Cataract Falls — a waterfall in Owen County, Indiana at about 200 m (656 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 9.1 km (5.7 mi) S of Cloverdale.
Cataract Falls is a waterfall located in northern Owen County in the west central part of the U.S. state of Indiana. The largest waterfall by volume in the state, it is part of the Lieber State Recreation Area. Cataract Falls consists of two sets of waterfalls on Mill Creek separated by about 1 mile (1.6 km). Both falls consist of a series of drops. The total height of the Upper Falls is approximately 45 feet (14 m), while that of the Lower Falls is about 30 feet (9.1 m). Immediately downstream of the Lower Falls, Mill Creek enters the southern end of Cagles Mill Lake, near the towns of Cunot and Cataract. The falls are just off State Road 42 and close to State Road 243.From the Wikipedia article “Cataract Falls (Indiana)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cataract Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:52 AM | 90° E | 7:59 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:21 AM | 58° ENE | 9:18 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 57m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:36 AM | 89° E | 7:46 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:05 AM | 120° ESE | 5:28 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 23m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:37 AM | 8:06 AM | 8:47 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:18 PM | 9h 42m |
| February | 7:13 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:52 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 7:33 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:35 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:21 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:55 PM | 9:25 PM | 14h 20m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:36 PM | 9:17 PM | 9:49 PM | 14h 56m |
| July | 6:02 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:35 PM | 9:14 PM | 9:46 PM | 14h 41m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:13 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:05 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:25 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:31 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:34 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 02m |
| December | 7:31 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:43 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:56 PM | 9h 24m |
Local time (America/Indiana/Indianapolis), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Cataract Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:54 AM – 6:04 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 5:04 AM – 6:24 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 3:01 AM – 5:31 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 1:04 AM – 4:34 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 11:18 PM – 4:18 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 11:10 PM – 2:50 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 10:25 PM – 12:45 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 9:29 PM – 10:49 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:39 PM – 8:49 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.31 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 65 | 72 | 81 | 82 | 88 | 105 | 105 | 100 | 99 | 92 | 78 | 69 |
| Low °F | -18 | -11 | 4 | 23 | 28 | 39 | 47 | 48 | 36 | 25 | 10 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this waterfall
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cataract Falls, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Beach
Covered Bridge
Natural Arch
State Park
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cataract Falls?
What time is golden hour at Cataract Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cataract Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cataract Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cataract Falls?
How far is Cataract Falls from Cloverdale?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.