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    Cataract Falls State Recreation Area

    4.4 (47 reviews)

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    Christina B.

    Crazy to think this area is just about an hour from Indy and I never knew. The guy working the entrance booth was friendly and incredibly helpful. He anticipated all of my questions in advance and gave me quick easy directions to all the highlights of the park. I loved that the parking lot and Upper Falls observation deck area are paved and fairly easily accessible. There are several areas where you can grill and we saw lots of people walking dogs. The park area is beautiful. I was disappointed to see how much graffiti was on the covered bridge despite lots of signs warning against it, but it was still pretty cool overall.

    Map
    Linda G.

    We love visiting this park! Largest waterfall in Indiana. There is a neat path from the upper falls to the lower falls, or easy parking in both sections if you don't want to walk. The Indiana parks do not have trash cans - you are asked to please carry out your own trash, so please bring a trash bag and keep this park beautiful.

    Brittany S.

    I've been meaning to get here for years - one bright spot if COVID is getting us all to rediscover our state parks, parks and what's already in our backyard. The Cataract bridge was built in 1876 over what is known as Indiana's largest waterfall (ha, or the Niagara of Indiana). It's no Niagara but we were impressed by the strength and sound of the upper falls. From the upper falls parking lot, we hiked our way down to the lower falls. I believe it was around 40-45 minutes round trip. Note that it can be a bit slick after a rain. You can also choose to drive up to the lower falls. Picnic benches were found in both spots. If you're in need of an activity that makes you feel "elsewhere" this is a great pick! Note that McCormick Creek State Park is only 15 minutes down the road.

    This is as close as you get to the falls.
    Melissa V.

    For a few years now Cataract Falls occasionally gets recommended on 'Only In Indiana' on my FB, and seeing it's not far from our family in Indiana's home we knew we had to go! We arrived on a weekday morning and to my surprise it's a state park and they charge $7. for residents and I believe it was $10. for out of state. It was nice to see we pretty much had the park to ourselves and the littles could move about without people to be respecting distancing (during COVID-19 breakout). I have to say Cataract Falls was pretty disappointing. The pictures I've seen online must have been taken by a professional photographer that either had a telephoto lens on their camera or they got access to restricted area to take the pictures. We were so far away and it was kind of boring. It is a pretty park though. All in all, I'm happy I crossed it off my list and we made memories with the kids on the ride there and back.

    Rachel M.

    Cataract Falls had good signage getting off the interstate & was easy to get to. There's more parking at the Upper Falls than the Lower falls. Even though there's a lot of signs to not get close to the water, many people do (and that's what makes it fun!) Bring your good camera (you'll regret it if you don't), a picnic lunch (plenty of picnic tables) & long pants (it's easy but fun to get off the beaten path here). We spent almost our whole time here at Upper Falls & as a couple with no kids, we had a blast hiking up the heights & jumping over rocks. We drove down to Lower Falls just to see what it looks like -- it seems to be more of the family spot. Lots of people with kids, several people fishing, even one guy in a kayak. We didn't use the restroom facilities here, but they were available in a few locations. I love that we have waterfalls in Indiana. Take advantage!!!

    Jamie W.

    Cataract Falls is just gorgeous! With everyone eager to bust out of quarantine, it was pretty busy when we visited last week BUT it's easy to maintain social-distancing here! There is a parking lot for both the upper and lower falls. In fact, the falls are very easy to see - there is little hiking involved to get to them so it's easily accessible. The red covered bridge is also very accessible and makes for a great photo background. There were quite a few fishing the day we were there. We sat and watched the bring in fish after fish near the lower falls. There are several trails available and picnic tables as well. I would suggest packing a picnic and enjoying it at one of the tables that overlook the upper falls! Outhouses are also available at both the upper and lower falls. A quick tip: bring your own hand sanitizer and or water/soap to use.

    First time here. Shouldn't have waited so long
    Elizabeth B.

    Shouldn't have waited so long to come! 1 hr from Lebanon Going to stop at oasis on way back in plainfield.

    Allison F.

    Cataract Falls is a park of rebels, as the signs tell you not to swim or climb the rocks, yet on our visit that is exactly what everyone was doing. Needless to say, we joined in the rebellion. While I agree that the 1/2-mile hiking trail is short, my husband and I made the most of our recent trip by walking through parts of the creek and behind the waterfall at the upper falls. The extra time spent doing these activities with the hiking to both falls rounded our visit to about three hours. It's a picture-esque spot, perfect for a day trip if you're looking for a little bit of adventure outside of Indy.

    Staci W.

