Explore Cataract Falls in Indiana

If you are looking for a peaceful day exploring nature, consider a trip to Cataract Falls in Indiana!

I recently took a day off of work so I could spend a fun summer day with my two teenage daughters, and I wanted to do something outdoors. We previously enjoyed an outing to Bond Falls during our vacation in Northern Wisconsin, so I researched waterfalls in Indiana for us to explore.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Cataract Falls was just an hour from our home in central Indiana. How had I not heard about this outdoor oasis before?!

I was ready for some mother/daughter bonding in the great outdoors!

What You Need To Know

Cataract Falls is located in Owen County Indiana and is just an hour southwest of Indianapolis. The falls are part of the Lieber State Recreation Area, but you can drive right into the parking area for the Upper Falls and the historic covered bridge. Google maps will get you there with no issues!

There is a $7 fee for Indiana residents ($9 for out-of-state), payable at the entrance to Cataract Falls. If you keep your receipt you can get into any other Indiana State Park on the same day. Get more bang for your buck and visit the rest of Lieber State Recreation Area or nearby McCormick’s Creek State Park and spend the whole day marveling at the amazing Indiana State Parks.

For this trip, my girls and I were content with a half-day trip. That was the perfect amount of time to enjoy the falls, experience nature, and reconnect with each other.

Ample parking can be found right at the Cataract Falls entrance as well as a playground and several picnic tables in shady spots. We decided our picnic lunch could wait until after we explored a bit, so we wandered over to the southernmost part of the park.

Covered Bridge

The first thing we checked out was the red covered bridge that spans Mill Creek. Indiana is known for these historic covered bridges and its always a treat to explore them. There are actually 98 wooden covered bridges throughout Indiana, but seeing all of them would have to wait for another day!

No longer open to vehicles, the Cataract Falls Covered Bridge now contains several picnic tables and three large windows perfectly framing the nature just outside.

It is a short walk across the bridge, which ends in a dead-end so you will have to turn around. But it’s worth the jaunt across this historic bridge to admire the views as well as the interior wooden structure of trusses. Just try not to focus on the graffiti left by visitors who couldn’t resist leaving their mark. (And please, respect this historic gem and refrain from adding your own name!)

We took time to admire the bridge from both the inside and the outside, snapping plenty of photos along the way.

Upper Falls

Once we saw the sights from the bridge, we ventured down along the water’s edge to take in the Upper Falls.

Pay attention to signage about restricted areas throughout the park as rushing water is not something to mess with. Wet, slippery surfaces can be fraught with peril.

With a bit of common sense, you can still get plenty of amazing views of the falls and lots of Instagram worthy photos.

I found that every few steps I got a new vantage point of the falls and couldn’t resist taking yet another photo or video of this spectacular natural formation. There is a ledge with a railing that is perfect for overhead views of the flowing falls so we spent some time there just taking in the beauty of nature and our time together.

There is something soothing about the sound of rushing water!

Cataract Falls is Indiana’s largest waterfall, by volume, and there are two sets of falls.

If you have time, be sure to visit both the Upper and Lower Falls.

Hiking Trail

Once I had more than enough photos of the Upper Falls, we easily found the trail leading to the Lower Falls.

We picked the perfect day for our trip as temps were in the 70’s and even the infamous Indiana mosquitos seemed to be at rest!

My daughters and I enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the woods on the path running along the creek. We found numerous inlets on the path, allowing for even more views of the Upper Falls and more photo opportunities.

While my teenage girls were less inclined to be the subject of my photos, the intricate tree roots were happy to oblige!

It is less than a mile between the Upper and Lower Falls, which was the perfect distance to get some quality time in nature without hearing the common inquiry of “Are we there yet?”

The path itself meets up with the road that runs through the park, taking you on to the Lower Falls. For those less inclined to walk the trail, you can drive from the Upper Falls to the Lower Falls. There is plenty of parking in both areas and midway in between. You will also find numerous spots to enjoy a picnic.

Another option is to walk along the road instead of the path, which is the route we chose to get back to our car. Keep in mind that the trail is not a loop, so you will have to walk the slightly less than a mile again to get back to your vehicle.

Walking along the paved road was nice as there is very little traffic, but I preferred the more scenic trail route with the sounds and views of the creek below.

Lower Falls

Following the signs to get to the Lower Falls was very straightforward, and we were rewarded with expansive views of the cascading falls.

We carefully walked along the swiss cheese-like limestone at the edge of the creek, where it was allowed, to admire the flowing water.

We then ventured down to the sandy platform below to get a view of the plunging falls from below.

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the Lower Falls!

Once we made it back to our vehicle near the Upper Falls, we found a picnic table in the shade and enjoyed our PB&Js along with some girl talk.

Spending a few hours exploring Cataract Falls was the perfect outing for this mom who is always searching for fun opportunities to disconnect from the daily grind and reconnect with my growing girls!

Have you visited Cataract Falls? What other falls in the Midwest are worth a visit? Comment below as I’d love to check them out and create more family memories in the great outdoors!

Wherever the road takes you, make it a joyous journey,
Traveling Tanya

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