Waterfalls in Indiana
Indiana does not come to mind when thinking of states with great waterfalls, but there are some real big ones here. I've only been to a few waterfalls in the state as of now, but I plan to visit more. Clifty Falls State Park is one of my favorite parks I've ever visited anywhere, and is here in Indiana.
Northern Indiana
Cataract Falls (2)
Description: There are actually two waterfalls here, the upper and lower. They are both impressive, and both are easy to get to. A fee is required to enter the park. Coordinates for upper falls parking lot: (39.434171, -86.813937), and lower falls: (39.442410, -86.821718).
Hiking Description: For the upper falls, head out to the east and the falls are within 100 feet. Great views here, and some additional, but obscured views can be found a short distance down the river trail going north. For the lower falls, head down the open trail down a small hill to the river. The falls will be found within 200 feet.
Total Mileage: Minimal
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date First Visited: September 22, 2021
Date Last Visited: September 22, 2021
Rank: A-
Upper Falls
Lower Falls
McCormick's Creek Falls
Description: McCormick's Creek Falls is a lovely waterfall that is easy to get to. The whole state park is very scenic, really.
Hiking Description: Start at the parking lor across from the Canyon Inn, located here (39.290066, -86.724790). Head out on Trail 3 headed east. After just over a tenth of a mile, you will reach a T intersection. Turn right. The creek will be just down to your left now, and after just a minute or two, you will come to an overlook of the falls. The view is good from here, but there are more views if you take the stone staircase down to creek level. It's about 50 stairs.
Total Mileage: 0.3 total
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date First Visited: September 22, 2021
Date Last Visited: September 22, 2021
Rank: A
Southern Indiana
Anderson Falls
Description: Anderson Falls is a beautiful roadside waterfall that feels like it shouldn't be there. As you're driving to it, you will be driving through flat farmland, and even as you turb on to the road the falls are on, it's still flat, and only then are there any trees present. Even still, this is a great waterfall, and is worth visiting.
Hiking Description: Roadside aceess for good views.
Total Mileage: <0.1 total
Difficulty: 0/10 (Roadside)
Date First Visited: October 30, 2020
Date Last Visited: October 30, 2020
Rank: A-
Clifty Falls State Park (5+)
Description: Clifty Falls is a waterfall paradise. If you come here after a lot of rain (recomended), you're in for quite the treat. There are at least five major waterfalls here, with countless cascades to be found if you hike further down the many trails. I've been to the highlights, and I'll show you the best way to get there too. There are four different parking areas used to see these five falls. The falls are listed from south to north.
Redbud Falls:
This is the first waterfall north from the south, and is the only roadside falls. It will be on your right, and you can park here (38.747786, -85.412179). Not much parking there, but you can squeeze in. The falls is very low volume, and won't even exist unless it's just rained.
Total Milage: N/A
Difficulty: 0/10 (Roadside)
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Hoffman Falls:
The second waterfall north is Hoffman Falls. This is a tall waterfall, but is obscured by trees. You can still see some of it, and it's just right off the road. Park here (38.753483, -85.422692). Head out on the trail in front of the parking lot, and you will come to the overlook for the falls within a few hundred feet. Easy access.
Total Milage: 0.1 total
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
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Tunnel Falls:
Tunnel Falls is the third major waterfall, and my second favorite, after only Big Clifty. You can see the whole waterfall from the trail, and it's quite spectacular. There are a few places to start your hike, but the simplest is to start here (38.760741, -85.427664). Head out on the trail and you will come to the falls within five minutes. It's not far, but there are a fair amount of stairs (roughly 50).
Total Milage: 0.2 total
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy)
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Little Clifty Falls and Big Clifty Falls:
These two falls are accessed from the same parking lot: the big one here (38.767814, -85.436411). Begin walking southward, past the restrooms and the sign for Clifty Falls. The trail is easy. Shortly, you will be gretted with various fantastic views of Big Clifty Falls. You are above the falls here, and this is the only place where views are not obscured (except from the base; more on that later). Continuing on the trail, the sidewalk will end and it will become more ruged. It will go down a staircase down a small bluff, and then it will turn to boardwalk again. You will then come to a three-way intersection. You can go left or straight. Go straigh first. This trail goes down some stairs and wraps around the bluffline to the final view of Big Clifty. It's obscured by trees here, but still is a good view. Back to the split, head down the other trail now. It will be going downhill, and once you meet a large staircase, you are near Little Clifty Falls. You may be able to see it through the trees. If you go down this staircase, it will end at a bridge over the creek. There is a nice cascade upstream, and you are just a few feet from the precipice of the big falls. If you continue on a short distance, there are some obscured views, but nothing major. One major point of note that I haven't mentioned here is the imfamous Trail 2. The name is boring, but the trail is something legendary. It follows Clifty Creek for two miles to the base of Big Clifty Falls. You have to creek-walk almost the whole way. I haven't done this (yet), and most everyone that has does it when the water levels are real low (easier hiking, but less impressive waterfall), but I plan to do it under modest flow (not as high as in the photos below, but not trickling either), so that should be quite the journey there. One day...
Total Milage: 0.4 total
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy) to Big Clifty Falls Overlooks; 3/10 (Easy) to Little Clifty Falls
Date First Visited: October 29, 2020
Date Last Visited: October 29, 2020
Rank: A+
Redbud Falls
Hoffman Falls
Tunnel Falls
Little Clifty Falls
