State guide

Waterfalls in Nevada

8 waterfalls across 6 counties, ranked 38th nationally. The main waterfall regions are Spring Mountains and Great Basin Ranges.

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

Photo of Mary Jane Falls in Clark County, Nevada
Pictured: Mary Jane Falls, NV

Towns

Where Nevada's Waterfalls Are

Nevada is the driest state in the country, and most of it lies within the Great Basin, a region where rivers never reach the sea. The landscape is a sequence of north-south mountain ranges separated by broad desert valleys, the classic Basin and Range topography created as the earth's crust stretched and broke into tilted blocks. Waterfalls require persistent flow and a steep drop, and in Nevada the steep drops are plentiful but the water is not. Our directory lists eight named waterfalls in the state, ranking it 38th nationally.

The falls that do exist are tied to mountains high enough to catch winter snow. The Spring Mountains west of Las Vegas, which rise to nearly 12,000 feet at Charleston Peak, account for the largest cluster, all in Clark County. Elsewhere, scattered falls appear in the ranges of northern and central Nevada and in the Sierra-adjacent country of Washoe County, where snowmelt feeds small streams. Most of these falls are seasonal, swelling in spring and dwindling by late summer, and some are better known for their winter ice than their summer flow.

Nevada Waterfall Regions

Spring Mountains

3 waterfalls · Clark County

Rising abruptly above the Mojave Desert, the Spring Mountains form a forested island of pine and fir within an hour of Las Vegas. Kyle Canyon, on the eastern side of the range, holds the three most visited falls in Nevada. Mary Jane Falls drops from a limestone cliff high on the canyon wall and is reached by a steep trail; in winter it often becomes an ice column. Little Falls and Big Falls are nearby, fed mainly by snowmelt and springs. These are modest by national standards but remarkable for southern Nevada, where they offer cool shade and running water just above the desert.

Start with: Mary Jane Falls, Little Falls, Big Falls

Great Basin Ranges

5 waterfalls · Washoe County, Churchill County, Lander County, Nye County, and Lincoln County

Across the rest of the state, waterfalls are isolated and often obscure. Jumbo Falls in Washoe County lies in far western Nevada, where storms coming over the Sierra Nevada deliver more precipitation than the interior receives. Lander and Nye counties include falls in remote central Nevada ranges, while Lincoln County has a site named Water and Ice Falls. Twenty Six Foot Drop in Churchill County is highly rated but sees few visitors. Many of these require long drives on dirt roads, and their flow varies greatly from year to year depending on snowpack.

Start with: Jumbo Falls, Twenty Six Foot Drop, Jackson Falls, Water and Ice Falls, Marshall Falls

All 8 Waterfalls in Nevada

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

  1. Mary Jane Falls

    Pahrump, NV · Clark County
    4.8 (92 reviews)

    Mary Jane Falls is a waterfall in Clark County, Nevada, about 18 miles east of Pahrump. It appears on the USGS Charleston Peak topographic map.

    Rating
    4.8 (92 Google reviews)
    Address
    Mt Charleston, NV 89124
    Nearest town
    Pahrump, NV (18 mi)
    USGS topo
    Charleston Peak quad
    View details Directions

  2. Little Falls

    Pahrump, NV · Clark County
    4.7 (60 reviews)

    Little Falls is a waterfall in Clark County, Nevada, about 19 miles east of Pahrump. It appears on the USGS Charleston Peak topographic map.

    Rating
    4.7 (60 Google reviews)
    Address
    Mt Charleston, NV 89124
    Nearest town
    Pahrump, NV (19 mi)
    USGS topo
    Charleston Peak quad
    View details Directions

  3. Big Falls

    Pahrump, NV · Clark County
    4.8 (30 reviews)

    Big Falls is a waterfall in Clark County, Nevada, about 18 miles east of Pahrump. It appears on the USGS Charleston Peak topographic map.

    Rating
    4.8 (30 Google reviews)
    Address
    Mt Charleston, NV 89124
    Nearest town
    Pahrump, NV (18 mi)
    USGS topo
    Charleston Peak quad
    View details Directions

  4. Jumbo Falls

    Virginia City, NV · Washoe County
    3.7 (6 reviews)

    Jumbo Falls is a waterfall in Washoe County, Nevada, about 2.7 miles northwest of Virginia City. It appears on the USGS Virginia City topographic map.

    Rating
    3.7 (6 Google reviews)
    Address
    Washoe County, NV 89521 (GPS 39.3303, -119.6924)
    Nearest town
    Virginia City, NV (2.7 mi)
    USGS topo
    Virginia City quad
    View details Directions

  5. Twenty Six Foot Drop

    Fallon, NV · Churchill County
    5.0 (3 reviews)

    Twenty Six Foot Drop is a waterfall in Churchill County, Nevada, about 6.8 miles west of Fallon. It appears on the USGS Sheckler Reservoir topographic map.

