Texas County & District Retirement System
09/23/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/23/2024 15:23
7 Scenic Texas Waterfalls You Need to See
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.