7 Scenic Texas Waterfalls You Need to See

These beautiful Texas waterfalls are worth chasing.

By Gerald McLeod, retired TCDRS Communications Manager

With the diversity of Texas landscapes, it should come as no surprise we have our fair share of waterfalls. The World Waterfall Database lists 91 waterfalls in Texas. Some are located on private land and others require a good rain to come alive, but here are a few that are worth searching out:

Tonkawa Falls

Tonkawa Falls. Photo by Gerald McLeod, retired TCDRS Communications Manager

Tonkawa Falls is located in a city park in Crawford, west of Waco. Over the centuries, the creek has dug a large pool under a nine-foot-high ledge. The city restricts swimming to weekends, but the falls can be admired anytime the creek is running.

Wichita Falls

Wichita Falls. Photo by Gerald McLeod, retired TCDRS Communications Manager

The town of Wichita Falls was named for a waterfall washed away by a flood in the 1800s. In 1987, the city built a beautiful multilevel waterfall in Lucy Park tumbling down the banks of the Wichita River. It’s best viewed from the hike-and-bike trail at the bottom or from the service road of Interstate 44.

Pedernales Falls

Pedernales Falls. Photo by Gerald McLeod, retired TCDRS Communications Manager

Pedernales Falls State Park, which can be found south of Austin, gets its name from the river cascading over limestone steps and squeezing through chutes cut in the rock. At the bottom of the falls are some of the best swimming holes in the state.

Gorman Falls

Gorman Falls. Photo by Gerald McLeod, retired TCDRS Communications Manager

Located in Colorado Bend State Park near Lampasas, Gorman Falls is possibly the prettiest natural waterfall in Texas. The creek cascades 70 feet over a fern-lined cliff that’s reached by a moderately strenuous three-mile round-trip hike.

Madrid, Mexicano and Cattail Falls

Cattail Falls. Photo by Rebecca L. Bennett

The 100-foot Madrid Falls and the 80-foot Mexicano Falls are the second and third tallest waterfalls in Texas, but it’s a tough hike to see them in Big Bend Ranch State Park. Cattail Falls in nearby Big Bend National Park also tumbles 80 feet and requires a rugged, 5.5-mile round-trip hike. Keep in mind that these desert waterfalls flow best after rain.

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