Where the waterfalls are in Ohio
Ohio's waterfalls are small by mountain standards, but the state has many, cut into sandstone and shale in the unglaciated hills of the southeast and along the rivers of the northeast. The Hocking Hills are the best-known cluster, with falls in recess caves and gorges. Cuyahoga Valley National Park, between Cleveland and Akron, has several more.
Most Ohio falls are fed by small streams, so their flow depends heavily on recent rain.
Well-known waterfalls in Ohio
Brandywine Falls
A 60-foot fall with a boardwalk to the viewing area, in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. .
Cedar Falls
The largest fall by volume in Hocking Hills State Park, in a gorge lined with hemlock. .
Ash Cave
A huge recess cave in Hocking Hills with a seasonal fall pouring over its rim, reached by a short, accessible trail. .
Old Man's Cave
A gorge in Hocking Hills with an Upper and a Lower Falls along its main trail.
Chagrin Falls
A fall in the middle of the village of Chagrin Falls, with a viewing platform off the main street. .
When to go
Spring and after heavy rain. Many falls slow to a trickle in summer, and some freeze into ice columns in cold winters. See the best time to see waterfalls for how flow changes by region.
Ohio by the numbers
The map shows 71 named falls in Ohio. 18 of them are in the USGS Geographic Names Information System, the federal register of official place names, and 53 more are named falls mapped only in OpenStreetMap. 8 have a height recorded by OpenStreetMap mappers, which is what the height filter above uses. CuyahogaCounty has the most, with 4.
Tallest recorded waterfalls in Ohio
Heights as recorded in OpenStreetMap, converted to feet. Guidebooks may list different figures, usually because they count every tier of a fall or only the biggest drop. Why heights differ.
| Waterfall | Height | County | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Cliff Falls | 23 ft | not recorded | |
| Lanterman's Falls | 23 ft | not recorded | |
| Quiverheart Falls | 20 ft | not recorded | |
| Cedar Falls | 16 ft | Adams | |
| Lower Sheepskin Hollow Falls | 15 ft | not recorded | |
| Upper Sheepskin Hollow Falls | 15 ft | not recorded | |
| Great Falls of Tinker's Creek | 13 ft | not recorded | |
| Horseshoe Falls | 3 ft | not recorded |
Counties with the most waterfalls
From the USGS record, which gives each fall's county.
| County | Named falls |
|---|---|
| Cuyahoga | 4 |
| Summit | 3 |
| Ashland | 2 |
| Portage | 2 |
| Lake | 1 |
| Adams | 1 |
| Hocking | 1 |
| Geauga | 1 |
| Miami | 1 |
| Knox | 1 |
| Tuscarawas | 1 |
Every named waterfall in Ohio
Alphabetical within each county. Tap a name to centre the map above on it.
Adams County (1)
(16 ft)
Ashland County (2)
,
Cuyahoga County (4)
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Geauga County (1)
Hocking County (1)
Knox County (1)
Lake County (1)
Miami County (1)
Portage County (2)
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Summit County (3)
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Tuscarawas County (1)
County not recorded (53)
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Before you go
The map shows where falls are, not whether they are open or safe to reach. Check the land manager, usually a state park or national forest, for closures, fees and permits, and stay on the trail near the water. Our waterfall safety guide covers the hazards, and waterfall hikes near me explains how to pick a trail.
Waterfalls near cities in Ohio
Every named fall within driving range of the city, nearest first: waterfalls near Cleveland, waterfalls near Columbus, waterfalls near Cincinnati.
Waterfalls in nearby states: West Virginia, Indiana, Virginia, Kentucky. Or see waterfalls in every state.