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

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The field guide to outdoor Ohio

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Old Man's Cave, Hocking Hills · Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0

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117 parks in 7 regions

Rock Run Falls

Jackson · Jackson County
Small cascade where Rock Run drops from the lake's spillway into the valley below
Small cascadeheight
Moderatehike

A quiet cascade fed by Lake Katharine's spillway, crossed by a footbridge on the Pine Ridge Trail.

Height
Not precisely measured; a modest multi tier cascade
Trail
About 2 to 2.5 miles round trip on the Pine Ridge Trail
Managed by
ODNR Division of Natural Areas and Preserves
Best time
After rain; lake outflow keeps some water flowing most of the year
Nearby feature
Lake Katharine, open to muscle powered boating by permit
Rule
No pets; stay on designated trails

When it flows

Fed by the outflow of Lake Katharine, so it runs fairly steadily but is heavier after rain and lighter in dry late summer.

The story

Rock Run cuts through sandstone cliffs and ravines typical of the western edge of the Allegheny Plateau, and the preserve's cool, moist ravines shelter the state's largest known populations of bigleaf and umbrella magnolia, trees more typical of the Gulf Coastal Plain that were left behind here after the last ice age.

The lake and surrounding land were donated to the state by business partners Edwin A. Jones and James J. McKitterick, with the lake named for Jones's wife, Katharine. The preserve protects both the manmade lake and the natural ravines around Rock Run, and the small waterfall below the spillway is one of several cascades hikers pass on the Pine Ridge Trail loop.

The waterfall's height is not clearly documented in available sources; it appears to be a modest cascade rather than a named, measured drop, so treat the description as approximate. No park id from the provided list was confirmed to be within about 20 miles, so the parks list is left empty.

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

Reached along the Pine Ridge Trail, roughly 2 to 2.5 miles round trip with about 300 feet of elevation change, crossing a footbridge above the falls with a side path down toward the base.

Status
Open to the public
Hours
Half hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset, daily
Cost
Free
Phone
(614) 799-9538
Managed by
Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Natural Areas and Preserves
Please note
Stay on designated trails; No pets; No public restrooms; Boating on the lake requires a permit and is muscle powered only.
Address
1703 Lake Katharine Road, Jackson, OH 45640
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

Ash Cave Falls
About 22 miles · 90 ft
Open
Whispering Falls
About 24 miles · 100 to 105 ft
Open
Cedar Falls
About 24 miles · 50 ft
Open
Lower Falls at Old Man's Cave
About 25 miles · 25 ft
Open

Parks nearby

Lake Alma State Park
About 9 miles · Nearest park in the app
Open
Jackson Lake State Park
About 13 miles · Nearest park in the app
Open

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

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