Best Roadside Waterfalls in Maine
Maine is one of the better New England states for waterfall scenery without a long hike. This list favors pull-off style access, short paved or gravel approaches, and viewpoints that still feel like a real falls stop.
Compare the ranked list on the map, then open each guide for parking, footing, and flow. If you want the broader “best falls” set (including bigger hike-ins), use Top 10 waterfalls in Maine.
Rank 1: Smalls Falls — Township E
Tiered Sandy River roadside waterfall south of Rangeley on Route 4, Township E, western Maine.
- Can you swim?
- Swimming allowed when posted rules and staffing say it is open
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 2: Screw Auger Falls — Greenville
Grafton Notch State Park's polished slot-rock waterfall on the Bear River in Newry, Maine.
- Can you swim?
- Swimming allowed when posted rules and staffing say it is open
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 3: Coos Canyon — Byron
A short gorge on the Swift River in Byron, Maine, on Route 17. Pools, low jumps, and a classic rest-area swim and…
- Can you swim?
- Swimming allowed when posted rules and staffing say it is open
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 4: Houston Brook Falls — Pleasant Ridge
A short-trail horsetail waterfall off Route 201 near Bingham, in Pleasant Ridge Plantation.
- Can you swim?
- Swimming allowed when posted rules and staffing say it is open
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 5: Snow Falls — West Paris
A short Little Androscoggin River gorge on Route 26 at West Paris, Oxford County, Maine.
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 6: Ellis Falls — Andover
Viewing only, not a swim stop
A cascade in the Andover area of Oxford County, part of the Ellis River corridor in Maine's Lakes & Mountains.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 7: Rumford Falls — Rumford
Viewing only, not a swim stop
A major Androscoggin River waterfall through downtown Rumford, Oxford County, Maine.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 8: Swift River Falls — Roxbury
Viewing only, not a swim stop
Tiered drop on the Swift River in Roxbury, Maine. Roadside scenic stop along the Route 17 corridor.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 9: Step Falls — Newry
Multi-tiered cascade and ledge pools on Wight Brook in Newry, Maine. Short walk from a preserve lot off Route 26.
- Can you swim?
- Swimming allowed when posted rules and staffing say it is open
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 10: Poplar Stream Falls — Carrabassett Valley
Viewing only, not a swim stop
Twin Carrabassett Valley waterfalls on the Maine Huts & Trails system, Franklin County, Maine.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 0-5 min