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Waterfalls in Ohio

18 waterfalls in Ohio with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Cuyahoga County has the most (4). The darkest skies are at Cedar Falls (Bortle 3).

Top waterfalls

Chagrin FallsWaterfall
Chagrin FallsCuyahoga County · 268 m
Brandywine FallsWaterfall
Brandywine FallsSummit County · 255 m
Blue Hen FallsWaterfall
Blue Hen FallsSummit County · 245 m
Waterfall
Cedar FallsHocking County · 257 m
Waterfall
Big Lyons FallsAshland County · 326 m
Waterfall
Little Lyons FallsAshland County · 341 m
Waterfall
Cedar FallsAdams County · 212 m
Waterfall
Bridal Veil FallsCuyahoga County · 251 m
Waterfall
Buttermilk FallsSummit County · 214 m
Waterfall
Cascade FallsLake County · 238 m
Waterfall
Cascade FallsPortage County · 306 m
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Great FallsCuyahoga County · 260 m

Waterfalls by county

All waterfalls (18)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Chagrin FallsCuyahoga ValleyCuyahoga County268 mChagrin Falls6
Brandywine FallsCuyahoga ValleySummit County255 mBoston Heights6
Blue Hen FallsCuyahoga ValleySummit County245 mBoston Heights6
Cedar FallsHocking County257 mLogan3
Big Lyons FallsAshland County326 mLoudonville4
Little Lyons FallsAshland County341 mLoudonville4
Cedar FallsAdams County212 mPeebles3
Bridal Veil FallsCuyahoga ValleyCuyahoga County251 mWalton Hills7
Buttermilk FallsCuyahoga ValleySummit County214 mBoston Heights6
Cascade FallsLake County238 mChardon5
Cascade FallsPortage County306 mGarrettsville4
Great FallsCuyahoga ValleyCuyahoga County260 mBedford7
Greenville FallsMiami County277 mCovington5
Grove FallsKnox County260 mOak Hill4
Mill Creek FallsCuyahoga ValleyCuyahoga County235 mNewburgh Heights7
Minnehaha FallsPortage County297 mGarrettsville4
Sugar Creek Falls (historical)Tuscarawas County289 mBeach City4
Deans FallGeauga County293 mGates Mills6

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph waterfalls

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.

  • Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
  • 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.

Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.