Cattail Falls

Worth a detour

Is it plungeworthy?

40feet tall

A waterfall on Cattail Creek.

Scale39/60

Documentation10/20

Character8/20

The details

Watercourse: Cattail Creek
Coordinates: 29.27371, -103.33481

Get directions →

About Cattail Falls

Cattail Falls is a 40-foot waterfall in Texas, on Cattail Creek.

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

Plungeworthy rates Cattail Falls 5.7/10 — worth a detour. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

Big Bend's secret garden: an 80-foot ribbon into a maidenhair-fern oasis the Park Service deliberately leaves off its maps. We'll tell you it exists and that day hikers are welcome; the desert decides whether it's flowing.

Getting there

Trailhead: Unsigned gravel track off Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive (Oak Spring road), opposite the Sam Nail Ranch pullout, Big Bend NP
Parking: Small gravel area
Road: Paved to the gravel spur
Hike: 3 mi round trip (moderate — full desert exposure)
Heads up: No permit needed for the day hike. The NPS keeps this one unpublicized to protect the oasis — treat it accordingly.

When to go

Late winter, spring, or within days of rain; often a trickle by June.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: Big Bend entrance fee
Dogs: No — national park trails
Camping: Prohibited in the Oak Spring / north Chisos zone
Warnings: Stay on rock and out of the pools — this tiny riparian island is the entire point. Carry more water than feels reasonable.

Researched from NPS — Big Bend backcountry closures · American Southwest — Cattail Falls Trail. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Cattail 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.