Directions:

1) Take Grey County Road 4 into Durham.
2) If you are heading west, as I was, there will be a street, George Street E, off of Co. Rd. 4.  Turn right onto George Street E.
3) There will be a parking area on your right (again heading west).  The falls might not even be obvious, but the dam will be.

Accessibility: 10/10

McGowan Falls in October 2010

I found the falls to be extremely enjoyable, but they are a little bugger to photograph.  I found that the most photogenic viewpoint was right at the end of the stairs, taking a right.  There was this clay “ledge” of sorts where you could get beautiful views of the water cascading down, but at that vantage point, you can’t see the whole falls.  When you try to see the falls in its entirety, which can be difficult, it seems less photogenic, as each little sub-fall is thin and wispy.  So from the side, all of those add up to make it appear “fuller.”  It’s just a fun place to explore and try to get unique and interesting pics.  And the travertine (calcium deposits) only make it that more impressive.

Directions:

1) From Lampasas, I headed west on Farm Road 580, which is paved.

2) After 20 miles or so, you’ll clearly see a sign for the entrance to Colorado Bend State Park.  If you are heading west, the entrance will be on your left.  (I think it might be county road 442.)

3) After you turn, it will seem odd.  There are numerous signs indicating private property, so keep following the signs that lead to the entrance to the park.

4) After about a mile, a sign will indicate the Gorman Falls Trail.  Turn left here.

5) Drive to the end of the road, park, and pay the $4 per person entrance fee at the self-pay box.

6) Follow the trail.  (Look for armadillos…We came across one foraging.)

Accessibility: 5/10 (This is NOT a bad trail, but it is by no means handicapped-accessible.  Near the end, it does get a little bit steep, but on the way back up it is not bad.)

Falling Creek Falls was actually WAY more impressive than I expected.  And that was all due to lowered expectations.  Of the pictures I had seen, I was expecting an EXTREMELY small waterfall.  Now, I know it’s all relative, but at 5 or 6′ tall, it was much taller than I expected.  And that can often lead to much more happiness than over-expecting, only to be let down.  So, to say the least, I was thoroughly pleased, and wondered why this wasn’t advertised more.  Florida is beautiful and sunny, but it often seems monotonous, at least geologically speaking…so it seemed nice to find something a little more out of the ordinary.  It also helped that even though it was nearly the beginning of winter, in this part of Florida, it had a very September-ish feel, at least to a Michiganian.

Directions:

1) This little gem of a waterfall is not very difficult to find.  At the junction of I-10 and US-41 north of Lake City, head north on US-41 for a very short distance, only about 0.2 miles.

2) Right off of US-41 is Falling Creek Road.  Turn right onto Falling Creek Road, and head down to the park.

3) At the park, follow the beautiful boardwalk to the falls (to your left).

Accessibility: 10/10 (I think a wheelchair could even do this.)

Falling Creek Falls in late December

Upper White Oak Canyon Falls in early December

In early December, I decided to take a trip to the Washington, D.C. region, and explore a little bit of Shenandoah National Park for a weekend. There are a pretty significant number of waterfalls in the park, so it was a little bit difficult to decide which one or two to visit, but in the end I decided on hiking the trail that leads to the waterfalls in White Oak Canyon. There are some pretty great falls along the trail, but be prepared for one intense hike.

I started from the parking area along Skyline Drive, and the hike DOWN wasn’t bad at all. To get to the impressive, but somewhat hindered, Upper White Oak Canyon Falls, you’ve got to hike a little something less than 2.5 miles. There are then numerous falls further downstream, but every fall you visit adds time to your hike. (No duh, of course it adds more time, but this becomes far more obvious on the way back up!) So if you just want to see a really great, and what I expect is a surprisingly tall waterfall, stop at this first major falls, Upper White Oak Canyon Falls.

The pain begins to appear on the way back UP. Even in those 2.5 miles, you’ve descended something like 800-1000 feet (at least). On the way back, you ascend those 1000 feet, at a minimum, and it can be very tiring. Bring food, water, and the will to get back to the parking lot!

Directions:
1) At the intersection of US-211 and Skyline Drive, head south on Skyline Drive.
2) After five or six miles, you should see the parking area for the White Oak Canyon Trail, which is where your journey begins. It’s just after the entrance to the Skyland Resort.
3) From here, follow the very clear signage for about 2.5 miles to the first falls. More falls await if you decide.

Accessibility: 2/10

After getting to the parking area, the hike to the falls was relatively short.  The trail splits off in two different directions, one leading to the river below, and the other heading above the falls.  If you want to get better views, the first option will be the best choice.  The hike is not difficult at all, but you will most likely have to cross the river to get the best viewpoint. The river is not particularly deep.  I’m guessing you will get just a little bit wet, though.  After crossing the river, it’s a very short distance before you’re standing directly in front of the falls.

Kilgore Falls in late November 2011

Stirling Falls in May 2011

I haven’t yet posted anything about my visit to Milford Sound, and since Stirling Falls is the first waterfall I’m going to discuss in the area, I’m going to include by other impressions as well.

I was so excited to visit Milford Sound, and I was not disappointed.  The two-hour cruise in the sound (well, fjord, actually) was very impressive and there were a number of impressive waterfalls.  As they’ll inform you, there are many more after the rains come (and that’s pretty frequently), but even during the partly cloudy periods, you’ll still see many.

