A seasonal waterfall in the St. Peter sandstone of French Canyon, the closest canyon to Starved Rock's visitor center at about 0.4 miles. Note that the French Canyon access has been subject to trail-construction closures beginning in 2026.
Its 45 ft drop is taller than about 35% of the 775 waterfalls we track.
The falls are fed by seasonal canyon stream. It lies in La Salle, Illinois. The site is on public land managed by Starved Rock State Park (Illinois DNR).
This is a short hike waterfall: reached by a short trail, generally under about a mile each way. The walk in is brief — comfortable shoes are usually all you need. The walk to the main viewpoint runs about 0.8 miles round trip. The nearest town is Oglesby.
When to go: Spring (after rain or snowmelt). Flow usually peaks after snowmelt and heavy rain and tapers through late summer — a quick look at recent streamflow and the managing agency's conditions page can save a wasted trip.
