State guide

Waterfalls in Missouri

6 waterfalls across 6 counties, ranked 42nd nationally. The main waterfall regions are The Ozarks and St. Francois Mountains and Northern River Country.

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

Photo of Rocky Falls in Shannon County, Missouri
Pictured: Rocky Falls, MO

Towns

Where Missouri's Waterfalls Are

Missouri is known for springs, caves and clear rivers rather than waterfalls, and the reason lies underground. Most of southern Missouri sits on the Ozark Plateau, a broad dome of limestone and dolomite riddled with sinkholes and cave passages. In this karst landscape, much of the rainfall soaks into the ground and travels through fractures and conduits before emerging at springs, so surface streams are fewer and gentler than the hilly terrain might suggest. Our directory lists six named waterfalls in Missouri, ranking it 42nd nationally. Instead, the Ozarks are famous for large springs, losing streams and caves.

The exceptions occur where harder rock breaks through. In the St. Francois Mountains of southeast Missouri, ancient volcanic rocks such as rhyolite and granite rise above the surrounding dolomite, and creeks crossing them form shut-ins, chutes and small falls. Elsewhere, falls form where streams cross resistant ledges of chert or limestone in the western Ozarks, or where tributaries drop into larger valleys in the north. North of the Missouri River, glacial deposits smooth out the land and falls are rare, though one listed fall lies in Andrew County. The few falls that remain are mostly modest, but some are set in striking scenery.

Missouri Waterfall Regions

The Ozarks and St. Francois Mountains

4 waterfalls · Shannon County, Iron County, Ozark County, and Newton County

Southern Missouri holds the state's best-known falls. Rocky Falls in Shannon County, within the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, spills down a broad face of pinkish volcanic rock into a wide pool that is popular for wading and swimming. In Iron County, Mina Sauk Falls cascades down the flank of Taum Sauk Mountain, the highest point in Missouri, and is reached by a rugged loop trail; it flows best in wet weather. In the western Ozarks near Joplin, Shoal Creek Falls is a wide ledge drop on Shoal Creek, and Ozark County near Gainesville has a smaller, little-known fall.

Start with: Rocky Falls, Shoal Creek Falls, Mina Sauk Falls, The Falls

Northern River Country

2 waterfalls · Andrew County and St. Louis (city) County

North and east of the Ozarks, Missouri's falls are linked to its great rivers. Rochester Falls in Andrew County, in the state's northwest corner, is a small fall and one of the very few in this glaciated part of Missouri. In St. Louis, USGS records the Chain of Rocks, a natural bed of rock that extends some 1,600 feet from the Missouri shore of the Mississippi River and once created hazardous rapids for river traffic. These sites show how rare natural drops are outside the Ozark uplands.

Start with: Rochester Falls, Chain of Rocks

All 6 Waterfalls in Missouri

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

  1. Rocky Falls

    Winona, MO · Shannon County
    4.7 (263 reviews)

    Rocky Falls is a waterfall in Shannon County, Missouri, about 8.5 miles northeast of Winona. It appears on the USGS Stegall Mountain topographic map.

    Rating
    4.7 (263 Google reviews)
    Address
    Winona Township, MO 65588
    Nearest town
    Winona, MO (8.5 mi)
    USGS topo
    Stegall Mountain quad
    View details Directions

  2. Shoal Creek Falls

    Joplin, MO · Newton County
    4.8 (89 reviews)

    Shoal Creek Falls is a waterfall in Newton County, Missouri, about 3.9 miles southwest of Joplin. Shoal Creek Falls was originally known as Grandfalls but the name was changed to reflect the name of the Creek.

    Rating
    4.8 (89 Google reviews)
    Address
    Joplin, MO 64804
    Nearest town
    Joplin, MO (3.9 mi)
    USGS topo
    Joplin West quad
    View details Directions

  3. Mina Sauk Falls

    Ironton, MO · Iron County
    4.8 (73 reviews)

    Mina Sauk Falls is a waterfall in Iron County, Missouri, about 6.7 miles west of Ironton. It appears on the USGS Ironton topographic map.

    Rating
    4.8 (73 Google reviews)
    Address
    Arcadia Township, MO 63650
    Known for
    strenuous hike, rocky trail, hike to the falls, trail difficulty, rough terrain
    Nearest town
    Ironton, MO (6.7 mi)
    USGS topo
    Ironton quad
    View details Directions

  4. Rochester Falls

    Savannah, MO · Andrew County
    4.3 (44 reviews)

    Rochester Falls is a waterfall in Andrew County, Missouri, about 7.6 miles east of Savannah. It appears on the USGS Helena topographic map.

