If you’ve been looking for pool waterfall ideas, let me be the first one to tell you that you’re not alone! Pool waterfalls are one of the best ways to transform your backyard into a true oasis. Out of all the different backyard staples, pools might have more variety than anything.
Think about it- there are hundreds of different types of pools, and on top of that, there are even more decks, diving boards, water features, etc.
Since pools are so diverse and creative, not to mention the best place to relax in the summertime, they’ve been on my mind a lot recently. So, I got to daydreaming about pool waterfalls, one of my all-time favorite features of a pool, and put together this big pool waterfall ideas inspiration list!
Check it out, and get some awesome pool waterfall ideas and goals of your own!
What is a Pool Waterfall?
It’s exactly what it sounds like: a pool waterfall is any kind of water feature that has a continuous flow of water from above that goes directly into the pool. Most pool waterfalls are designed to reflect nature and have faux rock formations that the water flows down from. Others are treated like works of modern art you’d see in the center of a major city. Many pool waterfalls even have an accompanying water slide!
1. Small Rock Face Waterfall
It’s only a couple of feet high, but this rock face is pouring out a lot of water, making it feel significant and deeply soothing. This would be the perfect medium-intensity upgrade to any backyard pool that’s a bit lacking in excitement! The rocks are well-placed, and the whole image has a serenity that will help you take it easy after a long day!
2. Lagoon With Grotto Spa Inside
Anyone thinking about pool waterfall ideas will have definitely thought of this beauty. With this pool waterfall, you don’t need that vacation to Thailand anymore- that is, unless you really want it.
This large rock face has a hidden spa just beyond the waterfall, creating the feeling of a rocky cave in the Pacific ocean. The entire structure seems as if it’s one huge rock, rather than a collection of fake stones stacked on top of one another.
It’s a small detail, but I also love the shallow part of the pool; there is a smooth, stone-colored entry that is covered in only a few inches of water, a great touch that adds to the lagoon-style feeling of this pool!
3. Cascading Cliffs Waterfall
The waterfall here tumbles down a few short drops before finally falling into the pool below. The rocks are large and look almost like an old stone bridge. The whole feeling of this pool waterfall is tropical and ancient.
I get the sense that having this pool in my backyard would make me forget that I have a house, or a job, or responsibilities… I’d be totally lost in this tropical dream!
4. Multiple Tiny Waterfalls
This waterfall takes a more wide approach to the pool, as the water finds multiple little channels and falls gently into the pool from multiple places. Waterfalls in nature are popular for their power just as much as their beauty, and this poolside replica knows that as well.
To the far right, we get a larger, higher-volume waterfall that probably has more water pressure than most showers! All in all, this is a pool waterfall to aspire to!
5. Lagoon Pool with Furniture
Lagoon-style pools have a lot going for them. the shallow edges that drop off sharply into the basin of the pool are versatile. In this example, the homeowners have placed a couple of deck chairs and an umbrella right in the shallows, finally solving the problem of whether to get wet or lay out on a chair!
The water feature is pretty epic, too; it’s several feet high and has a few tiny puddles that cascade down slowly. This is truly a place you could spend all summer in (it just needs a grill)!
6. Resort Style Pool with Waterfall
This is the type of pool that is going to get your house volunteered to host every party and cookout, every summer. The waterfall is large but gentle and has a grotto/cave space that looks like a dream to relax in.
The rock features continue down to ground level, where a few ferns greet you as if you’re swimming in a real South American river! It’s hard to believe this is actually someone’s backyard pool because it feels more like it belongs in some kind of resort hotel for sure.
7. Billionaire’s Infinite Waterfall (with TV!)
Sorry to say it, but your avocado-shaped pool float probably won’t fit the aesthetic of this stunning modern pool. As I said earlier, some pool waterfalls resemble works of art, and this is definitely one of them. There are a few small water spouts to the side, but the main attraction is the monolithic rectangle with a gentle, infinite waterfall pouring down.
Behind the waterfall is a TV that probably costs as much as my car. I don’t have a very nice car, but you get the idea. This is the type of waterfall pool that you’d find at the houses of movie stars and athletes, a.k.a. “goals”!
8. Tiered Infinity Waterfall Pool
Just like a river flowing downhill, the water in this amazing pool drops down the first waterfall and then spills again over the “edge of infinity” to another pool down below. It’s a dynamic yet serene atmosphere, as none of the water seems to be in a hurry.
