Waterfall hikes are some of the most photographed and most family-friendly trails in any state — the destination delivers a clear visual reward, and many are short enough to do before lunch. We pulled every New Jersey trail in our database whose name explicitly references falls, cascade, chute, or plunge, then ranked them by accessibility so the easiest and shortest waterfall hikes surface first. The result is ten hikes that pay off without punishing the people you're hiking with.
New Jersey runs from the Highlands (Kittatinny Ridge and Wawayanda) in the northwest to the Pine Barrens and the Jersey Shore — more topographic range than the state is credited with. Spring and fall are best; summer humidity is significant; winter ice is common on Kittatinny Ridge. Waterfalls run hardest in spring snowmelt and after sustained rain — the same windows when trail surfaces are slipperiest.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 15,992 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in New Jersey — but the data has limits worth being honest about. We identify waterfall hikes by scanning trail names for terms like "falls," "cascade," "chute," and "plunge." That misses unnamed seasonal cascades and trails whose primary feature is a waterfall not mentioned in the route name. Treat the list as a confident sample, not a complete catalog.
The Ranking
Ranked from #1 to #10. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. Animal Chute
Animal Chute near West Milford in Passaic County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #1 slot for accessibility. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Animal Chute trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Buttermilk Falls Road
Buttermilk Falls Road near Bellvale in Orange County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #2 slot for accessibility. Expect unpaved surface on a forgiving grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Buttermilk Falls Road trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Buttermilk Falls Trail
Buttermilk Falls Trail near Wallpack Center in Sussex County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #3 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Buttermilk Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Chutes and Ladders
Chutes and Ladders near Danielsville in Carbon County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #4 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. Compared to similar trails in New Jersey, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Chutes and Ladders trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Crap Chute
Crap Chute near Vernon in Sussex County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #5 slot for accessibility. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Crap Chute trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Fall Line Trail
Fall Line Trail near Fairless Hills in Bucks County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #6 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Fall Line Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Fall Line Trail
Fall Line Trail near Fairless Hills in Bucks County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #7 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Fall Line Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Fall Line Trail
Fall Line Trail near Fairless Hills in Bucks County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #8 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Fall Line Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Fallen Tree Trail
Fallen Tree Trail near Fountainville in Bucks County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #9 slot for accessibility. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in New Jersey, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Fallen Tree Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Fallen Tree Trail
Fallen Tree Trail near Fountainville in Bucks County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #10 slot for accessibility. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Fallen Tree Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your New Jersey trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for New Jersey. Spring and fall are best; summer humidity is significant; winter ice is common on Kittatinny Ridge. Black bears in the Highlands, timber rattlesnakes in the Pine Barrens, and ticks (Lyme is endemic) statewide.
Always cross-reference the official land-manager page before driving out — closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal road access can change quickly. Our trail pages link directly back to the OpenStreetMap source so you can see the tags we're working from.
If you're new to hiking generally, our beginner's guide covers footwear, layering, and the day-pack basics. For safety planning on bigger objectives, the ten essentials guide is worth twenty minutes of reading.
More New Jersey hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our New Jersey coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in New Jersey — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Steepest trails in New Jersey — Hikes with the most elevation gain in the state.
- Best beginner hikes in New Jersey — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Most challenging hikes in New Jersey — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in New Jersey — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in New Jersey — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in New Jersey — Short, easy trails sized for kids and grandparents.
Rankings like this are starting points, not verdicts. Trail conditions change, new routes get tagged, and what was the toughest trail in New Jersey last year might not be next year. We refresh these articles when the underlying data shifts meaningfully.
Got a correction, a route we missed, or a question? Drop us a note via the contact page. We read every email and we'd rather hear it from you than miss it.
