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LakeQuality

Updated July 2026

Cataract Falls (Upper Falls)

Owen County County, Indiana — about 45 ft, mid-height.

The Upper Falls of Cataract Falls drops roughly 45 feet over a limestone ledge on Mill Creek in Owen County, Indiana. Together with the Lower Falls a mile downstream, it forms the largest waterfall by volume in the state, viewable from roadside platforms in the state recreation area.

Height
45 ft
Type
Cascade
Access
Roadside
Trail
Not documented
Elevation gain
Not documented
Best season
Spring
Land manager
Indiana Department of Natural Resources (Cataract Falls State Recreation Area / Lieber SRA)
Watercourse
Mill 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 Indiana Department of Natural Resources (Cataract Falls State Recreation Area / Lieber SRA) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Cataract Falls (Upper Falls) drops about 45 feet. That makes it the 449th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 34% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.

Access is documented as roadside. No trail distance is on record for Cataract Falls (Upper Falls). The nearest town is Spencer. Confirm access and land status with Indiana Department of Natural Resources (Cataract Falls State Recreation Area / Lieber SRA) before setting out — some documented falls have no public route at all.

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

More Indiana waterfalls

Sources

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