Idlewild Falls
Worth a detour
Is it plungeworthy?
A 2-tier dam.
The details
- Tiers
- 2 drops
- Type
- Dam
- Coordinates
- 39.70841, -96.74581
About Idlewild Falls
Idlewild Falls is a 12-foot dam in Kansas. The water falls in 2 distinct tiers.
It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.
Plungeworthy rates Idlewild Falls 6.2/10 — worth a detour. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
Two 12-foot drops about 60 feet apart in the Lake Idlewild spillway — one clean straight drop, one stepped — just north of Waterville in Marshall County.
Setting the record straight: this falls is routinely mislabeled as being at Alcove Spring near Blue Rapids. It isn't. Lake Idlewild is the City of Waterville's 1930s lake on the Little Blue River, ten miles from Alcove Spring — which has its own, different waterfall.
A community lake-restoration and dredging effort has been running since 2020 — it can affect water clarity and level, not access.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Lake Idlewild spillway, just north of Waterville
- Parking
- Lake area
- Road
- County roads
When to go
Spring — especially April — for good flow through both drops.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- Free — City of Waterville lake, part of KDWP's community fishing program
Researched from KansasTravel.org — Idlewild Falls · KDWP — Community Fisheries Assistance Program lakes. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Idlewild Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Planning a visit? We want your photo.
Idlewild Falls doesn't have a photo yet. If you make the trip, send one to hello@plungeworthy.com and we'll publish it here with credit to you.
Before you go
The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.
Common questions
How tall is Idlewild Falls?
Idlewild Falls drops about 12 feet across 2 tiers, in Kansas.
Where is Idlewild Falls?
Idlewild Falls is a waterfall in Kansas, at 39.70841, -96.74581.
Is Idlewild Falls worth visiting?
Worth a detour — Plungeworthy rates it 6.2/10.
Gear for the trip
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