Waterfalls in Maine

Discover the best waterfalls in Maine, from towering 90-foot plunges to roadside cascades with swimming holes, sorted by region and hiking difficulty.

All Waterfalls

57 waterfalls across Maine

FALLS Featured

Moxie Falls

The Forks, moosehead

One of New England's tallest waterfalls at 90 feet, reached by a flat one-mile trail ending at a boardwalk overlook above a deep slate gorge.

easy 2 mi moosehead

FALLS Featured

Screw Auger Falls

Newry, western-mountains

A roadside gorge waterfall in Grafton Notch State Park with carved potholes, swimming holes, and an easy 0.1-mile path to the viewing area.

easy 0.2 mi western-mountains

Swimming Holes State Park Gorge

FALLS

Abol Falls

Millinocket, aroostook-katahdin

A scenic series of cascades on Abol Stream near the Golden Road, a quick and rewarding stop just outside Baxter State Park's southern boundary.

easy 0.6 mi aroostook-katahdin

Cascades Easy Hike Golden Road

FALLS

Allagash Falls

Allagash, aroostook-katahdin

A 40-foot drop near the end of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, reached by canoe with a roughly third-mile portage. Campsites at the falls. Remote northern Maine.

aroostook-katahdin

Canoeing

FALLS

Angel Falls

Houghton, western-mountains

A 90-foot plunge waterfall tucked into a 115-foot cliff face in Township D, reached by a short but rugged 1.1-mile trail with three stream crossings.

moderate 1.1 mi western-mountains

Plunge Falls Stream Crossings Remote

FALLS

Bad Little Falls

Machias, downeast

The Machias River roars through downtown Machias over the falls the town is named for. View it from a riverside park and a footbridge. Loudest in spring runoff.

easy downeast

Machias Machias River Washington County

FALLS

Bagaduce Falls

Brooksville, downeast

A compact tidal reversing rapid on the Bagaduce River in Brooksville, viewed from roadside pull-offs. The currents flip with the tide. Time your visit to a tide chart.

downeast

Brooksville Reversing Falls Tidal Falls

FALLS

Bemis Falls

Oquossoc, western-mountains

Cascade on Bemis Stream near Mooselookmeguntic Lake, accessed via the Appalachian Trail or Bemis Stream Trail in the Rangeley Lakes region.

moderate 5.5 mi western-mountains

Appalachian Trail Rangeley

FALLS

Big Niagara Falls

Millinocket, aroostook-katahdin

A wide, powerful 25-foot cascade on Nesowadnehunk Stream in Baxter State Park, reached by a short walk from the Daicey Pond Road.

easy 0.4 mi aroostook-katahdin

Baxter State Park Easy Hike Swimming Hole

FALLS

Big Wilson Falls

Brownville Junction, moosehead

A dramatic waterfall crashing through a deep slate gorge near the Appalachian Trail in Elliotsville, reached by an easy half-mile walk through the woods.

easy 1 mi moosehead

Gorge Slate Appalachian Trail

FALLS

Billings Falls

Solon, moosehead

A scenic roadside cascade on Fall Brook off Route 201 with one of the best swimming holes in the Upper Kennebec Valley, easily accessed from the highway.

easy 0.2 mi moosehead

Swimming Hole Roadside Family Friendly

FALLS

Blue Hill Falls

Blue Hill, downeast

A tidal reversing rapid where the Salt Pond meets Blue Hill Bay. The tide builds a standing wave kayakers surf. View it from the Route 175 bridge; timing follows the tide.

downeast

Reversing Falls Tidal Falls Kayaking

FALLS

Buttermilk Falls

Houlton, aroostook-katahdin

A 30-foot falls on Cochrane Brook in remote Aroostook County, surrounded by deep northern Maine forest with few visitors and genuine backcountry solitude.

moderate 0.6 mi aroostook-katahdin

Remote Northern Maine

FALLS

Cascade Falls (Saco)

Saco, southern-maine

A 25-foot urban waterfall on Cascade Brook (near the Saco River) in Saco's historic mill district, with easy walkway access and views of 19th-century brick mill buildings.

