Why wouldn’t you go chasing waterfalls?

It’s been more than 30 years since the pop band TLC musically warned us all to avoid that activity in their 1994 hit, “Waterfalls.” But frankly, in all the years since then, that advice has proven faulty. At least here in Maine, where it’s easy to chase down the natural wonder of waterfalls from Portland to the more northern parts of the state.

Many of them are your reward for hiking a couple miles into the woods, while some are shorter treks from a rest stop or state park. Summer’s a good time to get out and explore these wonders of nature.

Here then is a list of some of the waterfalls in Maine, with a few details on each and links to more info.

JEWELL FALLS — Portland

The city’s only natural waterfall is located in the 85-acre Fore River Sanctuary, between outer Brighton Avenue and outer Congress Street. There’s parking off Rowe Avenue, and Jewell Falls is just a few minutes walk away. The land around the falls was donated to Portland Trails by the family of Tom Jewell, one of the group’s founders.

BIG FALLS — New Gloucester

From a parking area on Woodman Road, near Ayer Road, you can follow the 1.5-mile-long Big Falls Loop Trail. The falls is at the mouth of a small pool, with dense forest all around. The area was formerly known as Big Falls Preserve and is now part of the Talking Brook Public Land, which also has trails in Auburn.

KEES FALLS — Batchelders Grant Township

This 25-foot-high falls is in the White Mountain National Park, off Route 113, north of Fryeburg. There’s a parking area on Route 113 between Hastings Campground and the Basin Recreation Area, and from there a 2-mile-long Caribou Trail leads along Morrison Brook to the falls. The Mud Brook Trail is nearby and leads to the summit of Caribou Mountain, for more adventurous times.

GRAFTON NOTCH STATE PARK — Grafton Township

This beautiful state park off Route 26, north of Bethel, has three easy-to-get-to waterfalls. Screw Auger Falls is a 23-foot-high falls in a narrow gorge along the Bear River, less than half a mile from the parking area. It’s popular with people looking to take a cooling dip.  Mother Walker Falls is in a v-shaped gorge, 40 feet wide and 980 feet long, with the water cascading over rocks and small pools. It’s only a short walk from parking. Moose Cave is a 45-foot-deep canyon with water skirting between boulders, accessed by a loop trail that’s less than half a mile long.

STEP FALLS — Newry

From the parking lot (which fills up quickly on weekends) it’s less than a mile to the falls. Wight Brook flows over open ledges and potholes creating places to wade, swim and sun yourself. It’s off Route 26.

SMALLS FALLS — Township E

At this nature feature near Rangeley, a short trail from the Smalls Falls Rest Area on Route 4 leads to the top of the falls. From there you can find several good viewpoints along the stream, chutes and waterfalls.

ANGEL FALLS — Township D

This is an easy to moderate hike of just over a mile round-trip, to one of the most impressive waterfalls in Maine. The water drops a dramatic 90 feet and the cascade can create the illusion (in some minds) of an angel’s wings. It’s located about 20 miles north of Rumford, and you need to travel on a gravel road for a few miles, which can be rough.

MOXIE FALLS — Moxie Gore

This waterfalls is about 50 miles north of Skowhegan, off Route 201, near The Forks. There’s parking and a 2-mile round-trip trail that’s pretty easy for the first half and then gets steeper, with stairs and boardwalks leading to the falls. The dramatic vertical drop is nearly 90 feet.

BIG AND LITTLE NIAGARA FALLS — Baxter State Park

It’s a gentle hike from the Daicey Pond campground in the park to a series of cascades on Nesowadnehunk Stream.  It’s a 2.2-mile path, following a section of the Appalachian Trail. The park is located north of Millinocket.