The Best Waterfalls in PA (Organized By How Hard You Want to Work)
Most Pennsylvania waterfall lists give you 150 names and zero guidance. We stripped the list down to the 12 best. They are organized by what you actually want to do: swim, hike, or park and walk.
Search for the best waterfalls in Pennsylvania and you will usually find a list of 180 different waterfalls scattered across 67 counties. It is overwhelming and, frankly, it is not how anyone plans a weekend.
This guide cuts the list down to the absolute best waterfalls in the state, organized by what you actually want to do. Skip straight to the category you need.
What Is the Tallest Waterfall in Pennsylvania?
Raymondskill Falls, located in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area near Milford, is the tallest waterfall in Pennsylvania. Its three distinct drops combine to a total height of approximately 150 to 178 feet. This makes it roughly as tall as Niagara Falls. A short, predominantly flat trail leads to the viewing areas.
Best Waterfalls in PA for Swimming
Swimming is strictly prohibited at most Pennsylvania waterfalls for safety and environmental reasons. However, there are a few verified exceptions where the geology naturally created legal, spectacular swimming conditions.
Meadow Run Waterslides: Ohiopyle State Park
Not technically a traditional waterfall, but a natural water chute carved directly into the sandstone. The river polishes the rock smooth over centuries, creating a 100-foot slide that deposits you into a catch pool. Sliding and swimming are explicitly permitted here.
Read the Guide: The Meadow Run Waterslides Parking & Access Guide
The Haystacks , Loyalsock State Forest
Hike two miles down the Loyalsock Trail past Dutchman Falls to reach The Haystacks. These are massive quartz sandstone formations sitting in the middle of Loyalsock Creek. They create rapid channels and deep, swimmable natural pools. Water shoes are mandatory.
Read the Guide: Dutchman Falls & The Haystacks Itinerary
Seven Tubs: Pinchot State Forest (Wilkes-Barre)
A series of glacially carved potholes, known as the “tubs,” that water cascades through. It reopened in April 2024 after a lengthy restoration. The pools are once again open for wading and swimming.
Read the Guide: The Seven Tubs Nature Area
Can You Swim at Waterfalls in PA?
Swimming is prohibited at most Pennsylvania waterfalls, including at Ricketts Glen State Park, Bushkill Falls, and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The main legal exceptions are the Meadow Run Waterslides in Ohiopyle State Park, the Seven Tubs Nature Area in Wilkes-Barre, and the natural pools at The Haystacks on the Loyalsock Trail.
Easiest Waterfalls to Reach in PA (Little to No Hiking)
These waterfalls require almost no effort to see. They are ideal for families traveling with young kids or visitors planning a road trip.
Cucumber Falls: Ohiopyle State Park
One of the only 30-foot waterfalls in the state that a toddler can see without a struggle. The falls are visible directly from the Cucumber Falls parking lot, and the staircase down to the base is a short, paved descent.
Read the Guide: Ohiopyle State Park
Salt Springs State Park Waterfall
The main trail here is wide and easy. The reward is a multi-tiered sandstone cascade surrounded by a grove of 500-year-old virgin hemlock trees. This is one of the most intact old-growth stands remaining in Pennsylvania.
Read the Guide: Salt Springs State Park Waterfall
Buttermilk Falls , Which One Are You Looking For?
There are at least five different waterfalls named “Buttermilk Falls” in Pennsylvania, which ruins a lot of GPS routes. The two best are in Armstrong County (the one you can walk behind) and Luzerne County (a 35-foot drop near the road). Our guide sorts out which is which.
Read the Guide: Buttermilk Falls PA: The Disambiguation Guide
The Rugged Ones (Best Falls for Serious Hikers)
These falls require hiking boots, water, and a willingness to scramble down steep terrain.
Falls Trail , Ricketts Glen State Park
The undisputed king of Pennsylvania waterfall hikes. The Kitchen Creek drainage features 23 named waterfalls on a single, strenuous 7.2-mile loop. The stone steps are perpetually wet, the trail drops sharply into multiple gorges, and the scenery is unmatched anywhere else in the northeast. No swimming in the gorge.
Read the Guide: Ricketts Glen State Park
Dutchman Falls , Loyalsock State Forest
The hike is only 0.3 miles from the parking lot, but the descent into the gorge requires genuine scrambling. The reward is a 27-foot multi-tiered waterfall that most visitors at this trailhead completely miss because they turn back at the first sign of the grade.
Read the Guide: Dutchman Falls Itinerary: Plus The Haystacks
Freedom Falls , Venango County
At 20 feet tall and more than 50 feet wide, this is the most impressive waterfall in northwestern Pennsylvania. Access requires navigating an unmarked dirt road followed by a steep scramble down to the creek bed. This is why it rarely feels crowded.
Read the Guide: Freedom Falls Location & Parking Coordinates
What to Bring to Any PA Waterfall
Footwear Is Everything
The rock at Dutchman Falls and similar gorge walls is exposed shale. It turns to near-ice after autumn rain. The sandstone at the Meadow Run Waterslides is algae-slick in the shade even on a sunny day.
If you are heading to The Haystacks, water shoes are mandatory. The submerged sandstone will slice open bare feet quickly. Bring stiff-soled hiking boots for the approach and pack water shoes separately if you plan to enter the water.
For a closer look at these trails, use the dedicated guides linked above. Each one includes parking coordinates, the trail blaze color, and seasonal advice.
If you are building your itinerary, the Ohiopyle State Park guide is a strong next read. Meadow Run, Cucumber Falls, and Ferncliff Peninsula are all within five minutes of each other.