Cedar Falls at Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio

Surrounded by tall hemlocks and centuries-old sandstone, Cedar Falls is the most powerful waterfall in Hocking Hills State Park. The wild waterfall is one of the main attractions in Hocking Hills, and it’s accessible by a short one-way trail.

The area is also a mecca for hikers. Because of its central location, there are plenty of longer trail options to extend your hike though the steep gorges and thick forests of Hocking Hills.

Here’s what you need to know about Cedar Falls:

If you want to see a big waterfall, this is the place. By sheer water volume, Cedar Falls is the largest waterfall in the Hocking Hills area. It’s best viewed from late winter through the early summer, when rainfall and snowmelt are at their peak. The area is still beautiful late in the season—just don’t expect a roaring cascade.

It has the best hiking options in the park. If you want to do a lot of hiking, Cedar Falls is a great home base. You can plan longer treks north to Old Man’s Cave and Rose Lake, or south down to Ash Cave.

What is Cedar Falls?

Cedar Falls is the most powerful waterfall in Hocking Hills, and one of the best waterfalls in Ohio. It’s nestled among old hemlock trees and rough cliffs. At the top of the falls, you can find the remains of an old grist mill used by early settlers. And to the west of Cedar Falls, you’ll find the most impressive gorge in the entire park.

What makes Cedar Falls so powerful? By the time nearby Queer Creek makes it to Cedar Falls, it’s picked up steam from a couple of key tributaries—including Old Man’s Creek. So when Queer Creek cascades over a cliff to create Cedar Falls, it’s already got plenty of strength.

If you look carefully, you’ll find another set of falls, called Hidden Falls. It’s just around the corner from Cedar Falls—no further than 50 yards away—and tucked behind a boulder. Hidden Falls is a small waterfall, not as tall or powerful as Cedar, but it’s an extra bonus that cements the hike as one of the best in the park.

Here’s how to get to Hidden Falls: When you come down the stairs towards Cedar Falls and get to the junction with the Gorge Overlook Trail (there’s clear signage at the junction) head left on the dirt footpath next to the large tree stump. This will take you 50 yards to the falls.

Where is Cedar Falls located?

Cedar Falls is at the east end of Hocking Hills State Park, just off of Highway 374. It’s about an hour from Columbus, 2 hours from Cincinnati, and 3 hours from Cleveland.

Most areas in Hocking Hills are within 5 to 10 minutes of each other. So if you’re planning to do one of the loop hikes to Old Man’s Cave or Ash Cave, you can just as easily park at those spots instead of at Cedar Falls. We’ll talk more trail details a little further down the page.

Hiking and trails at Cedar Falls

Finding your way around the Cedar Falls area is pretty simple. There’s only one trail that goes to the falls: the Cedar Falls Trail. You can access it from the trailhead at the Cedar Falls parking lot, or by way of the Grandma Gatewood trail, which runs north-to-south through the state park.

Want to do more? There are also some adventurous trail options out from Cedar Falls, both to the north and to the south. Let’s break them all down:

Cedar Falls Trail: This is the only trail that will take you to Cedar Falls. It’s a short, 0.9-mile loop. You’ll start in the smaller Cedar Falls parking lot, head to Cedar Falls, and finish the trail in the bigger parking lot—roughly 500 feet to the southeast of where you started. The Cedar Falls Trail takes between 20 and 40 minutes to finish, depending on how much time you spend at the falls.

Fun fact: This trail features a unique set of stairs called the Democracy Steps. Designed by architect Akio Hizume, they’re based off of the Fibonacci Sequence and are built to give hikers a relaxing and comfortable descent to the falls.

Cedar Falls to Old Man’s Cave: This is one of the most beautiful routes in the park–and there are two trails that will take you to Old Man’s Cave from Cedar Falls. The popular option is the Grandma Gatewood Trail, which heads west through the largest gorge in the park before taking a turn north toward Old Man’s Cave. If you go out-and-back on the Grandma Gatewood Trail, it’ll be a 6-mile round trip hike.