easy 0.1 mi southern-maine

Urban Historic Mills Saco River

FALLS

Cascade Stream Gorge

Rumford, western-mountains

Multiple waterfalls tumbling through a narrow, mossy gorge off Route 17 in Byron, with easy roadside access and some of western Maine's most dramatic geology.

moderate 1 mi western-mountains

Roadside Multiple Falls

FALLS

Cataract Falls

Bethel, western-mountains

A string of ledgy cascades and pools on the Bull Branch of the Sunday River in Newry, a short walk from Bull Branch Road and a longtime local swimming spot near Bethel.

easy 0.4 mi western-mountains

Swimming Holes Cascades Bull Branch

Cathance River Falls midcoast

FALLS

Cathance River Falls

Topsham, midcoast

A 15-foot falls at Head of Tide Park on the Cathance River in Topsham, where the river drops to tidewater. A Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust park with trails and a boat launch.

easy midcoast

Topsham Land Trust Head of Tide

FALLS

Coos Canyon

Rumford, western-mountains

A dramatic 500-yard river gorge on the Swift River with carved rock formations, swimming holes, cascading falls, and one of the few places in Maine to pan for gold.

easy 0.2 mi western-mountains

Swimming Hole Gold Panning Gorge

FALLS

Dingley Falls

Rangeley, western-mountains

A small, accessible cascade near downtown Rangeley, tucked into a town park along the outlet stream in the heart of the Lakes Region.

easy 0.2 mi western-mountains

Easy Access Town Park Rangeley

FALLS

Dunn Falls

Andover, western-mountains

A pair of dramatic waterfalls on the West Branch of the Ellis River, with an 80-foot lower falls and a 70-foot upper falls reached by a moderate loop on the Appalachian Trail.

moderate 2.5 mi western-mountains

Appalachian Trail Swimming Holes Loop Trail

Earley Landing Falls moosehead

FALLS

Earley Landing Falls

Willimantic, moosehead

An easy 8-foot falls on Big Wilson Stream just off Route 150 near Willimantic, viewed from a public bridge. Minutes from Tobey Falls in the Moosehead foothills.

easy moosehead

Willimantic big Wilson Stream Piscataquis County

FALLS

Ellis Falls

Andover, western-mountains

A 22-foot two-tier cascade on the Ellis River near Andover, one of the easiest waterfalls to access in western Maine with roadside parking.

easy 0.1 mi western-mountains

Roadside Easy Access Oxford County

FALLS

Frenchman's Hole

Bethel, western-mountains

A cascading waterfall dropping into a deep swimming hole on Bull Branch Stream, named one of the top swimming holes in the world.

easy 0.2 mi western-mountains

Swimming Hole Cliff Jumping Bull Branch Stream

FALLS

Grand Falls

The Forks, aroostook-katahdin

A remote 40-foot horseshoe waterfall spanning over 100 feet on the Dead River, one of Maine's most impressive falls in a wild, roadless setting.

easy 0.6 mi aroostook-katahdin

Remote Dead River Horseshoe Falls

FALLS

Grand Falls on the St. John River

Allagash, aroostook-katahdin

Maine's largest waterfall by volume, a remote 40-foot horseshoe cascade on the St. John River accessible only by multi-day canoe trip or rugged backcountry hike.

hard aroostook-katahdin

Remote Largest in Maine

FALLS

Gulf Hagas Falls

Brownville Junction, moosehead

Multiple named waterfalls along a 3-mile slate gorge called the Grand Canyon of Maine, reached by an 8.6-mile loop trail through deep wilderness.

hard 4.3 mi moosehead

Gorge Grand Canyon of Maine Screw Auger Falls

Hadlock Falls acadia

FALLS

Hadlock Falls

Northeast Harbor, acadia

A 40-foot cascade in Acadia, framed by the stone arch of the 1925 Waterfall Bridge. Reached on a short walk up the Hadlock Brook Trail. Best after spring melt.

easy 2 mi acadia

Hadlock Brook Carriage Roads Mount Desert Island

FALLS

Hay Brook Falls

Brownville Junction, moosehead

A 25-foot plunge waterfall inside KI Jo-Mary Forest, on the trail approach to Gulf Hagas in Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness.

