As you drive across Indiana, you will be surprised at how many small mountainous landscapes have cliffs that create beautiful waterfalls.
We’ve rounded up some of our favorite waterfalls in the state to explore. Whether you’re looking for a place to take the kids on a hike, or want to get some fresh air, these waterfalls are sure to make you smile.
Located west of Indianapolis in Owen County, Cataract Falls is Indiana’s largest waterfall by volume. Part of Mill Creek, which feeds Cagles Mill Lake, these spectacular drops resulted from two pre-glacial bedrock ridges buried beneath ancient lake sediments.
This waterfall is one of the most scenic in the state and a popular place for a family hike, camping or picnic. It’s also home to many different animals and native plants.
Travel + Leisure named these falls as the best in Indiana and they are a must-visit if you’re headed southwest. The waterfalls are only an hour’s drive from downtown Indianapolis so it makes a perfect stop along your trip!
In the midst of Indiana's fertile agricultural land, glaciers carved deep gorges that still provide some of the state's most spectacular waterfalls. Spring sees them flowing at full force while in the winter, they're a frozen wonderland.
Many of these secluded areas were preserved thanks to the efforts of local and national land trusts. In fact, there are more than 25 such organizations in the state.
Jason Kissel, a member of the organization Acres Land Trust in Huntertown, says their focus is to find unique spots and preserve them for people to enjoy. "We think they're a gift to our communities," he says.
Muscatatuck Falls is a popular tourist destination in Indiana. It is known for its natural landscapes, cliffs, and waterfalls.
It is a must-visit place for everyone who loves nature. It is a great spot to go hiking and swimming during the warmer months when conditions are favorable.
The falls are surrounded by beautiful trees and flowers, making it a serene place to visit. It is also home to several species of chirping birds.
The Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge is an important stopover site for migratory birds during spring and fall migrations. The upland forests and shrublands provide habitat for species such as Kentucky warbler, wood thrush, summer and scarlet tanagers, American redstart, orchard oriole, yellow-billed cuckoo, and prairie warbler.
About a half-million people visit Clifty Falls State Park each year, and it's easy to see why. Here, a creek forms four waterfalls along a narrow canyon on its way to the Ohio River.
The park also preserves fossil remnants of a long-vanished marine ecosystem, including ancient corals and ancestral squids. Its 425 million-year-old shale and limestone rocks are among the oldest bedrock exposures in Indiana.
It’s a great place for families, with activities like a swimming pool and an incomplete railroad tunnel. The best time to visit is in late spring and early summer when the falls are at their peak.
Located in the town of Williamsport, this waterfall is considered to be one of the largest in Indiana. The falls roars down a rocky bed into the Wabash River below and attracts thousands of visitors each year.
This beautiful place is also known for its hiking trail that spans over 1.5 miles. It is a great place to visit for hikers of all ages.
Small, intermittent Fall Creek tumbles over a ledge of resistant Pennsylvanian sandstone. This cap rock is a remnant of the glacial till that was carried by the ice when it spread over the Midwest during several ice ages.
