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117 parks in 7 regions

Bridal Veil Falls

Walton Hills · Cuyahoga County

Cascading step falls over shale ledges along a small tributary

20 ftheight

Easywalk

Visiting information you can trust

Content last reviewed: September 2026 — this is when Field Notes Ohio's content was last checked, not a live status.
Primary official source: Official page
Location confidence: Verified property location
Published coordinates for the falls or its trailhead
Check current conditions: Official conditions or closures

Prices, hours, closures, campsite availability and trail conditions shown elsewhere on this page are not live — always confirm with the official source before you go.

A short, family friendly boardwalk walk to a tiered cascade in Bedford Reservation, one of the most photographed waterfalls near Cleveland.

Height: About 20 feet
Trail: About one third of a mile, boardwalk and steps
Managed by: Cleveland Metroparks
Best time: After rain and in spring; can slow in late summer
Fee: Free
Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible; boardwalk has stairs

When it flows

Fed by Deerlick Creek, a small tributary, so flow is best after rain or in spring and can slow to a trickle in a dry summer; ice builds up along the cascades in winter.

The story

Bridal Veil Falls formed as Deerlick Creek cuts down through shale and thin sandstone layers left behind after glaciers carved the broader Tinkers Creek gorge system tens of thousands of years ago; the cascading, stair step pattern of the falls reflects the alternating hard and soft rock layers it crosses. The gorge here is part of the larger Tinkers Creek watershed, one of the deepest river valleys in northern Ohio outside the Cuyahoga Valley itself.

The land was settled and logged by farm families in the 1800s, and Tinkers Creek and its tributaries powered small mills in the surrounding area through the 19th century, remnants of which can still be found elsewhere in Bedford Reservation. Cleveland Metroparks acquired Bedford Reservation in the early 20th century as part of its emerald necklace of parkland, and Bridal Veil Falls became one of its signature, easily reached scenic stops, marketed for its popularity with wedding photographers, hence the name.

Stay behind railings and on marked trails. Wet rock at the top and base of a falls is slick in every season, and most Ohio falls do not allow swimming, wading or climbing. Flow depends on rain: many falls are a trickle in late summer and at their best after a wet spell, in spring, or frozen in a hard winter.

Getting to the falls

About a third of a mile on a boardwalk and stairs along Deerlick Creek from the Bridal Veil Falls trailhead to the overlook; it is an easy walk but the boardwalk and steps are not wheelchair accessible.

Status

Open

Hours

6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily

Cost

Free

Phone

216-635-3200

Managed by

Cleveland Metroparks

Please note

Stay on the boardwalk and behind railings, no swimming, dogs must be leashed and kept away from the edge