moderate 0.3 mi moosehead

Gulf Hagas 100 Mile Wilderness ki jo Mary

Holeb Falls moosehead

FALLS

Holeb Falls

Jackman, moosehead

A 20-to-30-foot falls where the Moose River drops past an island, a landmark on the Moose River Bow Trip canoe loop near Jackman. Reached by canoe with a third-mile portage.

moosehead

Moose River Canoeing bow Trip

FALLS

Houston Brook Falls

Bingham, moosehead

A broad 40-foot waterfall near Bingham with a swimming hole at the base, reached by an easy quarter-mile walk through cedar forest off Pleasant Ridge Road.

easy 0.5 mi moosehead

Swimming Hole Easy Hike Bingham

FALLS

Howe Brook Falls

Patten, aroostook-katahdin

A beautiful multi-drop cascade in remote northern Baxter State Park near South Branch Pond, reached by a moderate wilderness hike through old-growth forest.

moderate 4 mi aroostook-katahdin

Baxter State Park Multi Drop Remote

FALLS

Jewel Falls

Portland, greater-portland

Portland's only natural waterfall, a 25-foot cascade in the 85-acre Fore River Sanctuary reached by a short walk from the Rowe Avenue trailhead.

easy 0.5 mi greater-portland

Urban Hike Portland Easy Access

FALLS

Katahdin Stream Falls

Millinocket, aroostook-katahdin

A multi-tiered waterfall on Katahdin Stream along the Hunt Trail (Appalachian Trail) in Baxter State Park, about 1.2 miles from Katahdin Stream Campground.

easy 1.2 mi aroostook-katahdin

Baxter State Park Appalachian Trail Hunt Trail

FALLS

Kees Falls

Bethel, western-mountains

A backcountry waterfall on Morrison Brook in the Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness, reached via the Caribou Trail in the Evans Notch area of western Maine.

hard 2.1 mi western-mountains

Remote Evans Notch

FALLS

Kezar Falls

Lovell, western-mountains

A hidden waterfall and gorge swimming hole on the Kezar River in Lovell, with natural potholes carved into bedrock and a short walk from an unmarked parking area.

easy 0.1 mi western-mountains

Swimming Hole Hidden gem Gorge

FALLS

Kezar Falls Gorge

Lovell, western-mountains

A hidden 20-foot waterfall and sculpted gorge on the Kezar River in Lovell, with natural potholes, swimming holes, and a short scramble from an unmarked parking area.

easy 0.2 mi western-mountains

Swimming Hole Hidden gem

FALLS

Little Wilson Falls

Monson, moosehead

A series of waterfalls dropping through a deep slate gorge in the 100-Mile Wilderness, reached by a 2.5-mile round-trip hike on the Appalachian Trail near Monson.

moderate 1.25 mi moosehead

Slate Gorge Appalachian Trail Swimming Holes

FALLS

Mad River Falls

Bethel, western-mountains

A dramatic 70-foot cascade in the Evans Notch area of the White Mountain National Forest, reached by a 1.6-mile hike on the Royce Trail.

moderate 3.2 mi western-mountains

Evans Notch Cascade

FALLS

Mosher Hill Falls

Farmington, western-mountains

A 45-foot waterfall reached by an easy 0.3-mile trail near Farmington, tucked into the Sandy River watershed with a peaceful forest setting.

easy 0.3 mi western-mountains

Easy Hike Quick Stop Franklin County

FALLS

Mother Walker Falls

Bethel, western-mountains

A V-shaped gorge 40 feet deep and nearly 1,000 feet long on the Bear River, carved by glacial meltwater, with an easy boardwalk walk to the overlook.

easy 0.25 mi western-mountains

Gorge Grafton Notch Easy Hike

FALLS

Moxie Stream Falls

The Forks, moosehead

A quieter cascade downstream of the famous Moxie Falls, tucked into the gorge on Moxie Stream about a kilometer above the Kennebec River.

moderate 1.5 mi moosehead

Less Visited Gorge

North Anson Gorge western-mountains

FALLS

North Anson Gorge

North Anson, western-mountains

A turbulent cataract on the Carrabassett River cutting through striking bedrock, viewed straight from the bridge in North Anson village. Strongest in spring runoff.