    Beautiful scenery but can get crowded. There is only one trail so once you walk that there is not much to do. The trails can get crowded so try and go earlier in the day. Bring water shoes if you want to walk along the creek.

    Sophie W.

    Waterfalls in Indiana? Who would've thought?? We ended up going on quite a rainy day and when we got back to the car, it was equivalent to getting out of a pool because we were completely drenched! But I've got to say the rain scared away the other visitors and we ended up being the only ones there for over an hour and had the whole place to ourselves! So I definitely recommend finding a rainy day if you don't mind getting a little wet!! Now for the actual attraction, the waterfalls were incredible!! The pictures really don't do the view justice because you really need all 360 degrees to SOAK it all in. Really, we kind of hiked around and found ourselves at the top of the upper falls, which I really recommend because you need the entire waterfall experience! It was actually pretty simple though, the path next to the falls is pretty straightforward and leads you to the top (unfortunately, there's not much direction on how to navigate the hiking trails). But apparently during winter when the upper falls are frozen, there's a path underneath that you can explore if you dare! All of the falls were accessible by car with no entry or parking fees when unmanned. Can't say I have much advice on how to stay dry, but be sure to pack a snack!

    Beautiful day for such a wonderful experience!
    Elizabeth H.

    Late April 2020, world is on full quarantine; cabin fever is at an all time high! All this being said....there was no entry fee, the weather was beautiful and Spring was finally here. This park offered us more than we were ready for. Now that we have visited we have certain ideas for a better visit next time. YES THERE WILL BE A "NEXT" TIME!!! A covered bridge greets guests immediately; but take note that you aren't admitted past the end of the bridge. Of course you can be "those" people that jump the fence and to each his own on that note. A children's playground is straight across from the entrance just to ensure kiddos WILL NOT want to do anything else but run for it immediately! There weren't places to camp; however people were making use of the picnic tables conveniently placed close enough to the water for easy cleaning of the fish they caught, or simply an afternoon snack with the family. Hiking from the Lower Falls to the Upper Falls is roughly rugged at times depending on whom wants to trek down the rocky shores to skip rocks or fish. Just remember to bring along some water because you might find yourself rather thirsty. Once we got to the Lower Falls there were amazing fishermen catching in the double digits of fish! Not exactly sure even how on earth they really got there with their gear; or if they swam all the way there. All in all we will definitely drive to the Lower Falls first next time, and park. Taking our fishing poles first to fish. For once we made it to the Lower Falls there was no way myself and my kids were hiking all the way back to the car to start fishing. It easy to lose time along these rocky shores along the river as you visualize the way the Indians did years and years ago.........

    Careract falls
    Paul R.

    How can you not give five stars to the largest water falls in Indiana. Amazingly and I am not sure how I missed this all these years. I have been to most all state parks and sights of interest since living in Indiana for 46 years. There is plenty to see here and I recommend you start by parking in the big lot when you enter. There are upper and lower falls. The lower falls is a short one mile hike. There is one steep decline down of maybe 25 ft. Then a leisurely stroll along the river. Eventually you'll get to the viewing area. That's when I saw another parking lot right by the falls. So if you don't want to hike there you can drive up. It is pretty and Indiana isn't really known for waterfalls so this is as good as it gets. My daughter and I had a good time. Most likely something to do once to check off your pars of Indiana list. I did pass a nice ice cream place in an old school house nearby so there are a few other things to see there as well.

    Brady R.

    I've heard so many great things about this park / waterfall, so I came in with a bit more expectations of the park. Sadly, this park has SO much potential, but they don't utilize the open space at all. I came in with the mindset of doing some hiking and enjoying the waterfall, but there's only a TINY hiking trail that takes you from the Upper Falls to the Lower Falls. At most a 1/2 mile long. That's it. There is a road that you can take with your vehicle if you didn't want to hike, so we took that road back to our car. We stopped at both of the falls for quite a few minutes, and we walked the entire park and experienced it all in about 50 minutes. It's hard to reason spending the exact same amount of money at this park to enter compared to others with 1000s of acres of green space and miles of hiking trails / camping / other outdoor activities. I'd love to see this place grow as the woods that are by the road going back to the Lower Falls are stunningly beautiful, so there's definitely potential. It's just a matter of creating some hiking trails and creating a map! Hope to see some necessary additions and changes to this park in the future. The falls are beautiful.

    Upper falls

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    Great to visit no matter time of year. Beautiful falls and cliff views. Even more beautiful in winter.

