A 12-foot moss-covered waterfall with seasonal character—icy in winter, glistening in summer—on an easy trail.
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Based on this listing's approximate location — see the note on coordinates below.
Moss-covered in summer; described by Visit Idaho as glistening with icicles in winter.
Fern Falls is a 12-foot waterfall accessed via the Shadow Falls Trail #513 in Idaho’s northern panhandle. Located just 0.2 miles from the trailhead near Kingston, this short walk makes it accessible to visitors of various fitness levels.
The waterfall’s appeal shifts with the seasons. In summer, it appears as a moss-covered cascade, creating a lush, green aesthetic ideal for close-up photography. Winter transforms it into an icicle-draped feature when temperatures drop, offering a different kind of visual appeal. The U.S. Forest Service manages the trail with no day-use fee required.
Fern Falls is commonly visited in combination with Shadow Falls, which lies along the same trail system. The two waterfalls make an ideal pairing for a morning outing, with the easy terrain suitable for families and those seeking a low-mileage waterfall exploration. The mossy environment and cool microclimate around the falls support a distinct forest ecosystem worth observing across the seasons.
Summer for moss-covered views; winter for icicle formations.
Located along Shadow Falls Trail #513; visitors may combine the two waterfalls for an extended outing.
No fee or permit requirement was published on the managing agency's site when we last checked — confirm current conditions before you go, since these change.
The managing agency's page (linked below) has the current trailhead and route details — round-trip distance wasn't published when we checked.
We track 8 waterfalls in Idaho Panhandle.
There are 2 other waterfalls we track in Shoshone. All Idaho Panhandle waterfalls →
fs.usda.gov
U.S. Forest Service official Idaho Panhandle National Forests Shadow Falls Trail #513 page (Fern Falls sits about 0.2 mi from the trailhead along the same trail) and Visit Idaho official tourism page (12-ft height), checked 2026-09-04. No closure notice found as of the FS page's last update (2025-06-18).
Checked September 2026.