Missouri Waterfalls

Missouri has a number of waterfalls scattered throughout the state. Most can dry up (if they're not artificially watered) so best to find waterfalls during wet periods.

Chapel Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.53112,-93.46143 (Dogwood Canyon Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 36.52545,-93.45546

Chapel Falls is a waterfall on a tributary of Little Indian Creek in Stone County. The waterfall is located in Dogwood Canyon Nature Park. The waterfall is about a half-mile into the 3.2 mile hiking trail through Dogwood Canyon.

To visit the falls, head south from Branson on US-65 for about 9 miles and turn right on MO-86 west. Go through the traffic circle and continue for 11.5 miles. Turn right on MO-13 north/MO-86 west and go 3 miles then turn left to stay on MO-86 west. The entrance to the park is on the left in 2.1 miles and is well signed. After paying admission, pick up the paved hiking trail past the Dogwood Canyon Mill. In about a half-mile, after passing through the Long Pine Crossing Covered Bridge, the Hope Wilderness Chapel is on the left. The waterfall is behind the chapel. I asked park staff if the waterfall had a name and he said no, so I'm calling it Chapel Falls.

Cotton Rocks Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.65320,-93.26578 (Parking along Roark Valley Road)

Waterfall GPS: 36.65546,-93.27397

Cotton Rocks Falls, often just called The Waterfall, is a small waterfall on a tributary of Roark Creek in Taney County. The waterfall is located at the end of Waterfall Trail, part of the city of Branson's network of trails. The hike to the waterfall is a little over 1 mile round trip and moderate in difficulty.

To visit the falls, head west from Branson on Main Street and turn right on Roark Valley Road. Drive 2.1 miles and go straight through the intersection with Shepherd of the Hills Expressway. Just past the gate for Westgate Resort, park on the right side of the road.

The trail begins to the left of the gatehouse and follows the tributary upstream for just over a half-mile. You'll have to cross the creek twice. There are some cool rock overhangs along the way.

Dewey Cove Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.65798,-93.29479 (Henning Conservation Area Parking on MO-76)

Waterfall GPS: 36.66380,-93.28967

Dewey Cove Falls is a seasonal waterfall on a tributary of Roark Creek in Taney County. The waterfall is located in the Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area near Branson. The hike to the waterfall is about 2 miles round trip and moderate in difficulty.

To visit the falls, head west from Branson on Main Street and turn right on Roark Valley Road. Drive 2.1 miles and turn left on Shepherd of the Hills Expressway. In 1.4 miles, turn right on MO-76 west and go 0.7 miles to the parking for Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area on the right.

From the north end of the parking lot, take the Glade Trail that starts past the overlook. At the split, go right on the loop to head through the glades and then right on Streamside Trail. Turn right again on Shane's Shortcut and go a short ways to Dewey Cove. You can climb down from the trail into the creek bed at the base. This is a seasonal waterfall and only flows after a good rain. It was dry when we visited.

Emerald Pool Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.53112,-93.46143 (Dogwood Canyon Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 36.50094,-93.45481

Emerald Pool Falls is a waterfall on a tributary of Dogwood Creek in Stone County. The waterfall is located in Dogwood Canyon Nature Park. The waterfall is about a 2.5miles into the 3.2 mile hiking trail through Dogwood Canyon.

To visit the falls, head south from Branson on US-65 for about 9 miles and turn right on MO-86 west. Go through the traffic circle and continue for 11.5 miles. Turn right on MO-13 north/MO-86 west and go 3 miles then turn left to stay on MO-86 west. The entrance to the park is on the left in 2.1 miles and is well signed. After paying admission, pick up the paved hiking trail past the Dogwood Canyon Mill. Go just about 2.5 miles to Emerald Poolon the right, another beautiful turquoise pool. The waterfall flows into the pool.

Glory Hole Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.53112,-93.46143 (Dogwood Canyon Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 36.50778,-93.45732

Glory Hole Falls is a waterfall on a tributary of Dogwood Creek in Stone County. The waterfall is located in Dogwood Canyon Nature Park. The waterfall is about a two miles into the 3.2 mile hiking trail through Dogwood Canyon.

To visit the falls, head south from Branson on US-65 for about 9 miles and turn right on MO-86 west. Go through the traffic circle and continue for 11.5 miles. Turn right on MO-13 north/MO-86 west and go 3 miles then turn left to stay on MO-86 west. The entrance to the park is on the left in 2.1 miles and is well signed. After paying admission, pick up the paved hiking trail past the Dogwood Canyon Mill. Go just under 2 miles to Glory Hole on the right, a beautiful turquoise pool. The waterfall flows into the pool and there's an underwater cave behind it.

