Ohio Birds and Biodiversity

NATURE
Jim McCormac

Columbus and the surrounding flatlands are not known for waterfalls. Yet some mini-Niagaras lurk in hidden spots.

In northwestern Franklin County, the Scioto River flows through a massive layer of Columbus limestone. The rock is so-named because the original core was extracted near the capital city.

Formed during the Devonian Period some 400 million years ago, Columbus limestone is a prominent geological feature in these parts. Massive quantities have been mined in the western part of Franklin County, and limestone cliffs are prominent in places along the Scioto River.

Before the construction of Griggs Dam (1905) and O’Shaughnessy Dam (1925) on the Scioto River, numerous limestone box canyons and their attendant streams flowed into the river. The pooling of the reservoirs submerged most of them, and their waterfalls.

Fortunately, a few falls survive, two of which are easily accessed showstoppers.

Hayden Falls was spared because it lies along the short section of the Scioto between the reservoirs and wasn’t inundated. The city of Columbus owns the falls, and access is from a parking lot on the south side of Hayden Run Road, just east of the Scioto River.

A wooden staircase descends to the depths of the narrow canyon, and a boardwalk leads to the 30-foot falls. This is a spectacular waterfall in a gorgeous setting — easily one of the top falls in Ohio.
Perhaps even better is nearby Indian Run Falls. The city of Dublin is owner and has provided easy access via a parking lot at 700 Shawan Falls Drive, near Rt. 161 and Frantz Road.

Trails provide access to Indian Run, and strategically sited observation decks offer commanding views of the falls. In the upper reaches of the park, Indian Run cascades over short limestone shelves.

Farther downstream, the creek funnels into a limestone chute and plummets into a steep-sided gorge. A short distance beyond, the waters plunge over a 20-foot drop — the falls pictured with this column.

Not only are the limestone waterfalls and gorges of northwestern Franklin County visually stunning, they are botanically significant.

In 1834, pioneer botanist John Leonard Riddell stumbled across an unfamiliar lily somewhere near the previously described falls (he was inexact in recording the specifics). Riddell had discovered the diminutive snow trillium, which still persists in this area.

Eight years later, in spring of 1842, William Starling Sullivant, the botanist son of Lucas Sullivant — the man who founded Franklinton — was exploring the Scioto River’s box canyons.

He found a showy white-flowered mustard growing on ledges of the limestone cliff faces. Flummoxed by its identity, he eventually realized he had found a new species and named it Arabis patens, the spreading rock cress. Small numbers of this state-endangered plant still hang on in local gorges.

Naturalist Jim McCormac writes a column for The Dispatch on the first, third and fifth Sundays of the month. He also writes about nature at www.jimmccormac.blogspot.com.

A gorgeous series of limestone shelves cascades the waters of Indian Run ever lower, their fate to eventually merge with the much larger Scioto River.

I am all too often guilty of ignoring my backyard in favor of more distant and exotic places. Such was the case with the stunning Indian Falls Park, which is only ten minutes from home.

I'd been here, to be sure, but the last time was pre (serious)-camera, and that was probably 15 years ago. Lately I've been seeing some nice photos posted here and there of Indian Run Falls, and decided this morning was the ideal opportunity to visit.

There was a rainfall last night that added an almost perfect amount of water to the stream - not so much that one couldn't traverse the stream, but enough to create nice waterscapes. So, over to the falls I went, arriving shortly after sunrise on a cold - high 30's - blustery November day.

Accessing the best section of falls is quite easy. The City of Dublin owns the property and maintains it as a park. Well-maintained trails and strategically sited viewing platforms offer good vistas. I made almost none of these photos from those spots, but if one just wishes an easy ogle of the waterfalls, there's no need to get feet wet.

The upper reaches of the stream is punctuated with low limestone shelves, creating a series of small but very showy drops. This section of Indian Run is represented by the first three photos.

Soon enough, we come to the first big drop - a cascading chute that tumbles about 15-20 feet into a limestone box canyon sided by vertical cliffs.

Here's a view from the precipice of the chute, looking down into the gorge.

In a bit tighter on the same general perspective as the previous shot, but here we can better see the whirling eddy of leaves at the base.

I've moved on downstream for this image. We're looking back upstream at the chute seen in the previous two photos.

Finally, the namesake of the site, the larger of the two Indian Run Falls. This shot was created from the viewing platform at the top of the gorge. There's undoubtedly better perspectives to shoot this falls, but time didn't permit me to explore extensively.

If you've got a like for waterfalls, and who doesn't, I'd highly recommend a stop to Indian Run Falls. It's an incredibly easy place to access, just seconds off State Route 161, and minutes from I-270 and U.S. Route 33 in Dublin. I greatly look forward to a return visit. There are so many vistas, both great and small, that one could easily spend all day here, at least if they're trying to create landscape imagery. I suspect the place looks amazing in winter, too, when ice formations hang from the falls.