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    Love this place. So peaceful and great place to get away. Walk about, and enjoy nature

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    Ask the Community - Cataract Falls State Recreation Area

    Review Highlights - Cataract Falls State Recreation Area

    There is a large parking lot near the Upper Falls along with picnic tables, grill, pavilion and small playground.

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    Lieber State Recreation Area - Lake Lieber, is absolutely beautiful! Although, the water is stinky.

    Lieber State Recreation Area

    3.8(13 reviews)
    8.0 km

    Lieber state park was a great spot for camping. The online reservation system made it a little…read moredifficult to picture where our campsite was going to be in relation to shade and trees, but the one we ended up getting was just fine! They have a great camp store where we bought our firewood, nice beach, a really great shaded walking trail, and a lovely place to spend a morning- the Cataract falls! There was one incident of a camper next to us getting roudy, loud, and drunk, but the rangers came and talked him down. This made us feel safe. It was reasonably priced. On the drive to cataract falls (about a 20 minute drive) there is a lovely ice cream shop in an old school house- perfect for an afternoon treat after doing some hiking along the river. Bring bug spray, sunscreen, and your swimsuit as there is plenty to do outdoors! Your admission to Lieber state park also gets you into cataract falls for the entire duration of your stay, which is really helpful. There are out toilets but there are also nicer, regular toilets with sinks and showers. They were fairly clean, just a bit more of a walk from our campsite. But it was worth it!

    We didn't like it the first time ( it was a Holiday weekend and was pretty packed) but we just gave…read moreit another chance and we really enjoyed. It was quite and just a few people, nice and clean warm water, really fun for kids, safe and spacious. The park is big, really nice picnic area with a lot of trees and nature. Camping area is really big too and looked organized, also the park was very clean, the shelters spacious and good. Overall everything this time was better that our first time. If you're trying to relax and enjoy a full day or weekend away from the city it's a great option.

    Photos
    Lieber State Recreation Area - No toilet paper available - Urine all over the toilet and not kept clean at all.

    No toilet paper available - Urine all over the toilet and not kept clean at all.

    Lieber State Recreation Area - Camping Area - Tons of Space for RV's and Tents  Enough space between camp sites to have privacy.

    Camping Area - Tons of Space for RV's and Tents Enough space between camp sites to have privacy.

    Lieber State Recreation Area - Designed bathrooms for people not wanting to use the "outhouses" set on camp sites.

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    Designed bathrooms for people not wanting to use the "outhouses" set on camp sites.

    Jimmy Nash City Park

    Jimmy Nash City Park

    4.9(7 reviews)
    34.2 km

    Being someone who grew up here this park was a staple of my childhood. Its changed some but overall…read morenot much. They have pickleball courts, basketball courts, a city pool with splash pad, multiple shelters you can rent for get togethers, trails to hike, disc golf course, playground for the kids, and the greatest sledding hill in Indiana come winter time. For the 4th of July, they always shoot off fireworks off the top of the hill for the whole town to see. Arguably one of the best city parks in all of Indiana given the hilly terrain and all the activities.

    This public park for Martinsville is comparable to Pioneer Park in Moorseville. There are four…read moretennis courts and two full size basketball courts or they can be used as four half courts. They have a full size pool with a water slide, a splash pad and a good size facilities building to accommodate their water park. Both parks are very similar in that respect. This park might have better shelters depending on your point of view but definitely a couple more with a total of nine. Most are fully enclosed and most have fireplaces. Most have some sort of playground equipment at each shelter location. These shelters can be more accomdodating in inclement weather or during colder weather. But enclosed ones have ways to open them up for summer weather such as one or more garage doors. Parking is plentiful at most shelters and all have access to a paved road. There are trails for hiking, a large fishing pond and a dedicated playground with a huge spaceship structure at its core. A dog park is available. My only complaint is there is no sign that I saw directing you to the restrooms. The obvious boy & girl restrooms at the rear dog park were locked.

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    Jimmy Nash City Park
    Jimmy Nash City Park - Playground

    Playground

    Jimmy Nash City Park

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    Burkhart Creek County Park

    Burkhart Creek County Park

    4.7(3 reviews)
    22.9 km

    Nice place for a walk and some bird watching. Some trails are paved and some are mowed grass and…read moresome are crushed gravel. You can stick with level trails but they have less shade or you can head in to the woods and get shade but more elevation shade. I was there on a Friday afternoon and I didn't see another person at all.

