Cedar Falls
One for the list
Is it plungeworthy?
A plunge.
The details
- Type
- Plunge
- Coordinates
- 37.51811, -88.73841
About Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls is a plunge in Illinois.
It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.
Plungeworthy rates Cedar Falls 3.6/10 — one for the list. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
Cedar Falls is reportedly the tallest single-drop waterfall in Illinois — 55 feet of plunge near Ozark in Johnson County — and it comes with the strangest access arrangement on this list: it's on Camp Ondessonk, a Catholic youth camp bordering Shawnee National Forest.
The camp genuinely welcomes hikers — outside its own summer season. From roughly mid-May to mid-August the property is closed to the public while camp runs; the rest of the year you check in at the office on weekdays or the self-service kiosk on weekends, sign the waiver, and hike.
One rule stands out from everywhere else in Illinois: no pets. Leave the dog home for this one.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Camp Ondessonk, Ozark (Johnson County)
- Parking
- Camp visitor lot at the check-in kiosk
- Road
- Paved to the camp entrance
- Hike
- 2 mi round trip (Moderate — camp trail network to the falls)
- Heads up
- All visitors sign a waiver and the logbook. Suggested donation $3-5 per person.
When to go
September through mid-May — the camp season closes public access in summer anyway, which conveniently matches when the falls would be dry.
After rain for the full 55-foot plunge.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- No set fee; suggested donation $3-5 per person, waiver required
- Dogs
- Not allowed — camp-wide, no exceptions
- Hours
- Office check-in weekdays 8-5; kiosk self-check-in weekends. Closed to the public roughly mid-May to mid-August
- Warnings
- Respect the camp's closures — this access exists because visitors haven't ruined it.
Researched from WSIL — On the Trail: Cedar Falls at Camp Ondessonk · Midwest Nomads — Camp Ondessonk trails. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Cedar Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Planning a visit? We want your photo.
Cedar Falls doesn't have a photo yet. If you make the trip, send one to hello@plungeworthy.com and we'll publish it here with credit to you.
Before you go
The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.
Common questions
Where is Cedar Falls?
Cedar Falls is a waterfall in Illinois, at 37.51811, -88.73841.
Is Cedar Falls worth visiting?
One for the list — Plungeworthy rates it 3.6/10.
Gear for the trip
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