Best Waterfall Hikes in Maine
This list is intentionally hike-forward: these are Maine waterfall trips where the trail is part of the view at the end, not a nuisance to get through. Expect uneven footing, remote miles on some rows, and bigger seasonal swings in flow and access.
Compare the pins on the map, then open each guide for trail notes and parking. If you want low-effort pull-offs instead, use 10 easiest waterfalls in Maine.
Rank 1: Gulf Hagas (rim / gorge hike-in) — Piscataquis
Viewing only, not a swim stop
Maine's classic slate gorge on the West Branch Pleasant River in the KI Jo-Mary country. 8-mile AT-linked loop.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 2: Angel Falls — Township D
A tall narrow drop on Mountain Brook in Township D, reached by an unpaved approach west of Houghton / Rangeley.
- Walk
- 15-25 min one way
Rank 3: Moxie Falls — Moxie Gore
Viewing only, not a swim stop
A roughly 90-foot single-drop waterfall on Moxie Stream in Moxie Gore near The Forks, Somerset County, Maine.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 5-10 min one way
Rank 4: Tumbledown Dick Falls — Weld area
Viewing only, not a swim stop
Remote backcountry cascade in T1 R11 WELS, Piscataquis County, Maine. Logging-road approach, scenic-only.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 5: Dunn Falls — Andover
A tall multi-tier waterfall on the West Branch of the Ellis River in Andover, Maine. AT access from East B Hill Road.
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 6: 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 7: Katahdin Falls — T3 R10
Viewing only, not a swim stop
A Katahdin-area waterfall in Baxter State Park, T3 R10 WELS, Piscataquis County.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 8: 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 9: 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
Rank 10: The Cataracts — Andover West Surplus
Cascades, flumes, and pools on Frye Brook in Andover West Surplus, along the Appalachian Trail corridor in the Mahoosucs.
- Walk
- 15-25 min one way