10+ Waterfall Hikes in Northeast Ohio
Hiking and waterfalls, what more could you ask for? Luckily, Northeast Ohio is in no shortage of either, what with all the stunning parks we have here, including a National Park. The waterfalls range from tall to small, wide to thin, powerful to seasonal, and they’re all beautiful in their own ways.
Blue Hen Falls surrounded by autumn colors
Blue Hen Falls
Located in the stunning Cuyahoga Valley National Park, this elegant waterfall is a short hike down a broken old driveway. The waterfall can be viewed from the wooden fence near the top of the falls. Blue Hen is almost always flowing, no matter the season.
Length: 0.5 mile, out & back
Difficulty: Easy, heavily trafficked
>> Related: Hiking In Cuyahoga Valley National Park <<
Brandywine Falls in late autumn
Brandywine Falls
The most popular (and tallest) waterfall in all of Ohio probably, Brandywine Falls is also located in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Getting to the falls is easy, you can take the boardwalk to two different viewing platforms, both with similar views. The boardwalk connects to the Gorge Trail which will take you all along the gorge and to the falls.
Length: 1.3 miles, loop
Difficulty: easy, moderately/heavily trafficked
Waterfall along the Chagrin River
South Chagrin Falls
Not the official name, as there isn’t one, but this waterfall is located in the South Chagrin Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks. It’s a very popular waterfall since you can go creek walking or even jump off of the falls into the water.
Length: 0.60 miles, loop
Difficulty: moderate, heavily trafficked
>> Related: Cleveland Metroparks: Hiking Guide <<
Cascade Falls
Cascade Falls to Minnehaha Falls
Located in Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park, you’ll walk along primitive trails to find these two falls, one on each side of the park. Nelson Ledges is a fairly small park so it doesn’t take long to reach both falls. The terrain here is rocky and the trails are horribly marked, but since the park is small, you can always hear the road. In the park lies some very cool rock formations and passageways as well.
Length: 2 miles, out & back
Difficulty: moderate/difficult, moderately trafficked
Big Lyons Falls
Big & Little Lyons Falls
The only public waterfalls here in Mohican State Park are Big and Little Lyons Falls. Both need a good rainfall to be flowing well. Big Lyons is the first one you’ll come across and is the most popular of the two; it flows over a recess cave into the small stream below. As for Little Lyons, you can reach it by going up the stairs and following the trail to it; you can only see part of it though because of how the trail is.
Length: 2 miles, loop
Difficulty: moderate, moderately/heavily trafficked
>> Related: The Ultimate Guide To Mohican State Park <<
Low flow at the Great Falls of Tinker’s Creek
Great Falls of Tinker’s Creek
A short hike down from the parking lot in this Cleveland Metroparks Bedford Reservation will lead you to this beautiful waterfall in Viaduct Park. The waterfall was originally harnessed for power back in the mid-19th to the mid-20th century and you can still see the remains of the sawmill and more here.
Length: 0.4 miles, out & back
Difficulty: easy, moderately trafficked
Bridal Veil Falls
Bridal Veil Falls
Another Bedford Reservation waterfall with a slightly longer (but still short) hike. From the parking lot, you’ll cross the street and head down the steps and along the trail, and stream for a bit before coming to a viewing platform for the cascading falls.
Length: 0.4 miles, out & back
Difficulty: easy, moderately trafficked
Low flow at West Cascade Falls
West Cascade Falls
Located in Cascade Park of Elyria, the trail begins at the parking lot, where you’ll walk along some rock formations and ledges and an abandoned (blocked off) bridge before reaching the viewing platform for the falls. Unfortunately, kids have really painted a lot of graffiti in this area so please remember the Leave No Trace policies so it doesn’t get worse.
Length: 1 mile, out & back
Difficulty: easy, moderately trafficked
Slightly hidden waterfall in the West Woods with a high flow
Ansel’s Cave Trail
A surprising hidden gem here in Northeast Ohio, located in The West Woods. The trail begins near the nature center and is a moderate hike down to the falls, with some stairs along the way. It’s a fairly large, open cave with the falls in the back of it. To view the falls, you must stay on the boardwalk, as it’s prohibited to cross the stream and get closer to the falls. Because of this, you can only see the lower part of the falls, but after a good rainfall, it’s still a great view.
Length: 1.5 miles, loop
Difficulty: moderate, moderately trafficked
Chair Factory Falls
Chair Factory Falls
Such a nice waterfall hidden away right next to the highway. Chair Factory Falls is part of the Lake Metroparks. This multilevel waterfall is surrounded by a shady hemlock ravine. There’s a few ways to get to it, all involve walking along the Greenway Corridor multipurpose trail till you see the sign for the falls and then hiking down. I recommend parking at the Environmental Learning Center.
Length: 1.3 miles, out & back
Difficulty: easy, moderately trafficked
>> Related: Lake Metroparks: Hiking Guide <<
Deer Lick Cave Falls
Deer Lick Cave Falls
One of the more popular trails in the Cleveland Metroparks, Deer Lick Cave trail starts by the Brecksville Reservation Nature Center and leads you through the forest until you come across the namesake cave. The waterfall is located just around the corner from the cave and needs decent rainfall to have a good flow to it.
Length: 4.2 miles, loop
Difficulty: moderate, moderately trafficked
