Turkey Creek Falls
One for the list
Is it plungeworthy?
A waterfall on Turkey Creek.
The details
- Watercourse
- Turkey Creek
- Coordinates
- 39.03371, -94.68861
About Turkey Creek Falls
Turkey Creek Falls is a waterfall in Kansas, on Turkey Creek.
It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.
Plungeworthy rates Turkey Creek Falls 3.5/10 — one for the list. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
A 5-foot falls over exposed rock on Turkey Creek in Waterfall Park, Merriam — no hike, viewable from a bench, and unusually for Kansas it flows year-round, because it's a creek ledge rather than a dam spillway. It even runs partially frozen in winter.
Sources genuinely disagree on whether it's natural or engineered; most describe natural exposed rock in an urban flood-control corridor beside I-35 and a rail line. Either way it's the most convenient waterfall stop in the Kansas City metro.
The park doubles as a trailhead for the roughly 4-mile paved Turkey Creek Streamway Trail linking Mission, Merriam, and Overland Park.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Waterfall Park, 5191 Merriam Drive, Merriam
- Parking
- Park lot
- Road
- City streets
- Heads up
- Playground, picnic shelters, and soccer fields on-site.
When to go
Any season, winter included; best after rain.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- Free — jointly owned by Johnson County Parks and the City of Merriam
Researched from KansasTravel.org — Turkey Creek Waterfall Park · City of Merriam — Turkey Creek Streamway Trail. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Turkey Creek Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Planning a visit? We want your photo.
Turkey Creek 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
Where is Turkey Creek Falls?
Turkey Creek Falls is a waterfall in Kansas, at 39.03371, -94.68861.
Is Turkey Creek Falls worth visiting?
One for the list — Plungeworthy rates it 3.5/10.
Gear for the trip
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