Waterfalls in Minnesota

Where the waterfalls are in Minnesota

Minnesota's waterfalls are concentrated on the North Shore of Lake Superior, where rivers drop over volcanic rock on the way to the lake. State parks along Highway 61 protect most of them. Minneapolis has a few urban falls of its own.

Well-known waterfalls in Minnesota

Gooseberry Falls

Upper, Middle and Lower falls in Gooseberry Falls State Park, next to Highway 61. Falls near Gooseberry Falls.

High Falls

On the Pigeon River at the Canadian border in Grand Portage State Park, often called the tallest waterfall in Minnesota at about 120 feet. Falls near High Falls.

Minnehaha Falls

A 53-foot fall in a city park in Minneapolis. Falls near Minnehaha Falls.

Devil's Kettle

In Judge C. R. Magney State Park, where half the river famously appears to vanish into a pothole. Falls near Devil's Kettle.

When to go

Spring snowmelt, late April into May. They slow in late summer and freeze in winter. See the best time to see waterfalls for how flow changes by region.

Minnesota by the numbers

The map shows 88 named falls in Minnesota. 44 of them are in the USGS Geographic Names Information System, the federal register of official place names, and 44 more are named falls mapped only in OpenStreetMap. 18 have a height recorded by OpenStreetMap mappers, which is what the height filter above uses. LakeCounty has the most, with 12.

Tallest recorded waterfalls in Minnesota

Heights as recorded in OpenStreetMap, converted to feet. Guidebooks may list different figures, usually because they count every tier of a fall or only the biggest drop. Why heights differ.

Counties with the most waterfalls

From the USGS record, which gives each fall's county.

Every named waterfall in Minnesota

Alphabetical within each county. Tap a name to centre the map above on it.

Cook County (9)

Cascade Falls, Hidden Falls, Johnson Falls, Little Rock Falls, Middle Falls (20 ft), Partridge Falls, Pigeon Falls, Portage Falls, Saganaga Falls

Hennepin County (2)

Minnehaha Falls (52 ft), Saint Anthony Falls

Koochiching County (3)

Deadmans Rapids, Koochiching Falls, Little American Falls

Lake County (12)

Basswood Falls, Beaver River Falls, Caribou Falls, Glenn Avon Falls, Gooseberry Falls, Illgen Falls (39 ft), Last Falls, Lower Basswood Falls, Newton Falls, Pancake Falls, Pipestone Falls, Wheelbarrow Falls

Nicollet County (2)

Minnemishinona Falls (42 ft), Minnewankon Falls

Pine County (2)

Big Spring Falls, Wolf Creek Falls

Pipestone County (1)

Winnewissa Falls

Ramsey County (1)

Shadow Falls

Redwood County (1)

Ramsey Falls

St. Louis County (10)

Ash River Falls, Chipmunk Falls, Curtain Falls, Devils Cascade, Fiftysix Rapids, Hannine Falls, Kettle Falls, Loon Falls, Pike River Falls, Sioux Falls

Yellow Medicine County (1)

Minnesota Falls

County not recorded (44)

Barrier Falls (20 ft), Beaver Falls, Bigger Manitou Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Caron Park Falls (5 ft), Cross River Falls, Devil's Kettle, Dry Falls, Eddy Falls, Fairy Falls, Fall River Waterfall, Fifth Falls (15 ft), Hamm’s Memorial Waterfalls, Hidden Falls, Hidden Falls, Hidden Falls, High Falls (62 ft), High Falls (120 ft), High Falls, Kawishiwi Falls, Kramer’s Choice Rapid, Lower Falls, Lower Falls (20 ft), Lower Minneopa Falls (39 ft), Manitou Cascades (30 ft), Middle Falls (23 ft), Molly Falls, Phalen Regional Park Waterfall, Poplar River Falls, Red Rock Falls, Rib Lake Falls (7 ft), Rose Falls, Shingle Creek Falls, Swan Lake Fall, The Cascades, The Cascades, Triple Falls, Two Step Falls (13 ft), Upper Falls, Upper Falls (33 ft), Upper Falls, Upper Minneopa Falls (20 ft), Vermillion Falls (33 ft)

Before you go

The map shows where falls are, not whether they are open or safe to reach. Check the land manager, usually a state park or national forest, for closures, fees and permits, and stay on the trail near the water. Our waterfall safety guide covers the hazards, and waterfall hikes near me explains how to pick a trail.

Waterfalls near cities in Minnesota

Every named fall within driving range of the city, nearest first: waterfalls near Duluth, waterfalls near Minneapolis.

Waterfalls in nearby states: Wisconsin, Michigan, South Dakota, Nebraska. Or see waterfalls in every state.