Williamsport Falls is a 55-foot plunge waterfall on Fall Branch in the town of Williamsport, Warren County, Indiana, where the creek pours off a sandstone ledge a few blocks from the county courthouse. Signs at the site and Visit Indiana call it the state's tallest free-falling waterfall, though its height and ranking are disputed.
The falls
Fall Branch drops in a single plunge from a narrow crest, about 5 feet wide, into a sandstone amphitheater. The caprock is nearly 40 feet thick, and above the lip the creek has worn a channel a few feet deep into the rock. The World Waterfall Database measured the drop at about 55 feet from lidar; older measurements put it at 90 feet. One explanation suggests slabs of sandstone breaking off the ledge have lowered the falls over time; that is doubted, since there is less than 20 feet of elevation change between the base and the Wabash River.
Getting there
The falls are at 25 North Monroe Street, where Monroe Street crosses the railroad. The route runs south onto Monroe Street from Route 28 and follows signs to a parking area behind the fire station, just south of the tracks. An observation deck sits a few steps from the lot, and a wide, gently sloping trail leads down to a viewing platform at the streambed. A longer, easy loop covers 1.6 miles with 104 feet of gain.
When to go
The falls are often dry, which has earned them the local nickname Dry Falls; a visit after rain or during snowmelt is recommended. In cold snaps the falls freeze, drawing visits as a winter destination.
On site
The overlook by the parking lot gives a view from above. From the streambed, visitors can walk up to the base and behind the falls, which means getting wet. There is a picnic table near the trail, and dogs are allowed on a leash.
History and name
In the 19th century a mill below the falls ran on the creek's then-steady flow, and the sandstone here was quarried for the foundations of many local buildings. Reduced and uneven flow today is attributed to the conversion of the surrounding land to mechanized farming and to water diverted into irrigation ponds; a study of keeping a steady flow over the falls found the cost too high.
Nearby
Clinton Falls is about 42.9 miles away, Groundhog Falls about 45 miles and Vermillion Falls about 45.3 miles. Nearby Attica and Turkey Run State Park are often paired with the falls.
Distances are straight-line.