Clifty Falls State Park is an
Indiana state park on in
Jefferson County,
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. It is northeast of
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
. The park attracts about 370,000 visitors annually.
On October 27, 1920, citizens of
Madison, Indiana
Madison is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River. As of the 2010 United States Census its population was 11,967. Over 55,000 people live within of downtown Madison. Madison is the larges ...
gave the land for the park, , to the state of Indiana at the suggestion of
Richard Lieber
Richard Lieber (September 5, 1869 – April 15, 1944) was a German-American businessman who became the father of the Indiana state parks system. At his death, he could be considered the most powerful spokesman in the United States for the con ...
. This was after a year's work by the citizens. A system of naturalist programs for Indiana state parks started in 1927, with Clifty Falls being one of the first four with one.
The park features Clifty Creek, Little Clifty Creek, and a canyon in which the sun only shines during midday.
It has many beautiful nature trails, especially those that go near Clifty Falls. The Clifty Inn is available for overnight guests, and the park contains a campground with sites for RV and tent campers.
Canyons
Clifty Creek Canyon traverses the entire north-south length of the state park. The upper rim of the canyon at the north end of the park is above sea level, descending to the valley of the
Ohio River which is above sea level. The creek descends down to about before dropping over one of the two Clifty Falls.
[U.S.G.S. Topographical Map, Madision, Indiana Quadrant] Then it runs downward until reaching the Ohio River. Two other major canyons enter Clifty Creek Canyon from the east, they are Deans Branch (Tunnel Falls) and Hoffman Branch (Hoffman Falls).
[Clifty Falls State Park brochure, Indiana Department of Natural Resources]
Waterfalls
Clifty Falls State Park is named for the waterfalls on Clifty Creek.
* Big Clifty Falls -
* Little Clifty Falls -
* Hoffman Falls -
* Tunnel Falls -
Trails
Clifty Falls State Park has ten trails that vary from easy, moderate, rugged and very rugged. Trail two is the only very rugged trail and it is the most rugged trail in all of Indiana. Because of the danger of falling rocks, the end of the trail is blocked from the public. There are old steps, also blocked, that used to lead down to the falls. You can see the falls from an overlook carved out of the side of the canyon.
Gallery
File:View of the Ohio River from Clifty Inn, Madison, Indiana.JPG, View of the Ohio River from Clifty Inn in the southern part of the park
File:Tunnel Falls(Clifty Falls SP).JPG, Tunnel Falls from the Tunnel Falls Trail
File:The Tunnel (south end).JPG, The Tunnel is an abandoned Railroad Tunnel that was never completed. It is closed to the public from Nov 1 – April 30 to protect hibernating bats from the White-Nosed Bat Syndrome.
File:The Tunnel Trail.JPG, The Tunnel Trail like most of the trails are along the sides of the valley.
File:Clifty Falls State Park - Sarah Stierch.jpg
See also
*
List of Indiana state parks
The U.S. state of Indiana has 24 state parks maintained and operated by Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR). In addition, a separate state agency operates White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis. Marion and Clark are the only ...
References
* ''(official site)''
*
*
{{Authority control
Protected areas established in 1920
State parks of Indiana
Protected areas of Jefferson County, Indiana
Waterfalls of Indiana
Canyons and gorges of Indiana This category contains canyons in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is ...
Nature centers in Indiana
Landforms of Jefferson County, Indiana