History Main / CaveBehindTheFalls

* In ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireII'' the second set of dragon powers is hidden in one of these. To get inside you need to have Jean in your party so it is recommended you do this before a certain plot event which removes him from your party for quite a while.

* The Text Adventure ''VideoGame/DragonsWorld has this. It turns out to be a back door into the lair of the game's BigBad.

** ''VideoGame/EndlessOceanBlueWorld'' has a waterfall that keeps you out of the temple area of the Cortica River until you turn it off.

* ''{{Supraland}}'' has a cave behind a waterfall. Discovering it yields a message "Obvious area found!".

* ''Film/OurManFlint''. There is a waterfall on the side of the Galaxy Island volcano that falls into the ocean. The waterfall itself comes out of a cave in the side of the volcano, and at the base of the waterfall (i.e. at sea level) there is a cave behind the waterfall into which Galaxy submarines may pass.

* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' lets you build your own.
** You can also use lava for this, but you'll need some sort of mechanism that blocks the flow when you want to get past.

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* ''Roleplay/WereAnimalsInAPostApocalypticTown'': Played straight and lampshaded during the Crystal Shores arc. When the group finds a waterfall in the jungle, Jack wonders if they might find a cave behind it, pointing out that it happens all the time in stories. Sure enough, there turns out to be a cave behind the waterfall, where the group encounters a sleeping giant salamander and a path to the cliffs above.
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* ''Literature/DrFranklinsIsland'' appears to be a DesertedIsland, but there's a waterfall on a rocky cliff face which the castaways eventually discover hides a passageway through the wall of the caldera and into a MadScientists VolcanoBase.

* In ''VideoGame/SaveTheLight, There are two secret rooms behind the waterfalls in "Waterfall Way", and Steven will comment on it if you discover them.

* In ''VideoGame/SaveTheLight, there's a secret room behind the first waterfall in "Waterfall Way", which has a piece of Light Dew encased in crystal and two rock formations containing Blue Chroma.

** In ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie'', there's a cave which has one of the secret eggs. It's not so much behind the waterfall as it is the ''source'' of it, but the game still calls it "Behind the Waterfall."

* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' lets you build your own.
** You can also use lava for this, but you'll need some sort of mechanism that blocks the flow when you want to get past.
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRenegade'' has one in the second level. But be careful of the [[ToxicPhlebotinum Tiberium]] and its mutants.
* In ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' there are a 1000 gold coins hidden behind a waterfall as an Easter egg in the Founding of Durotar campaign.
* Li-Li in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' mentions this trope by name, saying that you should always check behind a waterfall for caves. [[SubvertedTrope The waterfall she's talking about doesn't, by the way.]] [[SchmuckBait But you all looked there anyway.]]
* Likewise, in ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'', a certain NPC magician hangs a snark-laden lampshade on this trope: "A secret door hidden behind a waterfall. How imaginative."
* ''VideoGame/{{Ico}}'': Ico must block off the water to a waterfall in order for him and Yorda to advance to the extensive cavern behind it.
* There's a tunnel behind the waterfall in ''VideoGame/LostInBlue'' that takes you to the jungle and the grasslands.
* ''VideoGame/CaptainComic II''. This isn't hinted at either, but you can press the key for "enter doorway" in front of a waterfall to get to certain hidden areas.
* ''VideoGame/GoofTroop'' has a cave behind a waterfall in Stage 4 that can't be entered until you do a puzzle to stop the waterfall.
* Featured in one level of ''VideoGame/BillyHatcherAndTheGiantEgg''. The waterfall will push you back if you collide into it, so you'll have to use one of your {{Mon}}s to freeze it, then shatter it with an egg.
* The Great Falls, one of the three final missions in ''VideoGame/SkyOdyssey'' starts off with one of these. In the beginning of the level the player needs to find and fly behind a series of 2,600 foot waterfalls in the aircraft of their choice. Once there they then have to enter a massive series of caverns behind the falls and fly their way through.
* In ''VideoGame/TheMatrixPathOfNeo'' has a briefcase hidden in one of these during a training simulation.
* The [[GameWithinAGame Super Adventure Box]] in ''VideoGame/GuildWars2'' has several hidden treasure rooms behind waterfalls.
* ''[[VideoGame/TheHobbit2003 The Hobbit]]'' had a few of these, being heavily influenced by the ''Zelda'' games.
* The appropriately-named Waterfall zone in ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' has one waterfall you can walk through, leading to a cave with a useful item inside.
* One of the Lo'as you rescue can be found behind a waterfall in the HubLevel in ''VideoGame/SkylarAndPluxAdventureOnCloverIsland''.
* In ''Alwa's Awakening'', a book collector is hiding out behind one of the waterfalls in the Forsaken Valley, the area where you start the game. He'll give you a special item in exchange for a book he's missing.
* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble'' has a cheat code that allows you to go into a waterfall, discover a "memorize the sequence" mini-game that's normally reserved for Banana Birds, and get all 85 Bonus Coins if you clear it, but the final rating will call you a '[[NoFairCheating Cheating Chump]]'.
* ''VideoGame/ThemsFightinHerds'':
** The game has a waterfall with a cave that contains the entrance to the Salt Mines in the Pummelin' Prairie Pixel Lobby.
** The "Hidden Waterfall" multiplayer stage takes place on the other side of one of these, giving a view of the mountainous region through the fall itself.
* In ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana'', Undine hides in a cave behind the waterfall near the Water Palace. In order to gain her magic, the heroes need to defeat a Biting Lizard boss.
* In ''VideoGame/BattleChasersNightwar'', taking the left path inside the Path of Fangs will lead to a waterfall cave containing a few treasure chests' worth of crafting materials.
* ''VideoGame/{{Gothic}}'' and its sequel have such caves up the river that separates camps from the Mine Valley entrance and the Old Mine. The treasure inside depends on patches.
* ''VideoGame/AnvilOfDawn'' has "Waterfall Hidden Cave" -- a very small location halfway through the game, a BreatherLevel. Here you can rest or store items (some locations crash if you carry too many). Also, there's an NPC of minor importance.
* In ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'', a gold dragon lives in a large cave behind a waterfall in the Neverwinter forest.
* In ''VideoGame/GolfWithYourFriends'', one level in the Twilight theme has the flag in a cave behind a waterfall. It's easy to notice right from the beginning that you should send the ball that way; the challenge is in actually having the ball land and stay in the area.
* Near the start of the (first: US, second: Japan) ''VideoGame/KingsField'' game is a waterfall with a cave behind it with skeletons and not much else.
* In ''VideoGame/PortalRunner'', one is present in the first level. It's relatively well-hidden behind the waterfall spray, but Vikki even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] it as the player ventures inside.
* ''VideoGame/BugFables'' has a cave behind a waterfall on Peacock Island, which Team Snakemouth must reach using Leif's ice magic in order to enter the [[OptionalBoss Peacock Spider's]] lair.
* ''VideoGame/Haven2020'' [[LampshadeHanging lampshades this trope]] when Yu and Kay find a waterfall on Nekarow and the latter says "There's always a secret behind the waterfall". The cave turns out to be empty, and the only reward for the player is the "Can't get wetter" achievement".
* ''VideoGame/{{Satisfactory}}'' has one such cave in [[spoiler:[[BubblegloopSwamp the swamp.]] It contains one of the rare uranium nodes.]]
* The boss of the fifth stage in ''VideoGame/BlazingStar'' is fought in such an environment.
* One of the tunnel entrances you must navigate on Ember Twin in ''VideoGame/OuterWilds'' is hidden behind a ''sand''fall.
* One of the map events in ''VideoGame/{{Peglin}}'' involves a cave behind a waterfall with the option to check it or move on. There's a 50/50 chance that there will be a treasure chest behind the waterfall or there will be nothing and a monster ambush waiting for you when you come out, forcing an encounter.
* In ''VideoGame/UncleAlbertsMysteriousIsland'', the titular Mysterious Island has a cavern behind a waterfall.
* ''VideoGame/{{Tunic}}:'' All sorts of things are hidden behind waterfalls, from collectibles to entire rooms.
* One of the secret tunnels in ''VideoGame/FashionPoliceSquad'' is located behind a waterfall. Inside a train.

* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': In "The Twin Factor", Dr. Drakken's lair-of-the-episode is hidden behind a tall waterfall.
* Lampshaded in ''WesternAnimation/MikeLuAndOg'':
-->'''Og:''' Why does it always have to be ''behind'' the waterfall?
* In ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' episode "The Legend of the Gobblewonker", Dipper frantically flips through the journal while being chased and thinks there might be a cave behind a waterfall. Mabel calls back, "Might be?!" before, wanting for other options, they shoot through it and true enough, there's a cave that brings them beyond the monster's reach.

* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGummiBears'':
** [[TheSixthRanger Gusto Gummi's]] Studio
** In one episode Cubbi and Tummi also discovered a Gummi Warrior training facility behind a waterfall.

* In one ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode, Bender - having upgraded his processor to godlike levels - hides out in one of these. [[BizarroEpisode Then things get weird.]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/SofiaTheFirst'' episode "Princesses to the Rescue!", the secret entrance to the Jade Jaguar's cave is behind a waterfall.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** An early dungeon in ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonExplorers of Time/Darkness/Sky'' is hidden behind a waterfall. The leap of faith into it provides an early bit of CharacterDevelopment for the partner character.
-->''"Be brave... Be the bravest ever!"''
** The mainstream games added one in the remakes of ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'', Heart Gold and Soul Silver. There is a cave behind one of the Tohjo Falls, in which a certain mafia-style villain had spent the past three years.
** ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'': Meteor Falls is a rather small dungeon, until the player unlocks Waterfall, opening the rest up.
** ''VideoGame/PokemonRangerGuardianSigns'' contains a waterfall hiding ancient ruins behind it. The Pokemon Pinchers use these ruins as their hideout.
* The GBA version of ''VideoGame/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing'' has a cave as a bonus map behind waterfall in the map after the fight in Minas Tirith. It contains a free rune, and it resets enemy in the previous map. Sucks for someone who hates fighting trolls.
* ''VideoGame/{{Skully}}'' have one in the swamp stage near Wanda's lair, where Skully needs to locate and jump through the cascading water in {{golem}} form, suffering some water damage in the process. Luckily there's a mud pool behind the falls which Skully can use to heal himself immediately.
* ''VideoGame/TalesOf''
** [[ThatOneLevel Latheon Gorge]] in ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' comes to an end in one of these - although you repeatedly enter and exit the cave throughout the dungeon, the final entrance is opened by dropping a huge boulder into the waterfall, unveiling the cave entrance behind it. Of course, there's a MacGuffin and a huge ManEatingPlant in there. Also, while there are no caves involved, there's goodies behind the mini waterfalls in the Torrent Forest later in the game.
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfZestiria'' has the Water Trial Shrine hidden behind like this. Amusingly you access it by using the Wind field ability.
* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'', Snake and Eva rendezvous in one of these.
* In ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireII'' the second set of dragon powers is hidden in one of these. To get inside you need to have Jean in your party so it is recommended you do this before a certain plot event which removes him from your party for quite a while.
* The ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' games make use of this in combination with the games' static cameras, making it so the player will only actually notice the waterfall with treasure behind it if they specifically set out to see if something's behind it.
* A jumping puzzle and the Key To the World lurks behind the waterfall of the ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}''-themed world in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI''.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Croc}} 2'', one could go through the waterfall during the first boat race to find an [[GameBreaker extremely helpful]] shortcut.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Monkey Island 2|LeChucks Revenge}}'', there's a plot coupon behind a waterfall. At the top of the mountain where you'll find a valve. If you curiously try to use your monkey on it ([[{{Pun}} "monkey wrench"]], get it?) you'll turn off the waterfall, revealing the cave.
* Every single waterfall in ''VideoGame/{{Tenchu}}: Stealth Assassins'' hides a cave with an item in it.
* In the second commentary preview of ''VideoGame/BrutalLegend'', the creators talked about how it was considered a bug if there wasn't something behind every waterfall.
* ''VideoGame/BetrayalAtKrondor'' has the Dark Secret that ends Chapter 3 in one of these.