Grand Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 37.03217,-94.54095 (Parking on Riverside Drive)

Waterfall GPS: 37.03209,-94.54200

Grand Falls is a 12-foot high, creek-wide waterfall on Shoal Creek in Newton County. The waterfall is owned by the city of Joplin and is publicly accessible. It is visible from the parking area or a short hike out to the rocks for a closer view.

To visit the falls, go south on Main Street for 3 miles and turn right on W 44th Street. In a half-mile, turn left on Jackson Street and drive 0.7 miles, crossing Shoal Creek. Turn right on Murphy Boulevard, which becomes Riverside Drive, and go 1.2 miles to the parking on the right. The waterfall is right ahead. There are a lot of rocks around the falls to climb around and view it from different angles. It's not very high at 12 feet, but very wide and is considered the largest continuously flowing waterfall in Missouri.

Great Spirit Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.53112,-93.46143 (Dogwood Canyon Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 36.51026,-93.45670

Great Spirit is a waterfall on a tributary of Dogwood Creek in Stone County. The waterfall is located in Dogwood Canyon Nature Park. The waterfall is about 1.7 miles into the 3.2 mile hiking trail through Dogwood Canyon.

To visit the falls, head south from Branson on US-65 for about 9 miles and turn right on MO-86 west. Go through the traffic circle and continue for 11.5 miles. Turn right on MO-13 north/MO-86 west and go 3 miles then turn left to stay on MO-86 west. The entrance to the park is on the left in 2.1 miles and is well signed. After paying admission, pick up the paved hiking trail past the Dogwood Canyon Mill. In about 1.7 miles, the waterfall will be on the right. It flows over Great Spirit Rock Shelter, from which human remains were discovered dating back nearly 8000 years.

Indian Cliff Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.53112,-93.46143 (Dogwood Canyon Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 36.52950,-93.45901

Indian Cliff Falls is a waterfall on a tributary of Little Indian Creek in Stone County. The waterfall is located in Dogwood Canyon Nature Park. The hike to the falls is very short and easy.

To visit the falls, head south from Branson on US-65 for about 9 miles and turn right on MO-86 west. Go through the traffic circle and continue for 11.5 miles. Turn right on MO-13 north/MO-86 west and go 3 miles then turn left to stay on MO-86 west. The entrance to the park is on the left in 2.1 miles and is well signed. After paying admission walk to the Dogwood Canyon Mill and go through to a viewing area for the waterfall up close. You can also go back and view it from across the creek.

Long Creek Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.68510,-92.95971 (Coy Bald Trailhead)

Waterfall GPS: 36.68617,-92.93624

Long Creek Falls, also called just "The Falls", is a waterfall on Long Creek in Taney County. The waterfall is located in the Hercules Glades Wilderness in Mark Twain National Forest. There are several ways to hike to the waterfall, the shortest is about 5 miles round trip and moderate in difficulty.

To visit the falls, head east from Branson on MO-76 for about 12 miles and turn right on US-160 east. In 3 miles, turn right to stay on US-160 east. Go 5.1 miles and turn left on Cross Timber Road. Follow this for 3.1 miles to the end at the Coy Bald Trailhead.

From the trailhead, hike straight from the parking to enter Hercules Glades Wilderness and at the split, go left onto Long Creek Trail. The trail initially heads down then crosses Long Creek and climbs up the ridge. In about 2 miles from the start, the trail drops back down to Long Creek again. Where Long Creek Trail goes left, go right and follow the trail past some campsites along Long Creek going downstream. The trail comes out at the falls. The creek is sensitive to water levels, so this one can dry up completely.

Thunder Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.53112,-93.46143 (Dogwood Canyon Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 36.51849,-93.45554

Thunder Falls is a waterfall on a tributary of Dogwood Creek in Stone County. The waterfall is located in Dogwood Canyon Nature Park. The waterfall is about a mile into the 3.2 mile hiking trail through Dogwood Canyon.

Waterfall Park Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 39.03811,-94.37116 (Waterfall Park parking)

Waterfall GPS: 39.03746,-94.36818

Waterfall Park Falls is a small waterfall on tributary of Camp Creek in Jackson County. The waterfall is in Waterfall Park, a city of Independence park. The hike to the falls is under a mile round trip and easy or you can drive past it.

To visit the falls, head east from Kansas City on I-70 and take exit 14 for Lee's Summit Road. Turn right on S Lee's Summit Road and go 0.4 miles then turn left on Bass Pro Drive. In just under a mile is a roundabout; go straight (second exit) to enter Waterfall Park. If you go right (first exit) from the roundabout to E Bluff Drive, the road passes the waterfall. Note that this road is one way - the westbound lane is blocked to vehicular traffic. From the parking area, pick up the trail heading south to E Bluff Drive. Turn left when you reach the road and walk in the westbound lane (closest to the lake). The waterfall is in under a quarter-mile.