If you’ve ever been heading south (ish) down I-44 and suddenly turned your head to see a roaring waterfall among the arid plains of North Texas then… you might have spotted the Wichita Falls waterfalls!
The 54-foot namesake waterfalls of Wichita Falls are indeed visible right from the highway–but is it worth stopping to get a closer look?
On one of our many Texas road trips, we decided to pause and find out.
What’s it Like to Visit the Wichita Falls Waterfalls?
Visiting the Wichita Falls waterfalls is quick, easy, and free.
They’re a classic roadside attraction that offers a great way to stretch your legs on a road trip without committing much time.
The Wichita Falls themselves have a strong flow which, while not enough to block out the sounds of I-44 traffic, is certainly loud enough to make you focus on them instead.
The falls are easily accessible from the paved (and aptly named) Wichita River Trail that hugs the Wichita River.
A stone and concrete staircase has been built up the side of the falls which has no doubt been the home of many engagement and graduation photo shoots! It’s fun for road-trippers, too.
There’s not much to do right at the falls other than admire them, but if you’re looking to extend your visit, you can easily continue along the Wichita River Trail or head into Lucy Park (we opted to head into the park to take advantage of one of the several playgrounds for our toddler).
The waterfall was very orange when we visited, though a bit of internet searching tells me that that is not always the case!
Tips for Reaching the Falls at Wichita Falls
The falls are technically located in Lucy Park, though on the edge of it, so don’t set your GPS there if you’re looking to visit the falls quickly!
Instead, head to the street parking on Broad Street marked on Google maps as “the waterfall”.
If you have more time, you can walk the 1-mile trail from inside the park, or park anywhere else along the Wichita River Trail you’d like to walk from.
The falls, and the Wichita River Trail you access them from, are on the south bank of the Wichita River (there’s a confusing pin on Google maps called “The Waterfall” on the north side of the river, don’t follow that one).
If you’re a road tripper, it’s worth noting that there aren’t any restrooms at the falls, but there are public restrooms (and shaded picnic tables) available next door in Lucy Park.
Are the Wichita Falls Waterfalls Real?
It sounds silly to ask, as we can all see them with our own eyes, but whether or not the Wichita Falls waterfalls are real is a very common thing to wonder about!
More accurately, of course, people are asking if the waterfalls are naturally occurring, and the answer is no–but with a twist.
The city of Wichita Falls did indeed have natural waterfalls at one time, and they inspired the name of the city, but they washed away during a flood in 1886.
Fast forward a century, and the current manmade waterfalls were built (after several other attempts) in the 1980s.
For the extremely curious, there has even been a book published specifically on the history of the falls, including the previous failed attempts at rebuilding them!
Is it Worth Stopping to Visit the Waterfalls?
Going to be driving through North Texas on I-44 soon and wondering whether to stop at the Wichita Falls waterfall?
If you have the time to spare and happen to be passing by, we enjoyed our visit and can recommend it!
As a fast and free-to-visit local attraction, the waterfall isn’t necessarily worth traveling far out of your way for, but it is definitely a more enjoyable place to stretch your legs and enjoy time out of the car than a standard rest stop.
And, if you have some extra time, there are also several other cool things to do in Wichita Falls–some of which also only take a few minutes each to see.