* ''VideoGame/OnimushaWarlords'' has a cave behind a waterfall that contains the best armor in the game.
* ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'':
** ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight'' has a secret room behind a waterfall in the caverns under the castle.
** As did ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaAriaOfSorrow'', ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaDawnOfSorrow'' and ''VideoGame/SuperCastlevaniaIV'' has an entire level with waterfalls in between sections. ''Aria of Sorrow'' in particular has a secret area behind a waterfall located in the Underground Reservoir. It houses a ghost ship and the [[GameBreaker Claimh Solais]] sword.
* One of the Ages in ''VideoGame/{{Uru}}'' features caves behind a set of waterfalls. Moving something into the cave without getting wet is one of the Age's challenges.
* In a nod to this trope's ubiquity in video games, ''VideoGame/NancyDrew: Resorting To Danger'' features a secret control panel that's hidden behind a ''decorative'' waterfall in the resort's laser-treatment room.
* There's a couple of dungeons hidden this way in ''VideoGame/{{Dragonfable}}''.
* ''VideoGame/TheDayTheWorldBroke'' has this, concealing a set of stairs leading to [[spoiler: Ozzy Jr's hideout.]] It's surrounded by an underground river on the outside, and well-hidden due to the rust hazard water poses to the native Mechanimals.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Blackthorne}}'', the first area (the mines) has several doorways behind waterfalls.
* The Text Adventure Dragon's World has this. It turns out to be a back door into the lair of the game's BigBad.
* In ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'', there's a small alcove behind a waterfall in Spiral Mountain. In it is an extra life.
** In ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie'', there's a cave which has one of the secret eggs. It's not so much behind the waterfall as it is the ''source'' of it, but the game still calls it "Behind the Waterfall."
* The Patriarch's lair is one of these in ''VideoGame/DivinityIITheDragonKnightSaga''.
* Some ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon'' games will have a waterfall with either a mine or arable land located behind it.
* ''VideoGame/{{Purple}}'' uses this twice. One is for BonusStage and the other is for advancing further into the stage.
* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'':
** ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'''s Chao Garden hides the entrance to the Chao Stadium inside a cave behind a waterfall.
** ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'' has the Modern iteration of GreenHillZone, where Sonic goes through a waterfall into a tunnel, which opens out into a gigantic cavern with rail grinding and a giant mechanical fish chasing him, before blasting back outside.
* In ''VideoGame/WiiFit'', the virtual island has one of these leading up to the highest part of the island and the little Mario-style castle.
* Several of these show up throughout the ''Franchise/SpyroTheDragon'' series, the rewards varying in each game.
* ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'' has a whole world hidden behind a waterfall, which is evidenced when the music changes when you get close to the waterfall.
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'':
** Throughout the series, as part of the its propensity toward AlwaysCheckBehindTheChair, it's a good idea to check behind every waterfall you come across. Not ''ALL'' of them hold secrets or treasure, but enough of them do to make it worthwhile.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]''[='s=] ''Tribunal'' expansion adds Bamz-Amschend, a expansive [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Dwemer]] ruin beneath the city of Mournhold. Beneath ''that'' is the ancient [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric]] ruin of Norenen-dur. Within is the Wailing Delve, a deep cave-like section apparently carved out by the waterfall within. Following it down leads to treasures including skill books, soul gems, a Daedric cuirass, and the only unowned Daedric left pauldron in the game.