    Rating
    4.3 (44 Google reviews)
    Address
    Rochester Township, MO 64459
    Known for
    sandbars, picnic tables, fire rings, scenery, bathroom
    Nearest town
    Savannah, MO (7.6 mi)
    USGS topo
    Helena quad
    View details Directions

  5. The Falls

    Gainesville, MO · Ozark County
    4.5 (4 reviews)

    The Falls is a waterfall in Ozark County, Missouri, about 14 miles northeast of Gainesville. It appears on the USGS Cureall NW topographic map.

    Rating
    4.5 (4 Google reviews)
    Address
    Richland Township, MO 65637
    Nearest town
    Gainesville, MO (14 mi)
    USGS topo
    Cureall NW quad
    View details Directions

  6. Chain of Rocks

    Glasgow Village, MO · St. Louis (city) County

    Chain of Rocks is a waterfall in St. Louis (city) County, Missouri, about 1.1 miles east of Glasgow Village. USGS notes: A natural bed of rocks, extending from the Missouri shore of the Mississippi River to a distance of about 1,600 feet.

    Address
    St. Louis (city) County, MO (GPS 38.7592, -90.1792)
    Nearest town
    Glasgow Village, MO (1.1 mi)
    USGS topo
    Columbia Bottom quad
    View details Directions

Highest Rated in Missouri

  1. Shoal Creek Falls 4.8 from 89 reviews · Joplin
  2. Mina Sauk Falls 4.8 from 73 reviews · Ironton
  3. Rocky Falls 4.7 from 263 reviews · Winona
  4. Rochester Falls 4.3 from 44 reviews · Savannah

Waterfalls with at least 25 Google reviews.

What Visitors Mention

  • Reviews of 1 Missouri waterfall mention easy access, including Mina Sauk Falls.

Missouri Waterfalls by the Compass

The farthest-apart named falls in Missouri are about 261 miles apart.

Names and History

2 waterfalls have alternate historical names on record, such as Shoal Creek Falls (also Grandfalls) and Chain of Rocks (also Homer Dyke).

From the USGS record for Shoal Creek Falls: "Shoal Creek Falls was originally known as Grandfalls but the name was changed to reflect the name of the Creek."

Best Time to See Waterfalls in Missouri

Spring is the most dependable season for Missouri waterfalls, typically from March through early June, when frequent storms keep Ozark streams running. Mina Sauk Falls in particular is strongly seasonal and may be little more than a trickle in dry periods, so visiting within a few days of heavy rain makes a real difference. Summer is hot and humid; Rocky Falls draws crowds of swimmers in July and August even when flow is modest. Late summer and early fall are typically the driest stretch. Fall foliage in the Ozarks usually peaks around mid to late October and can be paired with autumn rains. Winter is generally mild in the southern part of the state, and occasional freezes can coat rocks with ice, adding hazard to steep trails.

Planning a Waterfall Trip in Missouri

Missouri's top falls are on public land: Rocky Falls is part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, managed by the National Park Service, and Mina Sauk Falls is in Taum Sauk Mountain State Park. Other sites are in city or county parks or near private land, so confirm access before visiting smaller falls. Ozark roads are often narrow, winding and gravel in places, and low-water crossings can flood quickly during storms. The trail to Mina Sauk Falls is rocky and uneven. Hazards include slick volcanic rock at Rocky Falls, sudden rises in small streams after thunderstorms, ticks and chiggers in warm weather, and summer heat. Swimming holes are popular, but water depth and currents can change after rain.

More: waterfall safety · packing list

Find Waterfalls Near a Missouri Town

Waterfalls by County

CountyWaterfallsShareMost visited
Andrew117%Rochester Falls
Iron117%Mina Sauk Falls
Newton117%Shoal Creek Falls
Ozark117%The Falls
Shannon117%Rocky Falls
St. Louis (city)117%Chain of Rocks

All Missouri Waterfalls A to Z

Missouri Waterfalls: FAQs

How many waterfalls are in Missouri?

Our directory lists 6 waterfalls in Missouri, all officially named in the USGS Geographic Names Information System, 42nd among the 50 jurisdictions in our directory and 0.2% of the national total. 50% of them are in just three counties: Andrew, Iron, and Newton.

What is the most visited waterfall in Missouri?

By Google review count, Rocky Falls in Shannon County leads with 263 reviews and a 4.7 rating. Shoal Creek Falls is next.

What is the best-known waterfall in Missouri?

Rocky Falls in Shannon County, within the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, is the most reviewed waterfall in our directory for Missouri. Mina Sauk Falls on Taum Sauk Mountain and Shoal Creek Falls near Joplin are also well known.

Why does Missouri have so few waterfalls despite its hills?

Much of the Ozarks is karst, where water drains underground through limestone and dolomite and reappears at springs. Waterfalls mainly form where harder volcanic rock or resistant ledges are exposed, which happens in only a few places.

Which Missouri town has the most waterfalls nearby?

Gainesville has 1 named waterfalls within 30 miles, the most of any town in our Missouri directory.