, and many falls go dry. Havasu Canyon's spring-fed falls flow year-round, though summer heat in the canyons is intense. Higher elevations on the Mogollon Rim and the Grand Canyon's North Rim see winter snow that limits access.

Planning a Waterfall Trip in Arizona

Land ownership matters more in Arizona than in most states. Havasu Falls and its neighbors are on Havasupai tribal land, where visits require advance reservations through the tribe, and Grand Falls is on the Navajo Nation, which sets its own access rules. Grand Canyon National Park manages the inner-canyon falls, and backcountry overnight trips there need permits. Most other falls are in national forests such as the Coronado and Tonto. Flash floods are the defining hazard: a storm miles upstream can send a wall of water through a slot or narrow canyon with no rain overhead. Smooth granite near falls like Tanque Verde is notoriously slick, and heat, dehydration and long unshaded approaches cause many rescues. Carry more water than seems necessary.

More: waterfall safety · packing list

Waterfalls by County

CountyWaterfallsShareMost visited
Coconino1137%Havasu Falls
Pima517%Tanque Verde Falls
Mohave310%Travertine Falls
Greenlee27%Chitty Falls
Yavapai27%The Falls
Yuma27%Tinajas Altas
Apache13%Big Flow
Cochise13%Winn Falls
Gila13%Workman Creek Falls
Graham13%Ash Creek Falls
Pinal13%Reavis Falls

All Arizona Waterfalls A to Z

Arizona Waterfalls: FAQs

How many waterfalls are in Arizona?

Our directory lists 30 waterfalls in Arizona (26 officially named in the USGS Geographic Names Information System and 4 added from Google Maps listings), 23rd among the 50 jurisdictions in our directory and 1.1% of the national total. 63% of them are in just three counties: Coconino, Pima, and Mohave.

What is the most visited waterfall in Arizona?

By Google review count, Havasu Falls in Coconino County leads with 679 reviews and a 4.5 rating. Grand Falls is next.

Why is the water at Havasu Falls so blue-green?

The spring water feeding Havasu Creek is rich in dissolved calcium carbonate, which reflects light in blue and green tones and deposits travertine around the pools. Muddy floodwater can temporarily turn the creek brown after storms.

Do Arizona waterfalls flow all year?

Only a few, mainly spring-fed falls like those in Havasu Canyon. Most others, including Grand Falls and the falls near Tucson, depend on snowmelt or monsoon rain and are dry for much of the year.

Which Arizona town has the most waterfalls nearby?

Tanque Verde has 5 named waterfalls within 30 miles, the most of any town in our Arizona directory.