western-mountains

Carrabassett River Somerset County

Orris Falls southern-maine

FALLS

Orris Falls

South Berwick, southern-maine

A brook falls dropping into a 90-foot gorge in a 213-acre land-trust preserve in South Berwick. The trail also passes Balancing Rock. Best flow in spring.

moderate 3 mi southern-maine

South Berwick Land Trust York County

FALLS

Otter Falls

Millinocket, aroostook-katahdin

Remote 15-foot cascade on Otter Brook near the Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness, best suited for adventurous hikers seeking backcountry solitude.

hard 2.5 mi aroostook-katahdin

Remote Piscataquis

FALLS

Poplar Stream Falls

Carrabassett Valley, western-mountains

Two waterfalls in the Carrabassett Valley near Sugarloaf: a 24-foot cascade on Poplar Stream and a 51-foot horsetail on South Brook, reached via an easy to moderate trail through mixed forest.

easy 2 mi western-mountains

Sugarloaf Carrabassett Valley Easy Hike

FALLS

Rattlesnake Flume & Pool

Fryeburg, western-mountains

A natural water slide and emerald green swimming pool in the White Mountain National Forest, reached by an easy 2-mile hike near Evans Notch.

easy 2.1 mi western-mountains

Swimming Hole Natural Water Slide Easy Hike

FALLS

Rumford Falls

Rumford, western-mountains

A 176-foot cascade on the Androscoggin River in the heart of a historic mill town, viewed from platforms and a riverside trail at J. Eugene Boivin Park.

easy 0.5 mi western-mountains

Urban Waterfall Androscoggin River Mill Town

Saccarappa Falls greater-portland

FALLS

Saccarappa Falls

Westbrook, greater-portland

The Presumpscot River cascades through downtown Westbrook again after the 2019-2021 Saccarappa Dam removal. A fishway aids sea-run fish; viewed from the riverwalk.

easy greater-portland

Westbrook Presumpscot River dam Removal

FALLS

Sawtelle Falls

Patten, aroostook-katahdin

Scenic cascade on Sawtelle Brook near Shin Pond, reached by a short hike off Scraggly Lake Road in the northern Maine woods.

easy 0.5 mi aroostook-katahdin

Remote Northern Maine Penobscot

FALLS

Screw Auger Falls (Grafton Notch)

Newry, western-mountains

A 23-foot waterfall in a narrow gorge carved through bedrock with spiral potholes and swimming holes, steps from the roadside parking area in Grafton Notch State Park.

easy 0.2 mi western-mountains

Swimming Holes State Park Gorge

FALLS

Shin Falls

Patten, aroostook-katahdin

A 44-foot waterfall on Shin Brook with three distinct drops, swimming holes at the base, and a shaded picnic area in remote northern Maine.

easy 0.5 mi aroostook-katahdin

Swimming Shin Pond Northern Maine

FALLS

Smalls Falls

Rangeley, western-mountains

A colorful 54-foot cascade on the Sandy River with natural swimming holes, roadside parking, picnic tables, grills, and restrooms right off Route 4.

easy 0.25 mi western-mountains

Swimming Holes Roadside Family Friendly

FALLS

Snow Falls

South Paris, western-mountains

A 25-foot cascade cutting through a narrow gorge on the Little Androscoggin River, visible from a roadside rest area and bridge on Route 26.

easy 0 mi western-mountains

Roadside Gorge Easy Access

FALLS

Step Falls

Newry, western-mountains

A 250-foot cascading series of waterfalls and swimming pools on Wight Brook, managed by the Mahoosuc Land Trust, reached by a short 1.1-mile trail off Route 26 in Newry.

easy 0.55 mi western-mountains

Swimming Holes Water Slides Family Friendly

FALLS

Swift River Falls

Rumford, western-mountains

A series of cascades and deep swimming holes carved through Coos Canyon on the Swift River, with roadside access and gold panning.

easy western-mountains

Swimming Holes Gold Panning Coos Canyon

Tidal Falls downeast

FALLS

Tidal Falls

Hancock, downeast

A reversing tidal falls on the Taunton River in Hancock, at a Frenchman Bay Conservancy preserve with a picnic area. Harbor seals are common. Timing follows the tide.

easy 0.5 mi downeast

Hancock Reversing Falls Wildlife