Waterfalls in Connecticut: 17 Photo Spots, Light & Night Sky Guide

Top waterfalls

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Great FallsNorthwest Hills Planning Region · 196 m

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Wadsworth Falls State ParkLower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region

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Mill Pond FallsCapitol Planning Region

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Roaring Brook FallsNaugatuck Valley Planning Region

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Codfish FallsCapitol Planning Region

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Chapman FallsLower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region · 60 m

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Dean's Ravine FallsNorthwest Hills Planning Region

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Kent FallsNorthwest Hills Planning Region

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Quinebaug FallsSoutheastern Connecticut Planning Region · 13 m

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Rippowan FallsWestern Connecticut Planning Region · 2 m

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Roxbury FallsNorthwest Hills Planning Region · 73 m

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Shetucket FallsSoutheastern Connecticut Planning Region · 12 m

Waterfalls by county

All waterfalls (17)

Name	County	Elevation	Nearest town	Sky
Great Falls	Northwest Hills Planning Region	196 m	Canaan	5
Wadsworth Falls State Park	Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region	—	Middletown	7
Mill Pond Falls	Capitol Planning Region	—	Newington	7
Roaring Brook Falls	Naugatuck Valley Planning Region	—	Prospect	7
Codfish Falls	Capitol Planning Region	—	Storrs	6
Chapman Falls	Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region	60 m	Salem	5
Dean's Ravine Falls	Northwest Hills Planning Region	—	Canaan	5
Kent Falls	Northwest Hills Planning Region	—	Kent	5
Quinebaug Falls	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	13 m	Norwich	6
Rippowan Falls	Western Connecticut Planning Region	2 m	Stamford	8
Roxbury Falls	Northwest Hills Planning Region	73 m	Heritage Village	5
Shetucket Falls	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	12 m	Lisbon	5
Silver Falls	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	35 m	Oxoboxo River	5
Wadsworth Falls	Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region	43 m	Durham	6
Westfield Falls	Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region	42 m	Middletown	6
Yantic Falls	Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region	22 m	Norwich	7
Buttermilk Falls	Naugatuck Valley Planning Region	215 m	Terryville	7

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph waterfalls

Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.

Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.

Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.