Mina Sauk Falls

If you're passing

Is it plungeworthy?

—feet tall

A 3-tier tiered on tributary of Taum Sauk Creek.

Scale12/60

Documentation10/20

Character20/20

The details

Tiers: 3 drops
Type: Tiered
Watercourse: tributary of Taum Sauk Creek
Coordinates: 37.56241, -90.74081

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About Mina Sauk Falls

Mina Sauk Falls is a tiered in Missouri, on tributary of Taum Sauk Creek. The water falls in 3 distinct tiers.

It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.

Plungeworthy rates Mina Sauk Falls 4.2/10 — if you're passing. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

Missouri's tallest waterfall: 132 feet of drops over rocky volcanic rhyolite ledges into a clear, rock-bottomed pool, on the shoulder of the state's highest mountain.

The loop starts at the Taum Sauk highpoint lot — a short paved path touches the 1,772-foot summit, then the trail turns into rocky, rooty, boulder-strewn singletrack, descending 400-plus feet to the falls and climbing back out.

A mile below the falls on the Ozark Trail return leg stands Devil's Tollgate: an 8-foot-wide slot through 50 feet of rhyolite.

Getting there

Trailhead: Mina Sauk Falls Trail, Taum Sauk Mountain highpoint parking lot
Parking: Paved lot at the end of the park road off Highway CC
Road: Paved Missouri Highway CC
Hike: 3 mi round trip, 400 ft of climb (hard)
Heads up: Only the short highpoint stretch is paved and accessible; the rest is rugged, with a steep, loose descent right beside the falls. Connects to the Ozark Trail's Taum Sauk Section.

When to go

A true wet-weather falls — full flow needs recent rain or snowmelt; summer and fall often reduce it to a trickle or dry rock.

Spring, or within a day or two of a real storm, is when the 132 feet actually run.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: None — Missouri state parks are free to enter
Dogs: Leashed, 10 ft max
Hours: Day-use sunrise to sunset
Camping: Walk-in tent sites only, first-come, honor-system fee $12-15/night; water and vault toilet seasonal (April-October)
Warnings: Steep, boulder-strewn descent beside the falls — sturdy footwear is non-negotiable, and the trail gets slick after heavy rain.

Researched from Missouri State Parks — Taum Sauk Mountain State Park · Missouri State Parks — Taum Sauk general information · Wikipedia — Taum Sauk Mountain State Park. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Mina Sauk Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

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.