Cedar Falls is a 15-foot cascade on Cedar Run, dropping over several limestone ledges in the Edge of Appalachia Preserve System of Adams County, Ohio.
The falls
Below the falls, Cedar Run has cut a gorge bordered by cliffs as high as 70 feet, where fallen Peebles Dolomite blocks form a boulder field. The flow answers directly to rain and runoff and is strongest in spring or after heavy rain.
Getting there
The Nature Conservancy and Cincinnati Museum Center jointly manage the Edge of Appalachia Preserve System. The Helen C. Black Trail begins at the Cedar Mills Road parking area, reached from State Route 32 by way of Steam Furnace Road, White Oak Road and Cedar Mills Road. The route is three miles round trip, moderately difficult to strenuous in places, crossing forest trail, rocky stream crossings and a boulder field to a cliff-top overlook. The preserve is open to the public year-round from dawn to dusk, with no fee, permit or reservation.
When to go
Spring and the period right after hard rain give the falls their strongest flow; winter is also recommended. Spring wildflowers generally bloom from March through May.
On site
Visitors view the falls from a developed overlook; direct access to the base is off limits, and the trail is the only sanctioned route. Pets, bicycles, camping, ATVs, fires, horseback riding, hunting, rock climbing and snowmobiles are all prohibited, though service animals are allowed. The 70-foot cliffs are hazardous, and the trail has no facilities.
History and name
The Helen C. Black Trail opened in the summer of 2020 and is named for the conservationist; the preserve itself is named for John and Marion Becker. The gorge preserves northern white cedar that has persisted there since the end of the last ice age.
Nearby
Cedar Falls is the only recorded waterfall in Adams County. The nearest other listed falls are well outside the county: Monroe Falls is about 36.5 miles away in Ohio, and across the state line in Kentucky, Big Gimlet Falls is about 45 miles and Sam Carroll Falls about 45.4 miles.
Distances are straight-line.