Pedernales Falls

One for the list

Is it plungeworthy?

—feet tall

A waterfall on Pedernales River.

Scale12/60

Documentation15/20

Character8/20

The details

Watercourse: Pedernales River
Coordinates: 30.33961, -98.25471

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About Pedernales Falls

Pedernales Falls is a waterfall in Texas, on Pedernales River.

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

Plungeworthy rates Pedernales 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

Not a plunge but a rage: the Pedernales River shouldering through tilted limestone steps in a canyon it re-carves with every flood. View-only at the falls — and when this river rises, it rises in minutes.

Getting there

Trailhead: Falls trailhead, Pedernales Falls State Park, Johnson City
Parking: Trailhead lot
Road: Paved
Hike: 0.6 mi round trip (easy to the overlook; rock-hopping beyond)
Heads up: Day passes sell out weekends — book a month ahead. Swimming lives downstream at Jones Spring, never at the falls.

When to go

After rain for spectacle (from a respectful distance); fall and winter for solitude on the river trails.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: $6/adult day-use
Dogs: Leashed; banned from the falls area and swim areas
Hours: 8am–10pm
Camping: Park campground (closed Oct 2026–Jan 2027 for construction)
Warnings: Flash floods here kill — the river can rise before the sky above you changes. If you hear sirens, climb immediately.

Researched from TPWD — Pedernales Falls State Park · Wikipedia — Pedernales Falls State Park. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Pedernales 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.