Falls Trail

The Falls Trail leads to McCormick's Creek Falls, the most-visited attraction at Indiana's oldest state park and one of the most distinctive waterfalls in the state. The falls plunge approximately 20 feet over a curved lip of Salem limestone into a circular plunge pool, the limestone worn smooth and bowl-shaped by centuries of abrasion from the creek's sediment load. The fall face is a classic limestone plunge — the creek drops free of the bedrock and crashes straight into the pool, creating a constant roar and a veil of mist that keeps the surrounding canyon walls perpetually damp and moss-covered. The surrounding rock surface displays classic karst features including dissolution channels, small caves, and smooth solution pits called scallops. The trail to the falls is steep and short, with uneven footing on the descent. A wooden observation deck at the base of the falls provides a safe viewing platform in the spray zone. In periods of low summer flow, the falls become a trickle over the limestone lip, but spring and post-rain visits deliver the full dramatic effect. The adjacent Wolf Cave Trail begins near the falls and extends into the park's more remote sections for those seeking a longer outing.