Photo: Photo by and (c)2008 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) · GFDL 1.2Onoko Falls
Worth a detour
Is it plungeworthy?
A plunge on Glen Onoko Run.
The details
- Type
- Plunge
- Watercourse
- Glen Onoko Run
- Coordinates
- 40.88701, -75.7663
About Onoko Falls
Onoko Falls is a 64-foot plunge in Pennsylvania, on Glen Onoko Run.
It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.
Plungeworthy rates Onoko Falls 6.8/10 — worth a detour. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
Sixty-foot Onoko Falls headlines a glen of four cascades above the Lehigh Gorge — and the trail to it has been closed since May 2019, after claiming at least ten lives over the decades. The good news: it's being rebuilt. DCNR crews are rehabilitating the trail with stone steps and retaining walls on a three-to-five-year timeline, and a land transfer to Lehigh Gorge State Park is working through Harrisburg so it can one day reopen, safer. Until then, closed means closed — barriers, citations, and terrain that earned its reputation.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Former Glen Onoko Falls Trail, Lehigh Gorge near Jim Thorpe — CLOSED since 2019
- Road
- The closure is signed and enforced at the former trailhead
- Heads up
- Rehabilitation work is active through 2026 with no reopening date. The Lehigh Gorge rail-trail below remains open and beautiful.
When to go
When it reopens — watch DCNR's Glen Onoko page. The glen's ice and spring flow made it legendary; the rebuilt trail should let people see it and survive it.
Rules & fees
- Camping
- Hickory Run State Park or Jim Thorpe-area private campgrounds
- Warnings
- At least ten deaths plus countless rescues built this closure. Do not go around the barriers — the terrain is why they exist.
Researched from PA DCNR — Glen Onoko Falls · PA DCNR — trail rehabilitation announcement. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Onoko 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 Onoko Falls?
Onoko Falls drops about 64 feet, in Pennsylvania.
Where is Onoko Falls?
Onoko Falls is a waterfall in Pennsylvania, at 40.88701, -75.7663.
Is Onoko Falls worth visiting?
Worth a detour — Plungeworthy rates it 6.8/10.
Gear for the trip
As an Amazon Associate, Plungeworthy earns from qualifying purchases.