Top 10 Waterfalls in Germany
Germany's waterfalls do not match the scale of the Alps proper or the Nordic countries, but the country has more than its reputation suggests. The Black Forest, the Bavarian and Allgäu Alps, and the wooded uplands of the Harz and the Sauerland all hold falls fed by rain and snowmelt. Many are framed by dense forest and linked by well-marked walking trails. The selection below spans the country's mountain regions and is ordered to mix the famous with the quietly impressive. All ten are on the map.
1. Triberger Wasserfälle, Baden-Württemberg
The Triberg Falls in the Black Forest are among Germany's tallest, where the Gutach river drops 163 metres in a series of seven cascades over granite steps. A network of paths climbs alongside the falls through forest, with viewpoints at each stage. The town of Triberg charges admission to the park. Strongest after snowmelt and rain; the falls run year round and freeze spectacularly in hard winters.
2. Röthbachfall, Bavaria
The Röthbachfall above the Obersee near Königssee is Germany's highest waterfall, plunging about 470 metres from the Alpine plateau. It is reached only by boat across the Königssee to St. Bartholomä, then a walk past the Obersee — a half-day outing. Fed by snowmelt, it is at its strongest in early summer and can dwindle in dry late summer.
3. Wimbachfälle and the Wimbachklamm, Bavaria
The Wimbachklamm near Ramsau in Berchtesgaden is a gorge where the Wimbach stream tumbles through a narrow rock cleft in a chain of cascades. Wooden walkways cling to the gorge walls. It is one of the most visited natural sites in the Berchtesgaden Alps, easily reached and beautiful in spring high water.
4. Todtnauer Wasserfall, Baden-Württemberg
The Todtnau Falls in the southern Black Forest drop 97 metres where the Stübenbach river falls over a granite step, among the highest natural falls in the region. A forest trail leads up beside them with viewing points. They flow year round, strongest in spring, and form ice in winter — a popular ice- climbing spot.
5. Partnachklamm, Bavaria
The Partnachklamm near Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a dramatic gorge where the Partnach river rushes through a 700-metre rock cleft up to 80 metres deep. A path tunnelled and bridged along the walls follows the torrent. In winter huge icicles hang from the overhangs. Fed by Alpine snowmelt, it is most powerful in late spring and early summer.
6. Allerheiligen-Wasserfälle, Baden-Württemberg
The All Saints Falls near Oppenau in the northern Black Forest drop about 83 metres in seven cascades through a wooded gorge beside the ruins of a medieval monastery. A stepped path follows the water from the monastery up to the top. The combination of falls and Gothic ruin makes it one of the most atmospheric spots in the region.
7. Romkerhaller Wasserfall, Lower Saxony
The Romkerhall Falls in the Harz drop about 64 metres beside the Oker valley road. Unusually, the fall is partly artificial: in the 19th century a stream was diverted over the cliff to create the cascade for the nearby castle estate. It flows year round and is visible directly from the road.
8. Gütersteiner Wasserfall, Baden-Württemberg
The Güterstein Falls near Bad Urach on the Swabian Alb drop about 37 metres over tufa terraces in a wooded side valley. They form part of a popular circular walk that also visits the higher Urach Falls. The tufa — porous limestone deposited by the mineral-rich water — gives the falls a distinctive mossy, stepped form.
9. Tatzelwurm-Wasserfall, Bavaria
The Tatzelwurm Falls near Oberaudorf in the Bavarian Alps drop in two stages through a narrow rock gorge, fed by the Auerbach. Named after a legendary Alpine dragon, the falls are reached by a short forest walk and are popular on the route between the Inn valley and the Sudelfeld pass. Strongest in spring melt.
10. Urach Falls, Baden-Württemberg
The Urach Falls (Uracher Wasserfall) near Bad Urach drop about 37 metres over a tufa cliff in a beech forest on the Swabian Alb. A steep but short trail climbs to the top, where the stream emerges from a side valley. It is one of the most visited natural attractions of the Alb, beautiful in autumn foliage and after spring rain.
Planning a Germany waterfall trip
The Black Forest holds the densest cluster — Triberg, Todtnau, and Allerheiligen can be combined on a two-day drive through the southwest. The Bavarian Alps around Berchtesgaden and Garmisch (Röthbachfall, Wimbachklamm, Partnachklamm) reward a few days based in the region. The Swabian Alb (Urach, Güterstein) is an easy day from Stuttgart. Spring snowmelt and rain (April to June) bring peak flow in the mountains; the gorges are spectacular then and form dramatic ice in winter.
Gorges versus open falls
Many of Germany's best water features are not free-falling cascades but gorges — the Partnachklamm, Wimbachklamm, and others — where a torrent carves through a narrow rock cleft. These Klammen offer a different experience from an open waterfall: rather than viewing a single drop from a distance, walkways take you inside the rock, beside and above the rushing water. They are at their most dramatic during high water and demand caution, as the paths can flood or ice over. Understanding this distinction helps when planning, since a Klamm is a walk through, not a viewpoint.
Plan your next trip
Every waterfall above is plotted on the interactive map — filter to plan a Black Forest cascade tour or a Bavarian Alps trip taking in the gorges of Berchtesgaden and Garmisch.