The best waterfalls are never next to the car park. They sit at the end of a muddy trail, behind a ridge, and sound like a distant crowd long before you see them.

Chase the spring melt

Late spring is when the flow is strongest and the moss is greenest. Summer trails are drier, but the falls are thinner.

Photo: Jerry Adney via Unsplash
Photo: Jerry Adney via Unsplash

Pack for the wet

Waterproof shoes with grip, a light shell and a dry bag for your camera. The spray reaches further than it looks.

  • Check the trail report the morning you go.
  • Start early to have the pool to yourself.
  • Carry out everything you carry in.

Respect the pool

Never climb on wet rocks above a drop. The best photograph is always taken from the bank.

A waterfall teaches patience: the whole hike is just the long introduction to a single sound.

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