Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Brandywine Falls Trail

easy FamiliesWaterfall LoversPhotographers
1.25 mi Distance
100 ft Elevation Gain
1 hours Estimated Time
roundtrip Trail Type

What to Expect

This is the trail Cuyahoga Valley built its reputation on, and for good reason. From the parking area, a boardwalk winds through hemlock forest so dense the temperature drops noticeably — a welcome reprieve in summer, atmospheric in fall. The path descends gradually via wooden stairs and platforms, losing barely enough elevation to notice in your legs. Within fifteen minutes, you round a bend and there it is: Brandywine Falls, a 65-foot curtain of water spilling over Berea Sandstone ledges that look like stacked pages of a geology textbook. An observation deck puts you at eye level with the middle of the cascade, close enough to feel mist on your face during heavy flow. The whole out-and-back takes well under an hour, making this the perfect trail for families with small kids, anyone with limited mobility who can handle stairs, or hikers looking for a quick hit of beauty between Cleveland and Akron.
FamiliesWaterfall LoversPhotographersQuick DetourFirst-Time Visitors

Safety Advisory

The wooden boardwalk and stairs get slick when wet or frosty. Take your time on the descent, especially in late fall and winter when ice can form on shaded sections.

Stay behind the railings at the observation deck. The sandstone ledges near the falls are undercut and unstable — people have been injured climbing off-trail to get closer.

Trail Details

Distance 1.25 miles round-trip
Elevation Gain 100 ft
Difficulty easy
Estimated Time 1 hours
Trail Type roundtrip
Pets Not allowed
Season Year-round
Trailhead Brandywine Falls Trail

Pro Tips

Trail Tip

Arrive before 9 AM on weekends or you'll be circling the small parking lot — it fills fast, especially during fall color season in mid-October. The overflow lot on Stanford Road adds a quarter-mile walk.

Trail Tip

Visit two to three days after heavy rain for the most dramatic water volume. During dry summer stretches, the falls can thin to a disappointing trickle, so check recent precipitation before making the drive.

Trail Tip

After seeing the main falls, take the lower loop trail that continues past the observation deck. Most visitors turn around at the platform, but the loop drops to the creek below and gives you a completely different angle looking up at the falls — far better for photography and practically empty.

More Trails in Cuyahoga Valley

Explore Cuyahoga Valley National Park

125 trails, 2.9M annual visitors

View Park Guide