A Reverse Waterfall Was Spotted in Utah, and It May Be the Coolest Thing You’ll See Today

Earlier this month, a photographer captured drone footage of a rare natural phenomenon in southwest Utah: a reverse waterfall.

A reverse waterfall occurs when strong winds — in this case around 60 miles per hour — blow waterfall spray back up the cliff face that it’s cascading down, creating an impressive effect that looks like a waterfall flowing upstream instead of downstream. Photographer RJ Hooper observed the phenomenon about 50 miles west of Zion National Park.

@matadornetwork This drone captured a stunning sight in Utah – a rare #reversewaterfall that looks like nature is showing us its power and beauty all at once Ivins, #Utah @rjhooperphoto #waterfall #naturetok #chasingwaterfalls ♬ original sound – Matador Network

Reverse waterfalls are rare, but occurrences have also been reported elsewhere in Utah, in Australia’s Royal National Park, in the Maule region of Chile, and near Pune, India, to name a few locations.

In a Facebook post, Hooper said of this reverse waterfall, “Seriously the most incredible day for such unique conditions … In the last 20 years, I can only remember a couple of time[s] the waterfalls in Kayenta [Utah] flowed backwards. My drone struggled against the 60 miles per hour wind over the cliff edge.”

Reversed or not, Utah has some of the most epic waterfalls in the entire country — and there’s some pretty stiff competition coming from the waterfalls in states like Washington and Oregon. Utah plays host to dozens of waterfalls across the state, from plummeting cataracts to slot canyons cascades to waterfalls by hot springs. The list is long, but here are 12 awe-inspiring waterfalls in Utah to get you started:

Faux Falls in Spanish ValleyBullion Falls in Fishlake National ForestFifth Water Hot Springs Waterfall in Provo, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National ForestDonut Falls in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Wasatch National ForestBattle Creek Falls in Pleasant Grove, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National ForestStewart Falls in Provo Canyon, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National ForestBridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National ForestKanarra Falls in KanarravilleLower and Upper Calf Creek Falls in Boulder, Grand Staircase-Escalante National MonumentArchangel Falls in Zion National ParkEmerald Pools in Zion National ParkToquerville Falls in La Verkin More like thisOutdoor12 Awe-Inspiring Waterfalls in Utah That You Need To See