A roadside waterfall cascading through Keystone Canyon on the Richardson Highway outside Valdez, Alaska.
Horsetail Falls cascades down a canyon wall in Keystone Canyon on the Richardson Highway, roughly miles 14 through 17 outside Valdez, according to the Valdez Convention & Visitors Bureau's official waterfalls guide. It drops alongside Bridal Veil Falls over the canyon's towering rock walls and is one of the most visible roadside waterfalls in the Prince William Sound region, seen from the highway itself without any hiking required.
The simplest way to see it is to drive through the canyon and stop at one of the highway pull-outs; the Keystone Canyon Pack Trail also climbs above Horsetail Falls for hikers who want a closer vantage, and the Lowe River below is popular for rafting trips past the base of the falls. There is no fee to view the falls from the road. The visitors bureau notes the waterfalls are fed by spring snowmelt and summer rain and freeze into a popular ice-climbing venue in winter, drawing climbers to the annual Valdez Ice Climbing Festival each February; check current highway and weather conditions before visiting outside summer.
Know before you go
Roadside pull-outs on the Richardson Highway through Keystone Canyon, roughly miles 14-17, north of Valdez.
Spring snowmelt and summer rain produce the heaviest flow; the falls freeze into an ice-climbing venue in winter.
No hike required to view from the highway; the Keystone Canyon Pack Trail climbs above the falls for a closer vantage.
No fee to view from the highway pull-outs.
Viewable directly from paved highway pull-outs; verify winter road conditions before traveling.
2026-10-12. Conditions and requirements can change; confirm with the land manager before travelling.
Sources & further reading
- Valdez Convention & Visitors Bureau — Waterfalls Fact Sheet ↗
- Discover Valdez — Explore the Region ↗
- USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) ↗
This is a researched visitor guide, not a claim that our editors have personally visited. Trail conditions, permits, and access can change.
