Photo: Chris Light (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0Little Clifty Falls
Worth the drive
Is it plungeworthy?
A plunge on Little Clifty Creek.
The details
- Type
- Plunge
- Watercourse
- Little Clifty Creek
- Coordinates
- 38.76646, -85.43418
About Little Clifty Falls
Little Clifty Falls is a 60-foot plunge in Indiana, on Little Clifty Creek.
It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.
Plungeworthy rates Little Clifty Falls 7.2/10 — worth the drive. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
Little Clifty Falls matches its big sibling foot for foot — 60 feet on Little Clifty Creek — and the two are close enough that most visitors see both in one short walk from the north entrance.
It's the easiest full-height waterfall to reach in the park: a dedicated 1.1-mile trail with about 120 feet of gain, or part of the 'three falls' loop combining Trails 5, 2, and 8.
The creek above it crosses under the park road, which means after storms you can watch the flood pulse arrive.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Clifty Falls State Park north entrance, Madison
- Parking
- North-entrance lot
- Road
- Paved park roads
- Hike
- 1.1 mi round trip, 118 ft of climb (Moderate — short but with stairs and rim walking)
- Heads up
- Pairs naturally with Big Clifty Falls; the overlooks for both are minutes apart.
When to go
December through June for flow; the small drainage empties fast after dry weeks.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- $7 per vehicle Indiana plates, $15 out-of-state
- Dogs
- Leashed, six feet maximum
- Camping
- In the park campground
- Warnings
- Stay off the ledges above and below the falls — always off limits, park-wide.
Researched from Indiana DNR — Clifty Falls State Park · Indiana DNR — state park entrance fees · Wikipedia — Clifty Falls State Park. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Little Clifty Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
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
How tall is Little Clifty Falls?
Little Clifty Falls drops about 60 feet, in Indiana.
Where is Little Clifty Falls?
Little Clifty Falls is a waterfall in Indiana, at 38.76646, -85.43418.
Is Little Clifty Falls worth visiting?
Worth the drive — Plungeworthy rates it 7.2/10.
Gear for the trip
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