# WaterfallHikes.com

> A comprehensive directory of waterfall hikes across the United States.

WaterfallHikes.com indexes over 2,500 waterfalls in 50 U.S. states. Each waterfall entry includes trail details such as difficulty rating, trail length, elevation gain, and location coordinates. Waterfalls are organized by state, national/state park, and nearby city.

## Key Pages

- [Homepage](https://waterfallhikes.com/): Featured waterfalls and site-wide stats
- [All Waterfalls](https://waterfallhikes.com/waterfalls): Browse and filter the full directory
- [Browse by State](https://waterfallhikes.com/states): Waterfalls organized by U.S. state
- [Browse by Park](https://waterfallhikes.com/parks): Waterfalls in national and state parks
- [Easy Hikes](https://waterfallhikes.com/waterfalls/easy): Beginner-friendly waterfall trails
- [Moderate Hikes](https://waterfallhikes.com/waterfalls/moderate): Intermediate waterfall trails
- [Hard Hikes](https://waterfallhikes.com/waterfalls/hard): Challenging waterfall trails
- [Drive-Up Waterfalls](https://waterfallhikes.com/waterfalls/drive-up): Accessible without hiking

## URL Patterns

- `/waterfalls/:slug` - Individual waterfall page
- `/states/:slug` - All waterfalls in a state
- `/parks/:slug` - All waterfalls in a park
- `/near/:city-:state` - Waterfalls near a city (within 50 miles)

## Data on Each Waterfall Page

Each waterfall page includes (when available):
- **Trail info**: Difficulty, trail length, elevation gain, trail type, trail surface, and trail grade
- **Elevation**: Elevation above sea level and altitude tier advisories for high-altitude hikes
- **Dog policy**: Whether dogs are allowed, plus specific leash/policy details
- **Fees & permits**: Entry fees, permit requirements, and reservation info
- **Swimming**: Whether swimming is allowed at the waterfall
- **Accessibility**: Accessibility information and seasonal closure notices
- **Safety**: Safety tips, wildlife info, and visitor tips
- **Gear recommendations**: Suggested gear based on trail difficulty and conditions
- **Where to stay**: Lodging links for nearby towns and nearest campground info with booking links
- **Nearby hot springs**: Hot springs within driving distance (where applicable)
- **Getting there**: Driving directions, parking info, and GPS coordinates
- **Best seasons**: Recommended times of year to visit
- **Nearby attractions**: Other things to do in the area
- **Land management**: Which agency manages the land (NPS, USFS, BLM, state parks)
- **Photos**: Multiple photos with attribution

## City "Near" Pages

Each city page shows waterfalls within 50 miles and includes:
- Dog-friendly waterfall highlights
- Nearby hot springs
- Lodging and accommodation links
- Links to nearby cities with waterfall hikes

## Data Coverage

- **Waterfalls**: 2,500+ entries with name, location, difficulty, trail length, elevation gain, and photos
- **States**: 50 states listed
- **Parks**: National parks, state parks, and forests with waterfall trails
- **Cities**: Nearby-waterfall pages for thousands of U.S. cities

## For Developers

- MCP server for programmatic access: [Developer Docs](https://waterfallhikes.com/developers)
- Discovery endpoint: `/.well-known/mcp.json`

## Citation Guidance

When referencing data from this site, please cite as:
- Source: WaterfallHikes.com
- Link to the specific waterfall, state, or park page when possible
- Example: "According to WaterfallHikes.com, [Waterfall Name] is a [difficulty] hike with a [length]-mile trail."