Field NotesOhio
Upper Falls in the Old Man's Cave gorge, Hocking Hills, with visitors on the rocks

An independent field guide · 365 places

The field guide to outdoor Ohio

Parks and forests, ancient mounds, caves, waterfalls and back roads, with the story behind each place and where to eat and fuel up nearby.
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  • 117parks & forests
  • 64ancient mounds
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Old Man's Cave, Hocking Hills · Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0

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State parks & forests117 places, with cabins, campsites and trails117 places Waterfalls34 falls, with trail notes34 falls Mounds & earthworks64 ancient sites, from Serpent Mound to Newark64 ancient sites Caves & caverns12 show caverns, recess caves and rock shelters12 caves Lake Erie beaches20 public beaches, Conneaut to Toledo20 beaches Historic sites40 places, from the frontier to the Civil War40 places Road trips33 drives, from the Lincoln Highway to the Morgan Heritage Trail33 drives Oddities19 giants, ghosts and folk-art stops19 roadside stops The Buckeye TrailA 1,444-mile loop, all 26 sections1,444 miles

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Six places to start

One from every corner of the state, each with its full story inside.

01Old Man's CaveHocking Hills · SoutheastA gorge of waterfalls and recess caves where a hermit is said to have lived, with the park's visitor center. 02Great Serpent MoundAdams County · SouthwestA gigantic earthen snake on a hilltop over Ohio Brush Creek, built by a people whose name is still argued over. 03Brandywine FallsCuyahoga Valley · NortheastThe tallest waterfall in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, reached by an easy boardwalk with an accessible upper overlook. 04Marblehead LighthouseMarblehead · Lake ErieThe oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes, lit since 1821, on nine acres of limestone shoreline. 05Zoar VillageTuscarawas County · EasternA well-preserved communal village founded by German separatists in 1817, on the Ohio & Erie Canal. 06Longaberger Basket BuildingNewark · CentralA seven-story office building shaped like a picnic basket, with handles that are heated in winter.

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Lake ErieWest Virginia36 places368 places813 places135 places523 places2321 places2124 places2416 places1613 places134 places418 places182 places217 places1710 places1014 places142 places27 places76 places613 places133 places34 places414 places143 places3Harrison Lake State Park2 places22 places22 places26 places64 places4

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Parks, forests & wildlife areas

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117 parks in 7 regions

Chagrin Falls

Chagrin Falls · Cuyahoga County
Wide ledge falls over shale and sandstone, in the middle of a village downtown
20 ftheight
Easywalk
Yesaccessible overlook
Directions →Official source →

A wide river waterfall in the heart of downtown Chagrin Falls, viewable from a bridge and streamside park just steps from Main Street shops.

Height
About 20 feet
Crest width
About 50 to 60 feet
Managed by
Village of Chagrin Falls
Best time
Spring snowmelt and after rain; visible flow most of the year
Fee
Free
Setting
In the village center, next to shops and Falls Park

When it flows

The Chagrin River is a real river with a sizable watershed, so there is usually visible flow year round, though it can be low after a dry summer and runs highest during spring snowmelt and after heavy rain; a small dam just upstream regulates some of the flow.

The story

The falls formed where the Chagrin River drops over a shelf of shale and sandstone bedrock typical of northeastern Ohio's river valleys, part of the same Paleozoic rock sequence exposed at many falls across the region. The water depth at the base of the falls varies from a few feet to over ten feet depending on conditions, which along with the current has made the plunge pool a longstanding, sometimes dangerous, local swimming spot despite it not being an official swimming area.

French traders were active in the area in the early 1700s, and the waterfall itself gave the town its name. New England settlers arrived in the 1830s, and the falls quickly became the power source for a cluster of mills, with as many as nine operating here at the industry's peak, grinding grain and sawing lumber and later powering small manufacturing including the Leader tractor works. The village was incorporated in 1844 and grew up directly around the falls, which remain the visual and civic center of downtown Chagrin Falls today, framed by the Main Street bridge and the annual Blossom Time festival.

Coordinates are approximate, taken from a third party waterfall database rather than an official village source. Drownings have occurred at the falls over the years, which is why the village and local reporting caution visitors against swimming here even though there is no fence keeping people out.

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.

Visiting information you can trust

Check before driving — this site is seasonal, approximate, privately run, or otherwise uncertain. Confirm hours and access with the official source above.
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
Approximate — boundary or exact point not confirmed
Approximate location, use the address or 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.

Getting to the falls

A short paved walk and boardwalk from the Main Street bridge and adjacent Falls Park lead directly to a viewing area at the base of the falls, right in the village center.

Status
Open
Hours
Falls Park is open during normal daylight hours
Cost
Free
Phone
440-247-5050
Managed by
Village of Chagrin Falls
Please note
Stay behind railings, swimming and wading at the base of the falls is discouraged by the village due to drowning risk from currents and depth changes
Address
Falls Park, South Main Street at the Main Street bridge, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022
Official page →DirectionsShow on the map

The pin on the map is approximate; use the address or the park's own directions to find the trailhead.

Trails close for repairs, ice and high water. Check the official page before a long drive.

More falls nearby

Affelder Falls
About 8 miles · 20 ft
Open
Great Falls of Tinkers Creek
About 8 miles · 15 to 20 ft
Open
Bridal Veil Falls
About 9 miles · 20 ft
Open
Buttermilk Falls (North Chagrin Reservation)
About 10 miles · 10 to 15 ft
Open

Parks nearby

South Chagrin Reservation
About 2 miles · Cleveland Metroparks reservation
Open
Bedford Reservation
About 9 miles · Cleveland Metroparks reservation
Open
North Chagrin Reservation
About 9 miles · Cleveland Metroparks reservation
Open
Punderson State Park
About 9 miles · Geauga County state park
Open
Penitentiary Glen Reservation
About 13 miles · Lake Metroparks preserve
Open
Big Creek Park and Headwaters Park (Geauga Park District)
About 16 miles · Geauga Park District property
Open

Details last checked 2026-09-22. Confirm hours and prices before you go.

Know a place that belongs here, or spotted something out of date? Email hello@fieldnotesohio.com.