Brandywine Falls is a 55-foot waterfall on Brandywine Creek in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Summit County, Ohio, reached by a boardwalk a short walk from the parking area.
The falls
The single curtain-horsetail fall drops over a ledge of Berea Sandstone, which caps softer Bedford and Cleveland shale below; that layering produces the falls' veil-like form. A lidar survey puts the height at 55 feet; other measurements give 60 and 65 feet.
Getting there
The trailhead is at 8176 Brandywine Road. A boardwalk leads to an accessible upper view, while the lower overlook requires about 80 steps down. The paved lot has 90 spaces, including four accessible van spaces, and often fills by 10 a.m. on fair-weather weekends. Cuyahoga Valley National Park charges no entrance fee.
When to go
Flow rises after storms; in drier weather the flow drops and the veil pattern is more pronounced. Winter ice can close the boardwalk.
On site
The falls area is open from dawn to dusk, and the nearby Gorge Loop Trail runs about 1.5 miles. Entry within 50 feet of the falls, upstream or downstream, is prohibited, and so is rock or ice climbing. No closure was posted for Brandywine Falls as of September 2026.
History and name
George Wallace built a sawmill at the falls in 1814. Grist and woolen mills followed, and a village grew up around them.
Nearby
Buttermilk Falls is about 1.8 miles away, and Blue Hen Falls about 2.2 miles. Bridal Veil Falls is about 6.7 miles away, and Great Falls, on Tinkers Creek, about 7.4 miles.
Distances are straight-line.