Few things add beauty to a landscape as effectively as high, cascading waterfalls. Lakes and rivers around the globe help create these stunning wonders that are sometimes just there to adore from afar. However, at some locations, hiking, swimming or sailing close enough to feel their refreshing, cooling spray is allowed.
Whether you’re interested in just enjoying the views and snapping a few pictures, or if you prefer to bungee jump off a waterfall’s cliff, these images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest will inspire you.
A gorgeous sunset helps to bring out the fall colors of the foliage surrounding Niagara Falls, while silhouetting the cityscape in the background. Smrithan Ravichandran, New York, 2022/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/e5/0e/e50e9041-494c-47b4-b676-a2130c99bfc0/15_-_49877446-4eef-425f-87f4-3b5432b9abb3.jpg)
Plitvice Lakes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the oldest and largest national park in Croatia, boasting multiple scenic cascading waterfalls. Veronika Szappanos, Croatia, 2019/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/cb/3a/cb3ace48-cdf8-477f-9085-a1769f365405/alt1_-_7810d7f8-562c-4cbd-a802-b45e0225e52e.jpg)
The Austfonna icecap, the third largest in the world, is a breathtaking expanse nestled on Nordaustlandet Island within Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. Thomas Vijayan, Norway, 2022/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/08/f4/08f41ef1-abe8-44bb-823c-a477a99910bc/14_-_39380f39-1961-47ce-a2e0-38d0aad55fa7.jpg)
More than 75 waterfalls can be found in Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Zeb Andrews, Oregon, 2008/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/f6/e3/f6e3e5c8-8bcc-481b-8d56-c314b49482a5/13_-_3b3d1836628a68b55b35f1567a2a2512c58b0ec6.jpg)
Winter rain feeds this waterfall located on Table Mountain, outside of Oroville. Eric DaBreo, California, 2014/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/87/cb/87cbc7a1-e1ef-47c2-99d3-d075fa1a8efc/12_-_2eac9e67-1510-4547-aa79-b1ff2695108c.jpg)
A sunset mostly concealed by the low, thick mist creates a scenic moment in the Atlantic archipelago of the Faroe Islands. Anton Andreev, Faroe Islands, 2021/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/ab/92/ab92015f-5784-4434-97ed-2843fba6f74c/11_-_2562a293-b7c4-40d8-b773-bb69a7383eba.jpg)
Not all waterfalls offer heights of hundreds of feet. On this calm river, jagged rock formations allow for smaller waterfalls that are just big enough to create stunning natural scenes. Erik Fetty, West Virginia, 2022/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/2d/65/2d65d74f-f5c6-4b1f-b1fd-300225a4709a/10_-_fd7d92aa-8269-41cb-81c0-7bdf7ea84f7a.jpg)
More than 525 steps lead visitors from the base of the Skogafoss falls to an observation platform near the top. Michael Slay, Iceland, 2019/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/f1/85/f185b431-5290-4e54-a17e-6c4415e71634/9_-_703492f3-6cce-468b-a6a8-ee269ce894cb.jpg)
Grand Falls is located 30 miles northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona, in the Painted Desert on lands of the Navajo Nation. The 185-foot falls can run dry during certain times of the year, but during monsoon seasons, they are incredibly powerful. Monica Saaty, Arizona, 2013/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/80/cc/80cc3799-fbb3-4d92-93f7-2b345863267d/6_-_c21e0419-3e8b-422e-b244-3e7f417ced09.jpg)
Each year, more than two million people visit the 620-foot-tall Multnomah Falls, one of the most photographed in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Tamara Neal, Oregon, 2023/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/de/c6/dec6a178-0119-4c0e-b134-b361ecbf236f/7_-_73c51804-6388-450b-88ba-577b7a8b8d38.jpg)
Canada, known for its maple leaves and fall color, is also a country with some of the richest freshwater resources in the world. Zhenhuan Zhou, Canada, 2022/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/35/dc/35dcda60-9453-4b37-bdfe-46718684b9ff/3_-_615c9b19-d602-4083-a9e1-654f6921de25.jpg)
Walking through a narrow rock formation leads to this awesome sight: a waterfall spilling from the sky above. Mark Murray, Iceland, 2021/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/58/4a/584af890-a99e-4c24-ae87-56925a11589a/5_-_4016c37e-bea3-43be-a372-7c8424d27b96.jpg)
Huangguoshu Waterfall is the largest in Asia, at 220 feet high and 273 meters wide. Huimin Wang, China, 2023/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/6c/1b/6c1b4449-db56-483e-a4e4-44ba5cc1cd9a/4__3765d984-b93f-4929-a9b7-9182b6456814.jpg)
The Augrabies Falls on the Orange River, the largest river in South Africa, is called the “Place of Great Noise” by the local Khoisan people. Its spray can be seen from miles away. Gita Claassen, South Africa, 2022/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/d7/f5/d7f5bd04-33ab-43f5-a272-0247f7499f77/2_-_fcf9f0eb-b537-4169-bb49-61278e47bb92.jpg)
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