* For maximum dramatic entrance potential, the hangar for Allen's airship the Crusade is located in a cave behind a waterfall in ''Anime/TheVisionOfEscaflowne''. Lampshaded by way of Zelda reference in TheAbridgedSeries.

* ''Manga/OnePiece'': During the Wano arc, The entrance to Whitebeard's hometown is hidden behind a waterfall. Climbing up the waterfall via being pulled by carp is one method of entering Wano. The second method is entering a cave behind the waterfall which leads to a port with an elevator that goes up to Wano. Entering this cave, however, is only possible with permission from Orochi or Kaido.

* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED'': The main hangars at JOSH-A, the Earth Alliance's Alaska headquarters, is located behind a waterfall. The Earth Alliance even built a mechanism for parting the falls to allow the passage of ships and aircraft.

* In ''Anime/StarWarsVisions - The Duel'', at one point during their duel, the Ronin and the Bandit Leader end up on a log floating in the river, so naturally this trope shows up. Fortunately for both of them, it's a rather shallow waterfall so they easily survive. It also has a cave which the Ronin uses to get the upper hand over the bandit leader.
* ''Anime/MetalFightBeyblade'': The Legendary Bey Galaxy Pegasus is encased in stone behind one of these.
* ''Anime/GreatMazinger'': [[FemBot Venus A]]'s main hangar is located behind a waterfall. Notice that the cave is big enough to house a twenty meters high robot.
* In ''Anime/TheMysteriousCitiesOfGold'', one path behind a waterfall leads to Macchu Picchu.

* ''ComicBook/{{Tintin}}'' goes through one in ''[[Recap/TintinPrisonersOfTheSun Prisoners of the Sun]]'' which turns out to be the entrance to the secret surviving Inca kingdom, as shown in the page image.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Lucifer}}'', Mazikeen discovers her estranged mother Lilith's headquarters behind a fortified waterfall [[MundaneMadeAwesome made of swords.]]
* Franchise/{{Batman}} often has one of the entrances to his Batcave behind a waterfall, usually the one that the Batmobile exits and enters, [[GeographicFlexibility somewhere near Wayne Manor]]. So people do not find it, the waterfall is located at the end of a condemned road, and the Batmobile has to jump a cliff to reach it.
* One ''ComicBook/{{Alix}}'' story has a ''tomb'' behind a fall. The leader of a Gaul caravan dies, and is buried by first damming a waterfall, burying him, and then letting the waterfall resume its course.

* The home of ''ComicStrip/ThePhantom'' is in a valley that can only be entered through a tunnel hidden by a waterfall.

[[folder:Films — Animation]]
* The Hidden City of Gold in ''WesternAnimation/TheRoadToElDorado'' is in a valley that can only be entered through a tunnel hidden by a waterfall.

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* In ''Film/LastOfTheMohicans'', the plot not only hinges on one, but the last three Mohicans actually jump out from behind it to escape. (after passionately kissing the Monro girls [[LastKiss behind the fall]].) Also, it's shot [[RealLife on location]]; God knows how they recorded in there.

* Draco the dragon lives in a cave behind a waterfall in ''Film/{{Dragonheart}}''.
* In ''Film/TheHiddenFortress'', the princess and her entourage is hiding in a cave behind a waterfall.

* The Tumbler exits the Batcave of ''Film/BatmanBegins'' by leaping through a waterfall.

* In ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark'', the protagonists (and a NoCelebritiesWereHarmed version of real-life Robert Bakker) hide in a cave behind a waterfall to escape the [[MamaBear rampaging female]] ''T. rex''. The Robert Bakker-lookalike gets a snake crawling down his shirt and panics, running right into the rex's jaws.

* The titular MacGuffinLocation (in which [[MakeAWish the MacGuffin itself]] is located) in ''Film/BehindTheWaterfall'' is a cave located... wait for it... behind a waterfall.

