8 Gorgeous Frozen Waterfalls Around Cleveland That Must Be Seen To Be Believed
The onset of cabin fever can be a nightmare for Clevelanders. The nagging boredom, seasonal depression, and overall sense of gray can be hard to fend off as wintertime descends on the region. Fortunately, there’s a panacea for cabin fever: frozen waterfalls in Greater Cleveland! As these gorgeous natural structures fight to fend off the chill, their waters create stunning icicles and nature-shaped ice sculptures. Bundle up, because you’re going to want to brave the winter weather to check out these pretty places.
Tucked away in Bedford Reservation is a stunning gorge that once hosted a hub of human activity. While its grist mills, sawmills, and other structures no longer remain, evidence hints at their history. Bricks, tunnels, and other incredible mementos of mankind dot the landscape around the majestic waterfall of Tinker's Creek.
Deerlick Creek is an enchanting waterway through the Cleveland Metroparks' Bedford Reservation. Bedford is home to a number of waterfalls, but the aptly-named Bridal Veil Falls is perhaps its most delicate. This dreamy trickle creates a veil-like effect even in the winter.
Cleveland is a busy, busy city, so it's only natural that it hides many surprises. However, most don't anticipate that our lovely hometown also hosts the tallest waterfall in Cuyahoga County. Amazingly, this 48-foot-tall wonder in Garfield Park Reservation was created by mankind. When a railroad company diverted its namesake creek, it created this massive cascade.
If one waterfall in Garfield Park Reservation wasn't enough, perhaps a second will wow you. The Green Springs of Wolf Creek are a hidden wonder in the park, complimenting the many trickles along the creek's cobblestone bridge-lined expanse.
South Chagrin Reservation boasts several incredible trickles along the Chagrin River. In the winter, these powerful cascades create icicles and impressive sculptures in a snow-covered landscape. Also worth visiting in the park are the Henry Church Rock and the Burnett Historical House.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is the only national park in Ohio, and it also includes one of the most impressive cascades in the region. Brandywine Falls is 65 feet tall, pouring powerfully into a gorge that can be accessed via the 1.5-mile Brandywine Gorge Trail.
Gentle and babbling, this gorgeous waterfall in North Chagrin Reservation cascades over Ohio Shale and Berea Sandstone, the latter of which helped local industry boom. To this day, antique edifices of Berea Sandstone impress visitors in historic towns and community centers.
The landscape of the local national park is vast, and it hides several natural features worth exploring. Blue Hen Falls is fed by the waters of Spring Creek, which creates a gentle, trickling stream in the summer. In the winter, that same stream creates massively impressive ice sculptures that are absolutely otherworldly.
In the winter, visits to frozen waterfalls in Greater Cleveland are the perfect cure for cabin fever. The eight listed above are easily accessible and open to the public, and they’re the perfect addition to every bucket list.
Longing for more frozen fun? Some of these waterfalls also fit into a tour of local ice gardens.
Nikki is a lifelong Ohioan with a love for literature. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Akron and has enjoyed publishing her written work since 2007. She has a love of travel and does so frequently, though she believes that home is where the heart is - she continues to work in and around Cleveland as a digital content specialist to this day, working on everything from commercial scripts and social media posts to grassroots marketing initiatives.
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