Saturday we visited three waterfalls in Miami County. Below we show what the waterfalls look like and describe their locations.
Ludlow Falls
First up was Ludlow Falls in the village of Ludlow Falls. We parked in a dirt parking lot across from the post office. The 15 ft (4.5m) high falls on Ludlow Creek is located under a highway bridge. A short path leads from the lot to the falls.
FYI, the village, creek, and falls are named after Israel Ludlow, a surveyor who helped found Cincinnati and Dayton after the Revolutionary War.
West Milton Cascades
Next on to nearby West Milton Cascades in the neighboring town of West Milton. The waterfall is located in town near the intersection of OH-571 (Tipp Pike) and OH-48 (Main St.). The small parking lot for the falls is across OH-571 from the Masonic Lodge in a small town park. There are several observation areas and two series of stairs down to the base of the cascade. The falls is on a small stream that feeds into the Stillwater River.
Charleston Falls
Afterwards, we drove half an hour to Charleston Falls Preserve where we had a backpack lunch and went hiking. We’ve previously reviewed the preserve, which is run by Miami County. The preserve is a wonderful place to hike with varied terrain and photogenic scenery. The highlight of the preserve is 37 ft (11.3m) Charleston Falls.
Additional information
- TrekOhio: Charleston Falls Preserve – park review
- TrekOhio: Greenville Falls – park containing another waterfall in Miami County
- TrekOhio: Waterfalls!!! – annotated list of Ohio waterfalls we’ve visited
- TrekOhio: Miami County Parks & Preserves
Location
- Ludlow Falls
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- Address: 110 Covington Ave., Ludlow Falls, Ohio 45339 (under bridge, across from Post Office)
- GPS Coordinates: 39.998679, -84.338023
- Google Maps: View on map or get directions
- West Milton Cascade
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- Address: 160 E. Tipp Pike, West Milton, Ohio 45383 (near intersection of OH-571 (Tipp Pike) and OH-48 (Main St.))
- GPS Coordinates: 39.964518, -84.327328
- Google Maps: View on map or get directions
- Charleston Falls
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- Address: 2535 Ross Road, Tipp City, Ohio 45371
- GPS Coordinates: 39.916068, -84.148562
- Google Maps: View on map or get directions
More on Waterfalls
Hocking Hills State Park: Old Man’s Cave / Cedar Falls Loop Hike
Rock Stalls Natural Sanctuary
Boch Hollow State Nature Preserve: Robinson Falls
Greenville Falls State Scenic River Area
Can you take a dip in any of these falls areas ?… I have been searching for swimming holes in Ohio and Kentucky ??
The catch with any “swimming hole” is that the owner (park district, etc.) typically discourages or explicitly forbids swimming in these areas. With that said, I note that there is a Facebook page associated with Ludlow Falls in which one person posts about swimming there, and another person posts a link to some related YouTube videos. However, a third person posts:
I don’t know for sure, but I suspect that the park does not authorize swimming at Ludlow Falls. As to the other falls described in this article, there isn’t enough water at the base of these falls to make them work as swimming holes.
There have been a few drownings at Ludlow Falls over the years. You can fish there, but no wading/swimming. The Fire Department is right there and they will call the Sheriff.
Bottom line, it can be dangerous when there’s a lot of water coming over the falls. Plus, some idiots will jump from the bridge. That’s a long way (More than a 10 meter high dive) and I’m not sure it’s all that deep there.
Thank you for posting the pictures of what is across/near the parking area for these falls. It will really help when I’m trying to find them on!
No problem! Our unofficial motto is: “TrekOhio: We get lost, so you don’t have to”.
Wonderful directions! I had a little trouble with the 2nd address but it was close enough and the coordinates were correct to find it. Thanks for the great insite; it made for a wonderful day!!
Kendra, I’m glad the article was helpful and that you had a good time. 🙂
We just visited the waterfall in West Milton and Charleston falls a few weeks ago when they were still partially frozen. Just gorgeous. The one in West Milton isn’t easy to find. The city really should mark that parking lot in some way so you know it’s for the park and not the business (home?) there on the corner.