Updated July 2026
Upper Priest Falls
Also known as American Falls, this roughly 40-foot cascade on the Upper Priest River sits near the Canadian border at the end of a hike through old-growth forest in the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. A splashpool sits at its base.
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 (Idaho Panhandle National Forests) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Upper Priest Falls drops about 40 feet. That makes it the 484th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 31% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Upper Priest River Trail #308 / Continental Creek Trail #28 reaches it about 4.4 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 1,000 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate. The nearest town is Nordman. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with U.S. Forest Service (Idaho Panhandle National Forests) for closures and current conditions.
June to September. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Idaho waterfalls
- Bridal Veil Falls
- Char Falls · 50 ft
- Copper Falls · 160 ft
- Elk Creek Falls
- Fall Creek Falls · 60 ft
- Jump Creek Falls · 55 ft
- Lower Mesa Falls · 65 ft
- Perrine Coulee Falls · 197 ft
Sources
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