* ''Film/OurManFlint''. There is a waterfall on the side of the Galaxy Island volcano that falls into the ocean. The waterfall itself comes out of a cave in the side of the volcano, and at the base of the waterfall (i.e. at sea level) there is a cave behind the waterfall into which Galaxy submarines may pass.

* ''Film/Oblivion2013''. During the AerialCanyonChase, the protagonist in his FutureCopter uses one to momentarily hide from, and get behind, the {{Attack Drone}}s chasing him.

* ''Film/OQuatrilho'': A cave behind a waterfall is the romantic setting for Teresa and Massimo's first kiss, as they give into temptation (each of them is married to someone else).

* In the book version of Creator/MichaelCrichton's ''Franchise/JurassicPark'', after Alan, Tim, and Lex go tumbling over the InevitableWaterfall, they hide behind said waterfall in order to escape the Tyrannosaur. Grant finds an access door and leaves the kids there while he makes sure it's safe; the kids nearly get eaten in his absence.
* Whoever designed the sets for the South Seas Treasure Game in ''Literature/DreamPark'' likes this trope, as Griffin and Acacia find such a niche behind a waterfall in which to mess around. [[spoiler: It's also where the thief hides the stolen vial of Neutral Scent.]]
* In the ''Literature/InheritanceCycle'', the entrance to the Varden is located behind a waterfall.

* In the ''Literature/WarriorCats'' series, the Tribe of Rushing Water lives in one of these, and actually is named after the falls.

* In ''Literature/NavigatingEarly'', Jack and Early follow a narrow, treacherous path behind a waterfall, where they find a series of small chambers [[spoiler:and Martin Johanssen's fifty-year-old skeleton]].
* ''Literature/TheBrotherhoodOfTheConch'': In ''The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming'', Anand is exploring Silver Valley when he finds a small, damp cave behind a waterfall. There, he has a vision of Abhaydatta and Raj-bhanu in need of help.
* ""Valley of Adventure" by Creator/EnidBlyton features one accessable through the cave system connecting to the cave near the waterfall that the 4 protagonists use to camp in upon becoming stranded in the eponymous Valley.
* ''Literature/JuniperSawfeather'': Near Cape Flattery is a small, hidden waterfall with no apparent source that pours saltwater into an inlet below. According to legend, a woman was transformed into the waterfall centuries ago after the death of the man she loved and now weeps a constant stream of tears. Behind the waterfall is a cave that looks shallow from above the surface, but has an underwater tunnel that leads to the cavern where [[spoiler:Jolon the RockMonster is imprisoned]].

* ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm'': The [[NinjaSchool Wind Ninja Academy]] (trashed in the first episode) and, by extension, Ninja Ops (season-long base), are hidden behind one, although the waterfall is actually an illusion.

* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': [[http://magiccards.info/isd/en/248.html Sulfur Falls]]
* Classic ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}'' Adventure 2 ''Research Station Gamma''. One room in the station has a {{Hologram}} of a rippling waterfall on one wall. Behind the hologram is a room containing a security station. The hologram is one-way, allowing anyone inside the security station to see through it into the other room.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI'' has an old man who tells you "WALK INTO THE WATERFALL". Doing so yields an old lady who gives you a hint to finding the next dungeon.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'' has one in Zora's Domain, hiding a Great Fairy fountain. And oodles more in the [[OncePerEpisode Once Per Game]] Water level.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'' has an entire dungeon hidden behind a massive waterfall. It's the Angler's Tunnel, and to enter it the waterfall has to be shut down by opening a lock in front of it with the Angler Key (Link then has to make his way through the entrance itself by backtracking to the northern mountains).
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'':
*** There's a waterfall whose hind cave is hiding Zora's Domain itself. A second waterfall inside the Domain hides two torches; figuring out how to get fire back there nets you a [[HeartContainer Piece of Heart]].
*** Over at the other end of the map, an alcove behind the InevitableWaterfall below the bridge to the Gerudo Fortress contains another Piece of Heart.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' has a minor cave behind a waterfall, in the [[BigBoosHaunt undead]] kingdom of Ikana.
** Several waterfalls in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames'' have caves at the top.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'': A cave behind a small waterfall in the outer area of Forest Haven is hiding Makar in the second half of the game.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'': A variation. While there is a waterfall, and a dungeon behind it, there is no way to walk through the flow to get to the dungeon and it is visible through the stream of water.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds'': The game's single non-hostile Hinox lives in hiding in a rather well-furnished cave hidden behind a waterfall in Lorule's mountains.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': Most waterfalls hide nothing in particular, given the mechanic of swimming up waterfalls when you have the Zora Armour equipped. However, a few do have secrets behind them; most simply contain a few treasure chests or ore deposits, but one of them even houses a shrine.
* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros''
%%** ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'': The Cavern of the Metal Cap.
%%** ''VideoGame/MarioKart64'': Koopa Troopa Beach has one of these as a possible shortcut for the track.%%One of what?
** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioStickerStar'': The cave containing the secret exit to Whammimo Mountain is hidden behind one of Water's Edge Way's many waterfalls.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand'': Many stages have either a OneUp or Star Coin behind waterfalls.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'': This is a way to a Green Star in Plessie's Plunging Falls.
* ''VideoGame/{{Supplice}}'' has an indoor waterfall in the Methuselah outpost, whose water turns out to be quite shallow. Walk through the cascading water and you'll find a secret alcove behind.
* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun1'': Some of the waterfalls in the Mercury Lighthouse had treasure behind them and a Djinn which could be easy to miss. Mercury Lighthouse is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] as the waterfalls, their caves, and the entire complex are artificially created; it's a stylistic choice on the part of the Lighthouse's designer. Not to mention that there's a whole dungeon behind a waterfall.
* ''VideoGame/SteambotChronicles'' has a waterfall where one of the mysterious sages lives.

* ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'': The only way to get the [[MacGuffinTitle Titular]] {{Macguffin}} necessary to defeat the final boss correctly and get the [[GainaxEnding good ending]] is to [[GuideDangIt go behind a waterfall, whose location on the world map isn't labeled or even really mentioned clearly]]. Yeah.

* ''VideoGame/{{ShadowGate}}'' Unlike most exits, this one isn't on the map.

* ''VideoGame/EndlessOcean'' has one of these for the final portion of its Great Aqua Caves area. That's right, an ''underwater waterfall''.
** ''VideoGame/EndlessOceanBlueWorld'' has a waterfall that keeps you out of the temple area of the Cortica River until you turn it off.

* ''VideoGame/EarthBound1994'' has one with a twist: [[WaitingPuzzle You have to wait 3 minutes to get in]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}'' makes heavy use of this trope - making it easy to find secrets if you know it. Once Issun even ''tells'' you to jump down a waterfall, and though you don't have to, sure enough, there's a cave there with a wall you can bomb to get a Stray Bead.
* ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'':
** ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'': The entrance to Cataract Caves, as you may guess, is behind a waterfall. Inside this dungeon, the specific cave containing the Circle of Water is also behind a waterfall.
** The aptly named Waterfall Cave in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVIII'' is located behind a cataract.
* One of the worlds in ''VideoGame/BlackAndWhite'' had a goodie behind a waterfall.

* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations'': One of the Masyaf Keys levels has Ezio chase a boat of Templars through a couple of waterfalls leading into caves.
* ''VideoGame/KingsQuestIVThePerilsOfRosella'' has one of these. You can't walk through the water here, either, but you can swim as soon as you [[spoiler:shapeshift into the much more muscular (?) form of a frog]].
* ''VideoGame/LeisureSuitLarry3PassionatePattiInPursuitOfThePulsatingPectorals'' has one, too, except that you enter from the other end.
* In ''VideoGame/TheGooniesII'', at least two waterfalls have doors behind them. They both require pressing up as moving platforms go over them, one is a trap, as leaving both rooms means the platform is gone, and one of the falls is above a BottomlessPit.
* ''VideoGame/SpaceQuestIIVohaulsRevenge'' has the ''exit'' to a cave behind (i.e. through) a waterfall.
* In ''VideoGame/HydroThunder'', one is occasionally surprised by ''not'' finding a tunnel or at least a hidden Boost item behind one of the many, many waterfalls. Not infrequently, behind-the-falls tunnels are the ''main channel'' rather than any sort of secret.

