Updated July 2026
Madrid Falls
Madrid Falls is a two-tiered, roughly 100-foot waterfall in remote Big Bend Ranch State Park, often cited as the tallest publicly accessible waterfall in Texas. It lies in rugged backcountry typically requiring a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle to reach the trailhead followed by a strenuous hike of about 4 miles round trip.
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 Big Bend Ranch State Park (Texas Parks & Wildlife) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Madrid Falls drops about 100 feet. That makes it the 198th-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 Mexicano Falls / Madrid Falls route (via Solitario / FM 170 area) reaches it about 4 miles (out-and-back), rated strenuous. The nearest town is Study Butte. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Big Bend Ranch State Park (Texas Parks & Wildlife) for closures and current conditions.
Spring (best flow); spring-fed. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Texas waterfalls
- Boykin Springs Falls
- Can Creek Falls
- Cattail Falls · 80 ft
- Chalk Ridge Falls
- Cibolo Creek Falls
- Gorman Falls · 70 ft
- Hamilton Pool Falls · 50 ft
- McKinney Falls · 15 ft
Sources
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