U.S. Waterfalls

<p>Traveled to Coasta Rica recently and missed out on photographing any waterfalls due to timing issues. I live in the Dallas, TX area so not much in that category. If you were traveling within the United States and wanted good waterfall photos, where would you go? I'm thinking of the cascading falls type.</p>

<p>Yosemite in spring, as the snow melts. The entire valley is surrounded by falls. However, I'm actually not sure what you mean by the "cascading" type - aren't they all?</p>

Ithaca, New York. Bumper stickers "Ithaca is gorgeous".

<p>West Virginia in spring to early summer....do a flicker search for Randall Sanger and check out his waterfall portfolio</p>

<p>I spent 10 years in Ithaca, and for the last 30 years, go out to WVA (usually, the Canaan V area) at least twice per year, so I can verify that there are many nice rapids and some real falls in those two areas. If you want to focus on the east, add Ricketts Glen (PA) and Letchworth State Park (NY) to your list. </p>

<p>However, at the risk of being called a traitor, if I wanted a huge number of very pretty falls and rapids, I'd go to the PNW: http://www.waterfallsnorthwest.com/nws/best.php. </p>

<p>With a bit more walking than you typically need to do in the East, you can see an astonishing number of falls out in Oregon and Washington states. Falls and rapids that are ignored in the PNW would probably be considered tourist attractions in the east. Their generally more remote locations has the advantage that your pix of these falls at least has a chance of being unique. In contrast, it's hard to get unique waterfall shots in the East where using Google Images on "Buttermilk Falls", "Taughannock Falls state park", "Enfield", "Watkins Glen", "Ricketts Glen", "Blackwater Falls", Babcock, or even just "west virginia waterfall" etc. will immediately turn up hundreds of high quality shots of each falls, and many more tourist-quality snapshots of them.</p>

<p>Have fun and don't slip on the wet rocks. ;-)</p>

<p>Cheers,</p>

<p>Tom M</p>

<p>Anthony,</p>

<p> I love waterfalls too. I would suggest that there are many places I have photographed lovely waterfalls in many states; Tenn, Ken, Minn, Mich., Southern Indiana, Colorado, New Mexico, North Carolina, Hawaii, across the border in Canada (Alberta, BC, and Ontario- truly spectacular), and yes, even in Texas (Big Bend). There are some good books out there too, I recall one on North Carolina designed specifically for photographers, but the name escapes me.<br>

Enough water and soft lighting are generally the two things you need to have generally for good images.</p>

<p><br />Head for Shenandoah National Park in Virginia: http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/waterfalls.htm </p>

<p>The Columbia River corridor between Washington and Oregon. I spent two weeks there one spring, waterfalls were literally everywhere! Have it penciled in for next spring/summer. </p>

<p>Wow. A lot of great suggestions. Thank you. This would be an extended weekend trip - roundtrip flight, three or four days and back home for my budget. I've been to Big Bend which is a 600 mile drive from Dallas. It's worth another visit.</p>

<p>@David. You're right. All falls cascade off a hill or mountainside.</p>

<p>Will keep these post for future reference. At the moment, I'm leaning toward the Pacific Northwest, probably flying into Portland. </p>

 

<p>Tom is right, we're packed full of waterfalls up here in the PNW.</p>

<p>This is another good PNW waterfall resource that I actually prefer to the site that Tom posted (though both are good).</p>

<p>http://aaronswaterfallworld.com/</p>

<p>Michigan's Upper Peninsula has about 200 worthwhile waterfalls.</p>

I think a distinction is sometimes made between cascading and free falling waterfalls. There are nitpickers everywhere.

<p>Best location I know of for limited time/max variety with guaranteed results is the Columbia River Gorge west of Portland, Oregon. Fly into Portland , rent a car, and you will be at the waterfalls within 90 minutes, give or take. Do some homework to determine flow rates you want to photograph--heavy or light.<br>

<a href="http://www.oregonwaterfalls.net/gorge.htm">http://www.oregonwaterfalls.net/gorge.htm</a></p>

<p>Joe Smith</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I should have said east of Portland. Joe Smith</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I think a distinction is sometimes made between cascading and free falling waterfalls. There are nitpickers everywhere.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I agree. Some people really only want to see water plunging directly over a cliff. Which I suppose I can understand.<br /><br />I myself enjoy just about all types of waterfalls. Saw a really cool one on the way up to whistler the other day. Shannon Falls isn't a secret or anything, but it's pretty impressive. In fact, here's a photo of it by our own GJD:</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/photo/11022034</p>

<p>Glacier National Park, Montana. The rocks are very colorful there.</p>

<p>+1 for the Columbia River Gorge. http://www.fs.usda.gov/crgnsa </p>

<p>Yosemite and Maui - and some nice ones in Pennsylvania. Plus Niagara, of course.</p>

<p>Not to mention my personal favorite...</p><div></div>

<p>Thinking more about the Columbia River Gorge at the moment and the easy access from Portland and PDX. Wife is thinking about some new furniture! May be able to work out a compromise. :) </p>

<p>Portland, OR and then the Columbia River Gorge it is . I hope to buy my ticket and make sleeping arrangements next week for travel in July. Thanks for all the advice and inspiration for future sites.</p>

<p>I concur with the Michigan upper peninsula - but you need to do that during a spring after a winter with heavy snow. This year the snow was VERY light, so light they have had a major forest fire up there recently.</p>

<p>I've been through the Columbia river area of Oregon / Washington - another great area for waterfalls - I just drove around the back roads, windows down and listened for the sounds of a waterfall. It's going to be melted snowfall sourced so early spring is best. Don't wait until September.</p>

<p>Maui - the road to Hana - but you need to time it to right after a rainstorm</p>

<p>I know it's outside the US, but the absolute best place for shooting waterfalls is Fiordland Park of New Zealand, specifically the road to Milford Sound and Milford Sound itself. You will see more waterfalls in a day than in a year anywhere else.</p>

<p>I've posted my waterfall collection at Flickr : <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tudorapmadoc/sets/72157604343113048/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/tudorapmadoc/sets/72157604343113048/</a></p>

 

<p>Thanks, Tudor. I've been to Maui several times and traveled along the road to Hana. Very nice. I had considered visiting New Zealand at one point in the future but the long flight is a little daunting from Dallas. But, the same thing applies to other places in the world that I want to visit so you gotta do what cha gotta do. </p>

<p>I made reservations for my extented weekend in Oregon awhile back. Looking forward to the trip. Thanks for all the advice!</p>