* In ''[[Creator/DaveDuncan The Seventh Sword]]'' the hero, Wally, ends up in such a cave after being thrown down the waterfall for [[FlatEarthAtheist blasphemy]]. There he meets the demigod of volcanoes, the assistant of the river goddess for insulting whom Wally got executed. The demigod heals him and explains his [[ChosenOne mission]] [[RefusalOfTheCall once again]] in less vague terms. The cave is rather deep and quite far from the bottom. For all Wally knows, gods may've created it in the distant past retroactively just for this conversation.

In video games, especially 3D ones, except waterfalls to hide secrets.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'' the entrance to Syndrome's hideout is a waterfall with a mechanism that stylishly parts the water for a dry entrance. He apparently likes this trope, as the entrance to his control room is concealed by a fall ''of lava'' that opens similarly.[[spoiler: There is another cave behind a waterfall where Mr. Incredible found the password for Syndrome's computer.]]

Waterfalls aren't just pretty to look at, they're also great for hiding stuff. Who would ever think to look behind UsefulNotes/NiagaraFalls to find the hidden treasure of King Whatshisname II? And who would suspect that the BigBad would keep his reserve of {{Mook}}s in a cave where nobody would dare enter? The rush of water alone would keep any sane person away.

* The Wolf Demon clan's lair in ''Manga/InuYasha'' lays behind a waterfall.

* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''

* Sun Wukong from ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest'' discovered Shuilian Cave after jumping through a great big waterfall. He was named king by his monkey clan afterwards, and they all moved in and made the cave their home.

* According to Hawaiian myth, the goddess Hina lives in the cave behind Rainbow Falls on the Big Island.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'' has an entire dungeon hidden behind a massive waterfall.

** A variation in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'': While there is a waterfall, and a dungeon behind it, there is no way to walk through the flow to get to the dungeon and it is visible through the stream of water.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': Averted for the most part, given the mechanic of swimming up waterfalls when you have the Zora Armour equipped. With that said, a few waterfalls in the game do have secrets behind them; one of them even houses a shrine.

** The Cavern of the Metal Cap in ''VideoGame/SuperMario64''.
** Koopa Troopa Beach in ''VideoGame/MarioKart64'' has one of these as a possible shortcut for the track.
** In ''VideoGame/PaperMarioStickerStar'', the cave containing the secret exit to Whammimo Mountain is hidden behind one of Water's Edge Way's many waterfalls.
** Many stages in ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand'' will have either a OneUp or Star Coin behind waterfalls.
** In ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'', This is a way to a Green Star in Plessie's Plunging Falls.
* Some of the waterfalls in the Mercury Lighthouse in ''VideoGame/GoldenSun1'' had treasure behind them and a Djinn which could be easy to miss. Mercury Lighthouse is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] as the waterfalls, their caves, and the entire complex are artificially created; it's a stylistic choice on the part of the Lighthouse's designer. Not to mention that there's a whole dungeon behind a waterfall.

* In ''VideoGame/BoxxyQuestTheGatheringStorm'', you can walk behind the small waterfall near the [[FishingMinigame fishing pond]]. It leads to a hidden room containing a unique set of “Hidden Falls” gear.
* In ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay'', The HubLevel has one with money in it too, but you can't go there until after [[BigBoosHaunt Spooky]].
* In ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'', the only way to get the [[MacGuffinTitle Titular]] {{Macguffin}} necessary to defeat the final boss correctly and get the [[GainaxEnding good ending]] is to [[GuideDangIt go behind a waterfall, whose location on the world map isn't labeled or even really mentioned clearly]]. Yeah.