Paine Falls: trail and park hours
Paine Falls spreads Paine Creek across a wide, two-tiered rock face, a fan shape unlike the narrow single drops most Ohio waterfalls make. Lake Metroparks puts the height at about 30 feet and the effort at almost nothing: the trail from the lot in Paine Falls Park runs about a tenth of a mile, with a couple of flights of stairs, free, no permit.
It's the quiet northeastern entry in our waterfalls in Ohio guide.
No sourced coordinates are on file for this spot yet — see methodology.
Fact box
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Height | About 30 feet, two-tiered and fan-shaped, per Lake Metroparks' park information |
| Nearest town | Leroy Township, Ohio |
| Access | About a one-tenth-mile trail with a couple of flights of stairs from the parking area |
| Fee | Free, no permit |
| Legal status | County park district (Lake Metroparks), public land |
| Amenities | Restroom and picnic shelter on site |
| Flow reliability | Fairly reliable most of the year; Paine Creek's watershed is larger than some of the state's smaller seasonal cascades |
Trail and access
Paine Falls Park has its own dedicated parking area, and the walk to the falls is short, about a tenth of a mile with a couple of flights of stairs managing the drop down toward the creek. The park includes a restroom and a picnic shelter, standard amenities for a Lake Metroparks property, and there's no fee or permit required to visit. Because it sits roughly 30 miles east of Cleveland, farther out than the Cuyahoga Valley National Park falls, it draws noticeably fewer visitors on an average weekend.
The falls
The two-tiered, fan-shaped drop spreads water across a wider section of rock than the narrower single-drop falls common elsewhere in the state, giving it a different profile from Brandywine or Blue Hen. Paine Creek's watershed is larger than some of the smaller seasonal drainages feeding falls farther south in Ohio, which trail reports describe as giving Paine Falls a steadier flow through most of the year rather than the dry-summer trickle common at spots like Ash Cave. Third-party waterfall databases measure the drop lower than the park's 30-foot figure, closer to 20 or 25 feet depending on which tiers are counted, a reminder that multi-tier falls resist a single clean number.
How this guide was researched
This page was compiled from Lake Metroparks data for Paine Falls Park and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. We haven't visited this site ourselves. Trail conditions vary with season; verify current conditions with Lake Metroparks before you go. Last checked August 2026.
FAQ
How tall is Paine Falls?
About 30 feet by Lake Metroparks' measure, dropping in two tiers over a wide, fan-shaped rock ledge. Some waterfall databases count only the main tiers and cite 20 to 25 feet.
Is Paine Falls free to visit?
Yes. It's a Lake Metroparks property with no entrance fee or permit required.
How far is Paine Falls from Cleveland?
About 30 miles east, farther out than the Cuyahoga Valley falls in this guide, which is part of why it sees fewer visitors.
Does Paine Falls have restrooms?
Yes. Paine Falls Park includes a restroom and a picnic shelter near the parking area.
We haven't visited these places ourselves, and every page says so rather than implying otherwise. Details are compiled from public land-manager, USGS and NOAA sources and cross-checked where possible; conditions, access rules and fees change without notice, so confirm with the managing agency before you go. Page last checked August 2026. Read our full methodology.