    Rating
    5.0 (3 Google reviews)
    Address
    Churchill County, NV 89406 (GPS 39.4846, -118.9035)
    Nearest town
    Fallon, NV (6.8 mi)
    USGS topo
    Sheckler Reservoir quad
    View details Directions

  6. Jackson Falls

    Tonopah, NV · Nye County
    3.0 (1 reviews)

    Jackson Falls is a waterfall in Nye County, Nevada, about 42 miles east of Tonopah. It appears on the USGS Bellehelen topographic map.

    Rating
    3.0 (1 Google reviews)
    Address
    Nye County, NV 89049 (GPS 38.0246, -116.4674)
    Nearest town
    Tonopah, NV (42 mi)
    USGS topo
    Bellehelen quad
    View details Directions

  7. Water and Ice Falls

    Caliente, NV · Lincoln County
    5.0 (1 reviews)

    Water and Ice Falls is a waterfall in Lincoln County, Nevada, about 26 miles east of Caliente. It appears on the USGS Docs Pass topographic map.

    Rating
    5.0 (1 Google reviews)
    Address
    Lincoln County, NV (GPS 37.4972, -114.0641)
    Nearest town
    Caliente, NV (26 mi)
    USGS topo
    Docs Pass quad
    View details Directions

  8. Marshall Falls

    Eureka, NV · Lander County
    1.0 (1 reviews)

    Marshall Falls is a waterfall in Lander County, Nevada, about 60 miles west of Eureka. It appears on the USGS Austin topographic map.

    Rating
    1.0 (1 Google reviews)
    Address
    Lander County, NV 89310 (GPS 39.4833, -117.0845)
    Nearest town
    Eureka, NV (60 mi)
    USGS topo
    Austin quad
    View details Directions

Highest Rated in Nevada

  1. Mary Jane Falls 4.8 from 92 reviews · Pahrump
  2. Big Falls 4.8 from 30 reviews · Pahrump
  3. Little Falls 4.7 from 60 reviews · Pahrump

Waterfalls with at least 25 Google reviews.

Nevada Waterfalls by the Compass

The farthest-apart named falls in Nevada are about 330 miles apart.

Best Time to See Waterfalls in Nevada

Timing matters more in Nevada than in most states. In the Spring Mountains, snowmelt typically drives peak flow in late spring, with water reliable roughly from April into June depending on the winter's snowpack; by late summer flow is low. Summer thunderstorms during the monsoon season, usually from July through September, can briefly revive streams but also bring flash flood risk. Winter at Mary Jane Falls brings snow, ice and the chance of seeing the fall frozen, but the trail can be icy and steep and traction devices are useful. In northern and central Nevada, falls follow snowmelt in late spring and early summer, while access roads at higher elevations may be snowbound well into spring. Desert heat in the valleys can be extreme from June through September.

Planning a Waterfall Trip in Nevada

Much of Nevada is federal land, managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, which includes the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. Mount Charleston trails can be busy on weekends, especially when Las Vegas residents head for cooler temperatures, and parking can fill. Remote falls elsewhere in the state often require high-clearance vehicles, long stretches without services or cell coverage, and careful fuel and water planning. Hazards include altitude (Kyle Canyon trailheads sit well above 7,000 feet), sun exposure, loose rock and rockfall below cliffs, icy trails in winter and spring, and flash floods in canyons during summer storms. Carry more water than seems necessary, even on short hikes.

More: waterfall safety · packing list

Find Waterfalls Near a Nevada Town

Waterfalls by County

CountyWaterfallsShareMost visited
Clark338%Mary Jane Falls
Churchill113%Twenty Six Foot Drop
Lander113%Marshall Falls
Lincoln113%Water and Ice Falls
Nye113%Jackson Falls
Washoe113%Jumbo Falls

All Nevada Waterfalls A to Z

Nevada Waterfalls: FAQs

How many waterfalls are in Nevada?

Our directory lists 8 waterfalls in Nevada, all officially named in the USGS Geographic Names Information System, 38th among the 50 jurisdictions in our directory and 0.3% of the national total. 63% of them are in just three counties: Clark, Churchill, and Lander.

What is the most visited waterfall in Nevada?

By Google review count, Mary Jane Falls in Clark County leads with 92 reviews and a 4.8 rating. Little Falls is next.

Are there waterfalls near Las Vegas?

Yes. Mary Jane Falls, Little Falls and Big Falls are in Kyle Canyon in the Spring Mountains, about an hour's drive from Las Vegas. They flow best during spring snowmelt.

Do Nevada waterfalls freeze in winter?

The higher falls often do. Mary Jane Falls in the Spring Mountains commonly turns to ice during winter, and Lincoln County's Water and Ice Falls is named for its cold-season appearance.

Which Nevada town has the most waterfalls nearby?

Pahrump has 3 named waterfalls within 30 miles, the most of any town in our Nevada directory.