You can see many of the falls at once, and Stirling Falls is likely to be one of the last that you visit on your cruise.  It’s a really great waterfall, and you’re almost guaranteed to get a very close look.  And by close, I mean close.  Our boat navigated so that a portion of it was under the falls.  It was just cool enough outside that I didn’t readily rush into nature’s cold shower, but it was still memorable!

Directions:

1) From Te Anau, head north on NZ-94 to its very end at Milford Sound.  (From mid-May to October, you may want to check to make sure that the road is open to Milford Sound…It can close randomly, or snow chains may also be required.)

2) At Milford Sound, park, head to the cruise area and board your cruise.

Accessibility: 10/10

Directions:
1) You’ll be driving along M-26 toward Hubell, MI.
2) In the outskirts of Hubell (if there can be outskirts in such a small town), turn onto Sixth Street.
3) Sixth Street will dead end, but to the left is a dirt road named Golf Course Rd. Take the road to the left.
4) You will go up a hill, and the road will flatten out a little bit.
5) Here’s the confusing part…As you’re driving on Golf Course Road, you will pass a number of dirt roads on the left. I got confused by the directions I was following and ended up turning onto the first road ON THE LEFT after a pile of rubble and a gate. The connection to the road was not even, so go slowly!
6) From there, I headed down that road to the end, where there is a turn-around. Park here.
7) From here, you will connect onto the trail to your right. Where I parked, if I walked straight instead of to the right, I hit what looked like the remains of an old bridge…
8 ) From this trail, you will end up passing the Lower Falls first. Then you will come to the first Middle Hungarian Falls. All of the falls can be viewed from this trail, some better than others.

Accessibility: 6/10

One of the Hungarian Falls in May 2009

Ribbon Falls in May 2011

All right, let’s play a game…Ribbon Falls is: __________.  ethereal…fleeting…stunning.  You choose your own words to describe what may be one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Yosemite National Park that you may never notice.

Ribbon Falls is almost guaranteed to disappear early on in the year, only undergo rebirth every year.  The wispy falls aren’t gargantuan, even after the snow melt in early May.  They’re wispy, blown away by the wind.  I guess I must have been lucky when I saw the falls.  Though it was mid-May, it had just snowed that night.  The leaves were emerging from their winter sleep, and instead of deciduous greens, there were intense oranges and yellows juxtaposed with the green conifers still draped with snow.  Clouds had descended on the valley, hiding the amazing Yosemite viewpoints, but this had the unintentional effect of deceiving the viewer.  The falls appeared to emerge from the clouds themselves.  It was a truly stunning and spectacular view.

Directions:
1) In late April and early May, the best choice of roads is likely CA-140. (I was on CA-120, and discovered after some distance that the road was closed near the park entrance, and had to take an alternative route). Call (209)-372-0200 for current road conditions.
2) Head east along CA-140 from Merced/Mariposa to the entrance for the park.
3) At the entrance, you will need to pay the $20 entrance fee, which is good for 7 days.
4) The best viewpoint for the falls seems to be from a pullout on the Southside Drive as you’re entering the loop.  Look to your left to view the falls.

Accessibility: 10/10

Falls Creek Falls in June 2011

There are a number of interesting drops along the Alaska coastline that don’t get frequently mentioned.  I understand that they are not always that large, but they are still very easy to visit, so why not do so.

One such example is Falls Creek Falls, which is right off of the Seward Highway south of Anchorage in Chugach State Park.  I think I pulled off on a whim to see whether there was any significant waterfall, and there is something there.  It would probably be better described as a cascade.  There is a trail that climbs almost 3000′ feet in about 2.7 miles, and while I had no wish to do that, you will still get a great view of some idyllic cascades.  Even with out the cascades, the area along the Alaska shoreline is intensely beautiful.

Directions:
1) You’ll be driving along the Seward Highway, and inside the Chugach State Park boundaries, there is a small pulloff with room for about four cars.  This is the trail for Falls Creek.  It is somewhat more obvious when heading north along the highway.

Accessibility: 10/10

Hidden Falls in mid-October 2011

I arrived in Minneapolis yesterday, and have been exploring the area.  It must be pretty dry around the area currently, as a number of the waterfalls I’ve visited have had very low flow.  Oh well, it was a very enjoyable day, so I can’t complain too much.

Hidden Falls is the first waterfall I visited in the area.  I didn’t have much difficulty getting to Hidden Falls Park, but I then had a little bit of difficulty finding the falls themselves.  There’s no sign that clearly directs you to the falls.  One set of directions I read about afterwards would have led me in a different direction that I expected.  Once I found the falls, they reminded me of other areas where the falls have a lot of remnants of human touches.  The falls in the area are much more urbanized than the Minnesota waterfalls along the North Shore.

Directions:
1) The entrance to Hidden Falls Park is directly off of Magoffin Avenue.
2) As you enter the park, you’ll head downhill for a distance.  Park at the first parking area you see.  There are other parking areas that lead you to the Mississippi River.
3) You’ll know you’re in the right place if you see a set of three or four buildings/”gazebos”.
4) The most obvious trail does not lead you to the falls.  Instead, the trail to the falls is hidden behind those buildings, and there is no sign indicating the trail to the falls.
5) Walk behind the buildings, and you should see a wide trail leading to the falls.  There should be a lot of rock walls as you head toward the falls.

Accessiblity: 10/10