Hike Details
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Parking Location: (41.32884, -81.03881) – Main parking for Nelson Ledges, across the road from the park.
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Trailhead Location: (41.32898, -81.04022) – notes
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Distance & Type: 0.3 Mile Out-and-Back
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Elevation Change: +/- 70-Feet
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Hike Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
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Hike Features: Cascade Falls and the ledges of Nelson Ledges park.
Cascade Falls at Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park.
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Note: Trail conditions change over time. If you discover any inaccuracies with this post during your visit, please post a comment below to let us know.
Cascade Falls is located a short distance away from the Nelson Ledges parking lot. It is worth noting that Nelson Ledges does not have a well-maintained trail system at the park. Paths are marked with blazes on trees, but even those are spaced far enough apart that following them can be tricky. Depending on the desired viewpoint, hiking to Cascade Falls at Nelson Ledges can range in difficulty from easy to moderate. A large rock slab is located in front of Cascade Falls blocking a portion of the falls from view. To view the full falls from below, you will need to climb the rocks near the base of the falls, but exercise caution when climbing around on rocks at the park as they can be slippery. For the more adventurous readers out there, Cascade Falls features a cave behind the falls that can be reached by climbing through openings between rocks on the north part of the falls.
Cascade Falls can be viewed from above by hiking uphill a short distance north of the falls and following the ledge south until you pass over the stream that makes up cascade falls. Just after the stream is a viewing area that offers a full view of Cascade Falls. If your goal is to visit the nearby Minnehaha Falls, you can continue to hike above the ledges until you reach the Minnehaha Falls area of Nelson Ledges. However, it is my recommendation that you traverse the ledges area from below to best experience the beauty of Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park
Trail Walkthrough
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(41.32884, -81.03881) – From the parking lot, walk towards the bathrooms and park sign. Cross the road at the crosswalk and walk towards the sign near a clearing between trees.
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(41.32898, -81.04022) – Once you enter the park and are facing the massive rock formations, follow the rock walls north until you start to hear the waterfall.
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(41.32976, -81.04097) – Reach Cascade Falls. Finding the best views will be a challenge. Use caution if climbing on rocks or standing near ledges.