Travis County, Texas
Waterfalls Near Austin, TX
2 named waterfalls lie within 30 miles of Austin, 1 of them inside 10 miles. Lower McKinney Falls is the closest at 5.6 miles to the south. Chalk Ridge Falls earns the best visitor rating nearby (4.6 stars from 38 Google reviews). Most of the falls are southwest of Austin.
Distances are straight-line from the town center. Driving routes are longer.
Best Waterfalls Near Austin at a Glance
9 Waterfalls Near Austin, Ranked by Distance
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Lower McKinney Falls
Lower McKinney Falls is the closest named waterfall to Austin, 5.6 miles to the south in Bluff Springs County. It ranks 2nd for review count among waterfalls near Austin.
- Rating
- 4.4 (30 Google reviews)
- Address
- Austin, TX 78744
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Barber Falls
Barber Falls lies 16 miles southwest of Austin in Hays County, number 2 of 9 by distance. It ranks 7th for review count among waterfalls near Austin. Its own nearest town is Buda.
- Rating
- 3.5 (4 Google reviews)
- Address
- Hays County, TX 78610 (GPS 30.0698, -97.8828)
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Pedernales Falls
Pedernales Falls lies 31 miles west of Austin in Blanco County, number 3 of 9 by distance. Multiple cascades flowing over rocky limestone, with natural swimming ponds & a rich birdlife.
- Rating
- 4.6 (0 Google reviews)
- Address
- Blanco County, TX 78636 (GPS 30.3396, -98.2547)
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Horseshoe Falls
Horseshoe Falls lies 38 miles southwest of Austin in Comal County, number 4 of 9 by distance. It ranks 5th for review count among waterfalls near Austin. Its own nearest town is Canyon Lake.
- Rating
- 3.9 (12 Google reviews)
- Address
- Canyon Lake, TX 78133
- Known for
- river
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Slumber Falls
Slumber Falls lies 43 miles southwest of Austin in Comal County, number 5 of 9 by distance. It ranks 4th for review count among waterfalls near Austin. Its own nearest town is New Braunfels.
- Rating
- 4.4 (18 Google reviews)
- Address
- Comal County, TX 78132 (GPS 29.7555, -98.1389)
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Rust Falls
Rust Falls lies 46 miles southwest of Austin in Comal County, number 6 of 9 by distance. It ranks 8th for review count among waterfalls near Austin. Its own nearest town is Canyon Lake.
- Rating
- 4.0 (4 Google reviews)
- Address
- Canyon Lake, TX 78070
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Dittmar Falls
Dittmar Falls lies 47 miles southwest of Austin in Guadalupe County, number 7 of 9 by distance. It ranks 6th for review count among waterfalls near Austin. Its own nearest town is Lake Dunlap.
- Rating
- 3.7 (7 Google reviews)
- Address
- Guadalupe County, TX 78130 (GPS 29.6533, -98.0645)
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Edge Falls
Edge Falls lies 52 miles southwest of Austin in Kendall County, number 8 of 9 by distance. It ranks 3rd for review count among waterfalls near Austin. Its own nearest town is Bulverde.
- Rating
- 3.6 (25 Google reviews)
- Address
- Kendall County, TX 78027 (GPS 29.9138, -98.5064)
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Chalk Ridge Falls
Chalk Ridge Falls lies 53 miles north of Austin in Bell County, number 9 of 9 by distance. It draws more Google reviews than any other waterfall near Austin. Its own nearest town is Belton.
- Rating
- 4.6 (38 Google reviews)
- Address
- Bell County, TX 76571 (GPS 31.0177, -97.5248)
- Known for
- easy to find, kids, well, park, caves
Where the Waterfalls Are
Austin sits in or near the Hill Country and Balcones Escarpment area of Texas. The limestone hills west of Austin and San Antonio hold the largest share of Texas falls. Gorman Falls in Colorado Bend State Park, San Saba County, drops about 70 feet over a living travertine wall and is reached by a hike of roughly three miles round trip. Lower McKinney Falls, in McKinney Falls State Park on the edge of Austin, spills over limestone ledges on Onion Creek. Chalk Ridge Falls near Belton, Slumber Falls and Horseshoe Falls in Comal County, and Edge Falls in Kendall County are smaller, spring- and rain-fed falls in the region's characteristic green river valleys. Read the Texas waterfall guide.
By direction from Austin: 6 to the southwest, 1 to the north, 1 to the south, and 1 to the west. They are spread across Comal County (3), Bluff Springs County (1), Hays County (1), Blanco County (1), Guadalupe County (1), and Kendall County (1). The average distance is 36.8 miles.
By Distance
Within 10 miles of Austin
Lower McKinney Falls (5.6 mi)
10 to 20 miles of Austin
Barber Falls (16 mi)
Nearby Towns With Waterfalls
Waterfalls Near Austin: FAQs
How many waterfalls are near Austin, TX?
2 named waterfalls lie within 30 miles of Austin: 1 within 10 miles, 1 10 to 20 miles, 0 20 to 30 miles. Distances are straight-line from the town center.
What is the closest waterfall to Austin?
Lower McKinney Falls in Bluff Springs County is the closest, about 5.6 miles south of Austin.
What is the best-rated waterfall near Austin?
Chalk Ridge Falls has the highest Google rating among nearby falls with at least 10 reviews: 4.6 stars from 38 Google reviews.
Which counties are the waterfalls near Austin in?
Comal County (3), Bluff Springs County (1), Hays County (1), Blanco County (1), and Guadalupe County (1).
How does Austin compare with other Texas towns?
Austin ranks 10th of the 26 Texas towns in our directory for the number of waterfalls within 30 miles.