Get ready to visit a GRAND stop in Missouri. You just might FALL for this one. Just a few miles outside of downtown Joplin, Missouri, you’ll find one of the state’s most stunning natural features: Grand Falls. This beautiful cascade on Shoal Creek plunges 12 feet down a striking, 163-foot-wide ledge of solid chert rock. The water crashes dramatically into jagged stone below before flowing calmly southward.
Grand Falls holds the distinction of being the largest continuously flowing natural waterfall in Missouri, which means no matter when you visit, you’re guaranteed a show. Whether you’re passing through on a sunny summer afternoon or making a winter detour, the water keeps on flowing.
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Above the natural drop, a man-made dam helps form a reservoir that supplies water to the city of Joplin. While the structure above is engineered, the waterfall itself and the surrounding chert formations remain a raw and rugged natural wonder.
Visitors can view the falls from a designated parking area, ideal if recent rain or snow has made the rocks slippery. But if conditions allow, you can take a short walk down to the creek’s edge to get up close. There, flat outcroppings of chert form shallow pools perfect for wading, splashing, or simply dipping your toes. Fishing and swimming are also permitted.
Whether you’re looking to cool off, cast a line, snap the perfect photo, or just relax beside the sound of rushing water, Grand Falls is a worthy detour for anyone exploring southwest Missouri or cruising nearby Route 66.
Photos of Grand Falls in Joplin, Missouri
