Updated August 2026
Great Falls of the Passaic River
The Great Falls is a 77-foot, 260-foot-wide waterfall on the Passaic River in downtown Paterson, the second-largest waterfall by volume east of the Mississippi behind Niagara. It is protected within Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, with overlooks reached by short paved paths.
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 National Park Service (Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Great Falls of the Passaic River drops about 77 feet. That makes it the 296th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 57% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
Access is documented as roadside. No trail distance is on record for Great Falls of the Passaic River. The nearest town is Paterson. Confirm access and land status with National Park Service (Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park) before setting out — some documented falls have no public route at all.
Spring high water; flows year-round. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
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