History & travel
Born to Run
Christopher McDougall · 2011
Bestselling account of the Rarámuri runners of the Copper Canyon country, the same Sierra Tarahumara that holds Basaseachic.
Mexico · Chihuahua
Piedra Volada
Piedra Volada Falls is a 453-meter-tall plunge waterfall that forms seasonally in the Barranca Candameña of the Sierra Madre Occidental range in Chihuahua, Mexico. Though it only flows during the rainy season, it is considered the tallest waterfall in Mexico and one of the tallest waterfalls in the world.
Essentials guide
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Piedra Volada drops 453 metres (1,486 ft). It is a plunge-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is San Rafael, Mexico. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Piedra Volada is the tallest of the 12 waterfalls we cover in Mexico. As a plunge waterfall, water leaves the rock entirely and falls free through the air.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Piedra Volada itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from San Rafael are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Fullest at the end of the wet season (October to December); the dry months of January to April are the easiest for swimming and access.
Getting there
- Base town San Rafael, Mexico
- Country Mexico
- Region Chihuahua, Mexico & Central America, North America
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Piedra Volada
Mexico
Height453 mWidth—
Most similar
Thousand Foot Falls
Belize
Height488 mWidth—
Also a plunge waterfall, of similar height and in Belize
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
Most similar
Thousand Foot Falls
Belize
Height488 mWidth—
Also a plunge waterfall, of similar height and in Belize
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
108 m
330 m
453 m
488 m
979 m
Victoria FallsEiffel TowerPiedra VoladaThousand Foot FallsAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 2.2× taller than Piedra Volada. It drops 4.2× further than Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Piedra Volada yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
Lonely Planet Mexico (19th edition)Lonely Planet
Guidebook
Lonely Planet Mexico (19th edition)
Lonely Planet · 2025
Newest edition of the standard Mexico guide, covering Chiapas near Palenque, the Huasteca Potosina and Copper Canyon.
On the map
27.52215, -107.82479
Quick answers
Where is Piedra Volada?
Piedra Volada is in Mexico (Chihuahua). The nearest base is San Rafael, Mexico. Its coordinates are 27.5221, -107.8248.
How tall is Piedra Volada?
Piedra Volada drops 453 metres (1,486 feet). It is a plunge-type waterfall.
When is the best time to visit Piedra Volada?
Peak flow is January to February and October to December. Fullest at the end of the wet season (October to December); the dry months of January to April are the easiest for swimming and access.
What can you do at Piedra Volada?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
How do you get to Piedra Volada?
The usual base is San Rafael, Mexico. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Piedra Volada
Basaseachic Falls
Mexico · 246 m · 80 km away
Mexico's second-tallest waterfall
El Salto
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Cola de Caballo
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Juanacatlán Falls
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