The second option is the Gorge Overlook Trail. This is closer to 7 miles round trip. Instead of trekking through the gorge, you’re walking above it. Going this way will also take you briefly along the shores of Rose Lake. If you want, you can take the loop trail around Rose Lake to add an extra couple of miles.

Something to remember: You can get on the Grandma Gatewood Trail from the Cedar Falls parking lot and bypass the waterfall entirely, if you want. But to get on the Gorge Overlook trail, you’ll have to first hike past Cedar Falls. Then, before you get to the parking lot, take the fork in the trail marked ‘Gorge Overlook’.

Cedar Falls to Ash Cave: Another, equally gorgeous route is to hike from Cedar Falls to Ash Cave. It’s about 6 miles round trip if you’re going out-and-back.

Keep in mind that if you want to see Cedar Falls and Ash Cave, you’ll have to first take the short Cedar Falls Trail. This should take you about 30 minutes. After you’re done, head back to the Cedar Falls parking lot and walk south on the Grandma Gatewood Trail to hike towards Ash Cave.

The history of Cedar Falls

How Cedar Falls was formed

This beautiful waterfall was long in the making; hundreds of millions of years, to be more specific. About 300 million years ago, Ohio was covered by an ancient shallow sea. When the sea began to recede, the sediment on the ocean floor became tightly packed and Black Hand sandstone was gradually formed. This sandstone is the characteristic rock that makes Hocking Hills unique, and you’ll see it at Cedar Falls.

As millions of years passed, Queer Creek was carved out of the landscape and began to erode the area where the falls now stand. The sandstone where the water runs is smooth from years of erosion, but all around the waterfall you’ll see the classic texture and jagged edges that Black Hand sandstone is known for.

How Cedar Falls got its name

Ironically, there aren’t any cedar trees around Cedar Falls. But when settlers first arrived in the 1800s, they mistook the hemlock trees for cedar–thus naming the area Cedar Falls. Cedar or hemlock, the trees are just as spectacular either way. And so are the falls.

Of course, the settlers weren’t the first people to see the falls. Native American tribes such as the Shawnee, Delaware, and Wyandot all lived and hunted throughout the Hocking Hills area before settlers arrived. It’s likely that ancestors of these tribes discovered Cedar Falls first. But if they did have their own name for the falls, it’s been lost to history.

FAQs about Cedar Falls

Can you swim at Cedar Falls?

No, you can’t swim at Cedar Falls or anywhere else in Hocking Hills State Park. It’s a disappointment for some, but the rules are in place to protect the structures and wildlife that have developed over millions of years.

How tall is Cedar Falls?

The waterfall is 50 feet tall. 40 feet of that drop are guided by Black Hand sandstone, and the final 10 feet are a freefall to the bottom.

Are dogs allowed at Cedar Falls?

Yes, dogs are allowed at Cedar Falls. Just make sure they’re on a leash.

What attractions are near Cedar Falls?

Cedar Falls is one of the “Big Three” attractions in Hocking Hills State Park. The other two are Old Man’s Cave and Ash Cave. Cedar Falls is in the middle. It’s about an equal distance from Old Man’s Cave and Ash Cave, and many hikers pick one (or sometimes, both) and take a day trip.

Places to stay near Cedar Falls

Wondering where to stay when you visit Hocking Hills? Clear Falls has 15 cabins situated on a secluded 500-acre wildlife preserve. They’re all just a short walk from the trailhead at Cedar Falls.

It’s paradise in the wilderness. Find your cabin below.

Browse cabins by style:

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The Bottom Line

Cedar Falls is a must-visit if you’re in the Hocking Hills area. The short loop trail is perfect for taking little kids. And if you’re looking for a longer trek, you have plenty of options to hit some of the other main attractions in the park.