Grand Falls, Tiered waterfall in Painted Desert, Arizona.
The Grand Falls cascades down 181 feet through multiple brown-colored tiers into the Little Colorado River, surpassing Niagara Falls in height.
The waterfall formed when lava from Merriam Crater in the San Francisco volcanic field created a natural dam, forcing the river to find a new path.
The waterfall exists within Navajo Nation territory, where the indigenous community maintains stewardship over this natural formation in the Painted Desert region.
The waterfall flows strongest during March and April when fed by snowmelt from the White Mountains, requiring visitors to plan their trips accordingly.
The falls earned the name Chocolate Falls due to the rich brown coloring of its waters, caused by sediment from the Little Colorado River.
Location: Arizona
GPS coordinates: 35.42821,-111.20139
Latest update: May 11, 2025 03:42
This guide presents Arizona's geological formations, desert landscapes and historical sites. The locations include sandstone rocks, Spanish missions, cave systems, petrified forests and archaeological sites. The natural areas display the geology of the American Southwest with canyons, cactus forests and volcanic formations.
Humphreys Peak
44.2 km
San Francisco Peaks
42.2 km
Roden Crater
5.2 km
Wupatki National Monument
22.8 km
S P Crater
42.6 km
Canyon Diablo
30.6 km
Kachina Peaks Wilderness
43 km
Canyon Diablo Bridge
36.1 km
Elden Pueblo
39.1 km
Fremont Peak
43.3 km
Doyle Peak
41.8 km
O'Leary Peak
29.6 km
Lenox Crater
30.8 km
Lava Flow Trail
29.6 km
Cliffs Ranger Station
40.3 km
Wupatki Pueblo
18.7 km
Lomaki Pueblo
29.5 km
Flagstaff Area National Monuments
21.8 km
Box Canyon Pueblo
29.5 km
Wukoki Pueblo
16.3 km
Citadel Pueblo
28.9 km
Nalakihu Pueblo
28.9 km
Walnut Canyon Visitor Center
40 km
Wupatki Pueblo Ball Court
18.7 km
O'Leary Peak Lookout Tower
29.6 km
Little Doney Crater Ruins
21.6 km
Canyon Diablo Bridge (1946)
29.9 km
Canyon Diablo Railroad Trestle Bridge (1882)
29.9 kmReviews
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