    This secluded park has several types of hiking available. For those who like wooded hikes with…read moresteep terrain changes, Trail #2 is a half mile loop that will get your heart pounding. For someone who likes a level hike along a prairie, the park has a longer loop around the perimeter of the 83 acre park. For visitors with mobility challenges, a paved loop near the north end parking lot goes around the northern prairie while skirting along the north end of the woods. The park is located off SR 67, south of Martinsville, just passed the street sign for Hyndsdale on North Duckworth Road. Duckworth makes several zigzags west and north before you see the east parking lot (the north parking lot is farther north and then west on Gray Road.) At the east end parking lot, you can head straight west up the gravel path into the woods. At the crest of the hill, you will be able to head left, straight, or right. The right side path is for Trail 1 and leads north on a short loop back to the parking lot. The left side path and the straight path are the two ends of Trail 2 which wanders through the hilly forest until reaching the south/west edge of the forest. The stretch between these two exits is a gravel path along the prairie that connects the two. Unfortunately, there are no trail markers and only some of the kiosks at the north end parking lot have maps showing where the trails lead. Apparently, there is supposed to be a tree identification program along the trails, but I could not find any markers along the trail to tell which trees matched up to the photo I took of the map with the key. The north end parking area has access to a shelter (with a grill and tables) and a mini "playground". There are a couple additional picnic tables to the west of the lot that are shaded and overlook the creek. Port-o-lets are found at the north parking lot as well. While hiking, I also noticed lots of bird houses for different varieties of fowl in both the prairie and wooded areas. Near the north lot, there is also a utility pole with numerous bat houses mounted near the top. The houses are for the endangered Indiana Bat. Fortunately, the bats are nocturnal, so no need to be concerned about an encounter. Overall, I liked the variety of the hiking trails, but wish that the park system would make sure both parking lots had trail information and that the trails and trees were indicated more clearly. Review #869

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    Burkhart Creek County Park
    Burkhart Creek County Park
    Burkhart Creek County Park

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    Kephart Park - Climbing structures

    Kephart Park

    5.0(3 reviews)
    55.9 km

    This park looks like Disneyland! The playground structures are absolutely amazing. Bargersville…read moreneeded this park for the kids for a long time. When I stopped on Friday morning to walk the dog, I was shocked to see the parking lot (which holds 60+ cars) almost full. They have 8 pickle-ball courts and they were full with a line of people waiting for a court The pangs of the balls were pretty loud and disrupted any peacefulness that the park has to offer. There is even a set of bleachers to watch the pickle-ball games. Anyway, the park does have an amazing playscape, perhaps the best in the Indy area. There are multiple climbing structures, swings for all abilities, a merry go round type structure and more. There is soft matting under the structures to keep the kids safe. Kids were having a blast. In addition, there is a colorful and awesome splash pad. There are nice benches, some covered, to sit and watch the kids. The park also has a walking trail into a wooded area, which is not paved, just gravel. There is some natural prairie vegetation. Trees have been recently planted. There are a nice set of restrooms including a family restroom. I also saw a small pavilion with picnic tables. Bottom line, while it's a bit crowded and loud, this is a great park with lots of fun things to do.

    This is a new 19-acre park located in Bagersville. It still has that "new car smell" and is very…read morewell maintained. It opened on July 1, 2023. There is a decent amount of parking available but this park does get packed. The park features 8 very nice, fenced in, pickleball courts, a large playground, an active splash pad. The park also have two shelters with picnic tables under them and some benches under small shelter-like structures that provides some relief from the blazing sun. The splash pad has a lot going on. There are sprinklers, pouring buckets, sprayers, waterfalls and lots more. It is very nice and open from 9am to 8pm. The playground is modern and is Divided into zones for children aged 2 to 5 and 5 to 12. It is laid on a combination of artificial turf and rubberized, mud-free, surfacing. The playground features a swing bank with traditional and ADA swings, a net cone merry go round, a slide on artificial turf covered hills and a small jungle gym structure with a couple of slides and bridges. The highlight of the playground though is the towering jungle gym with a bunch of tall slides, ropes, and bridges. It is one of the first things that you will see when you arrive at the park. Additional amenities at the park include a water fountain that is capable of filling bottles, a restroom facility and a patch of green space to play catch or just throw a blanket down and relax, hiking trails that lead to and from downtown Bargersville. It is a small, but very well designed park. I will admit, that it does get packed during nice weather, no school days, especially on weekends. I really like this park. Bargersville has began to invest in parks, which is nice. This is definitely a must visit while in the Center Grove/Bargersville area.

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    Kephart Park
    Kephart Park
    Kephart Park - Prairie grasses

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    Prairie grasses

    Cataract Falls State Recreation Area - hiking - Updated May 2026

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