Updated July 2026
Burden Falls
Burden Falls drops about 20 feet over a sandstone ledge then cascades roughly another 80 feet, totaling near 100 feet, making it the tallest waterfall in southern Illinois' Shawnee National Forest. It is best in spring, when snowmelt and rain feed the seasonal Burden Creek; by late summer it can run dry.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check U.S. Forest Service (Shawnee National Forest, Burden Falls Wilderness) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Burden Falls drops about 100 feet. That makes it the 195th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 73% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Burden Falls Trail (FS 499B) to overlook reaches it about 0.6 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 100 feet of elevation gain, rated easy. The nearest town is Harrisburg. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with U.S. Forest Service (Shawnee National Forest, Burden Falls Wilderness) for closures and current conditions.
Spring. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Illinois waterfalls
- Cascade Falls (Matthiessen State Park) · 45 ft
- Ferne Clyffe Falls (Big Rocky Hollow) · 100 ft
- Ferne Clyffe Falls · 100 ft
- French Canyon Falls · 45 ft
- Jackson Falls
- LaSalle Canyon Falls · 25 ft
- Ottawa Canyon Falls · 45 ft
- St. Louis Canyon Falls · 40 ft
Sources
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