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LakeQuality

The Cascades is a plunge waterfall on Birch Creek, a tributary of Yellow Springs Creek, within the 1,000-acre Glen Helen Nature Preserve adjoining John Bryan State Park. The preserve has roughly 25 miles of trails through limestone cliffs and old-growth woods.

Height
Not measured
Type
Plunge
Access
Moderate Hike
Trail
Not documented
Elevation gain
Not documented
Best season
Spring (after rain or snowmelt)
Land manager
Glen Helen Nature Preserve (Antioch College)
Watercourse
Birch Creek

Before you go

Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check Glen Helen Nature Preserve (Antioch College) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.

Frequently Asked Questions

No measured height is on record for Cascades at Glen Helen in the land-manager and survey sources this inventory draws on. We list it without a height rather than estimating one.

Access is documented as moderate hike. No trail distance is on record for Cascades at Glen Helen. The nearest town is Yellow Springs. Confirm access and land status with Glen Helen Nature Preserve (Antioch College) before setting out — some documented falls have no public route at all.

Spring (after rain or snowmelt). Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.

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