Field Notes Ohio

Ohio's parks, forests and wildlife areas with camping, the ancient mounds beside them, and the Buckeye Trail that links them. Stories, trails, wildlife, and where to eat and fuel up nearby. Book campsites on ReserveOhio.
Try:
The Buckeye TrailA 1,444-mile blue-blazed loop around Ohio, with all 26 sections.
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Mounds & Earthworks43 ancient sites, including the Great Serpent Mound and the Newark Earthworks.
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Historic Sites39 places, from Fort Steuben and Zoar to Camp Chase and the Rankin House, from the frontier to the Civil War.
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Road Trips33 drives, from the Lincoln Highway to the Morgan Heritage Trail.
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Lake Erie Beaches20 public beaches from Conneaut to Toledo and the islands, with a map.
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Oddities & Roadside Attractions19 giants, ghosts and folk-art stops, plus a Mothman just over the line.
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Caves & Caverns12 show caverns, recess caves and rock shelters, with a map.
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Waterfalls34 falls from the Cuyahoga Valley to the Hocking Hills, with trail notes and a map.
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Explore Ohio

One map for every park, mound, historic site, beach, cave, waterfall and oddity in the app.

Lake ErieWest Virginia27 places277 places77 places73 places35 places519 places1913 places1319 places1916 places168 places810 places1010 places109 places98 places820 places204 places43 places3Barkcamp State Park4 places47 places77 places76 places69 places917 places173 places3Harrison Lake State Park2 places2Forked Run State Park3 places32 places26 places610 places103 places32 places2

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117 parks in 7 regions

Hayden Falls

Columbus · Franklin County
A narrow plunge waterfall over a limestone ledge into a gorge above the Scioto River
25 to 35 ftheight
Easywalk
Yesaccessible overlook

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.

A limestone plunge waterfall in a Scioto River gorge in west Columbus, reached by a stairway and boardwalk or a stair free overlook above.

Height
About 25 to 35 feet, depending on the source
Trail
About 0.3 mile round trip with stairs and a boardwalk
Managed by
Columbus Recreation and Parks Department
Best time
Spring after snowmelt or heavy rain; can slow to a trickle in a dry summer
Established
Designated a nature preserve in 2004
Rules
Climbing on the falls or cliff face is prohibited to protect rare cliff plants

When it flows

Highly seasonal; strongest after snowmelt or heavy spring rain, when it can be several times wider than in a dry summer, when it may slow to a light trickle.

The story

Hayden Falls drops over a limestone ledge into a steep ravine that falls nearly 70 feet in relief overall, cut by a small stream on its way to the Scioto River, part of the same bedrock exposed along nearby Griggs Reservoir. The cliff face supports plant species that are rare in central Ohio, which is why climbing on the rock is not allowed.

The city acquired the land in 1920, and the falls have drawn visitors for more than a century, appearing in photographs as early as 1918. The site was formally designated Hayden Falls Nature Preserve in 2004, and the city later added a boardwalk, stairs, and overlooks to protect the fragile ravine while still letting people reach the falls.

Height is reported differently by different sources, about 25 feet by one waterfall guide and about 35 feet in the city's own management plan; treat the figure as a range.

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 0.3 mile round trip from a small parking area on Hayden Run Road, down a stairway and boardwalk to overlooks near the base of the falls; a separate overlook near the top does not require the stairs and is described by the city as accessible for visitors who cannot use them.

Status
Open to the public
Hours
7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Cost
Free
Managed by
Columbus Recreation and Parks Department
Please note
Pedestrian access only, on the boardwalk and stairs; No climbing on the falls or cliff face; Leave no trace.
Address
4325 Hayden Run Road, Columbus, OH 43221
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

Indian Run Falls
About 2 miles · 22 ft
Open

Parks nearby

Alum Creek State Park
About 14 miles · State park lake northeast of Columbus
Open
Delaware State Park
About 22 miles · State park and wildlife area north of Columbus
Open

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