You won’t be in a hurry, either; you can go with the flow all summer long with a pool as large and gorgeous as this one. Just don’t forget to pay the water bill; it’s going to go up by a few dollars!
9. Tropical Paradise
In this backyard pool, the waterfall doesn’t actually take center stage! Rather, it’s the immense and diverse foliage that brings everything together and makes this awesome waterfall feel like it’s 100% real. There’s just about as much green in the photo as there is blue!
That combination of waterfall and plants makes the whole backyard retreat feel like an oasis in the middle of the neighborhood.
10. Giant Waterfall, Deep Blue Pool
The waterfall in this pool dominates the entire landscape. It spreads wide over the massive rock features and falls from several different places, and some of them have a lot of water pressure while others are nice and gentle.
Like many other waterfall pools, a secluded grotto has been included to add to the dynamic fun of the pool. What a masterpiece of backyard renovation!
11. Contemporary Stone Falls
This imposing stone wall has five different streams of water flowing out. It’s definitely not what pops into your head when you think of the word “waterfall”, but the creativity is pretty impressive. This is the type of pool waterfall that works great with houses that have a strong contemporary modern theme!
12. Gentle Falls with Hot Tub
I love the relaxed attitude of this waterfall rock feature. the drops are never more than a few inches at a time, but there is a complexity in how the water falls down so many different tiered rocks that it becomes a treat for the eyes.
Serenity is obviously the focus of this waterfall; it’s like a piece of a gentle brook got transplanted into someone’s back yard. Oh, and that hot tub right at the edge of the water feature? Talk about amazing ways to relax!
13. Massive Waterfalls in Natural Pool
This is a natural pool, which means the surface and entry have been designed to feel like you’re walking into an actual body of water, complete with pebbles and a gradually sloping entrance.
The waterfall here is quite literally stunning- I had to look really closely before I realized this was someone’s backyard and not an actual place in a national park somewhere! Bravo to the homeowners, and whatever artisan designed and built this incredible waterfall pool!
14. Back Yard Niagara
If you’re the type of person who thinks that things aren’t worth doing unless they’re done big, this is the waterfall you’ve been looking for! A truly impressive amount of rock and water goes into creating this back yard wonder, that I’ve decided is impressive enough to nickname “Back Yard Niagara”.
The water falls from a pretty large height, and from very wide dropoffs in multiple places. It’s altogether an astounding backyard pool!
15. Geometric Stone Masterpiece
When I say “masterpiece”, I mean it. This stone wall is truly amazing. Water cascades down every inch of the deep, textured stone that has been cut into rectangles to create a one-of-a-kind pool waterfall.
I was in disbelief when I dug a little deeper and found out this actually is part of someone’s house, not a five-star hotel. Incredible!
16. Misty Waterfall Design
This waterfall is an example of excellent, yet restrained construction. By “restrained” we mean that the waterfall is every bit as intricate as some of the massive pool waterfalls we’ve seen so far, but just on a smaller scale.
The scale of the waterfall matches the scale of the pool, and it has nice, cascading water flows. But the thing that really sets this one apart from many others is that the waterfall is controlled in just the right way so the water looks almost like a mist that you’d observe on a real-life waterfall!
17. Turquoise Pool with Gentle Waterfalls
This pool’s waterfalls, in a way, mimic the tiny mountain streams that join together as they flow to become a larger river. Each of the small waterfalls in the pool comes at a different point, and the elongated pool shape all contributes to this “flowing river” atmosphere.
The turquoise color is not unlike some of the “dream vacation” rivers of the world such as this one in Slovenia. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to hear that a river like this inspired that amazing pool/waterfall design!
18. Rock Waterfall With Stone Steps
One of my favorite pool waterfall ideas is this one! There’s a lot to love about this pool. The deep blue color of the pool plays very nicely with the cool shade of the stone, and the waterfall has a very natural look to it.
The water spills gently over the edge, and the stone diving board and steps make it feel like you’ve stepped into the past to enjoy a quiet, luxurious swim!
19. Waterfall/Slide Combo
Combining a pool waterfall with a waterslide is a pretty smart thing to do. After all, the water is already being elevated to the top of the waterfall anyway, so why not add a slide for extra fun? This is a great example of this combination; the waterfall gets to have all the attention, and the slide is just there for activity.
To finish off this list, why not go with a pool that any family would feel lucky to have?