Walking the Park
Pathways for Walking in Clifty Falls State Park
When you think State Parks and Clifty Falls, in particular, you think hiking trails – rugged and hilly, tough on the body. But there are pathways along scenic park roads and sections of some trails that provide an opportunity for easier to moderate walks. These are for people who want an immersive park experience, but don’t want to or can’t do the more rugged trails.
Pathways for walking described here include short loops as well a longer loop that contains several “out-and-back” opportunities. Mileages given are approximate.
These walks reveal the beauty of the Park – its scenes, its wildflowers, and its wildlife – sometimes as much or more than the canyon trails! All the images in the carousel here were from the road pathways.
General walking guidelines
Stay on marked trails or roadways
Watch for traffic, stay in bicycle/walking lanes when available
Carry and use the official park map
Areas above and below waterfalls are off limits
Wear supportive foot gear
Evaluate your health as all pathways have challenges and can be steep and composed of rocks, loose rocks, and exposed tree roots
Avoid dehydration, bring water
What you carry in, carry out
Supervise children and keep pets on a leash
Trails close at dusk – plan to be off the trail before then
The North End Loop (0.6mi)
This flat walk uses some Park roads, so be cautious of traffic. Park in the north lot and work your way to the closest access point (see stars on map) and walk around in either direction. Part of this pathway is the StoryWalk(R). You can avoid the main road by just turning the loop into an “out and back”. For a shorter walk, just follow the StoryWalk(R) signs.
Two Short Walks: Trail 10 and Cragmont Shelter
Park at the Cragmont Shelter area, and take an easy walk around the playfield. Only about a half-mile, the exit and entrance roadways are nicely wooded. Stroll around the woodline and picnic shelter.
Park at the pool. Start Trail 10 at the entrance nearest the pool. After entering go left or right and follow the trail around. The upper end is relatively flat, but the lower end does dip down and back up. If you want to avoid that, cut across the old service road to shorten the loop walk to about 0.3 mi.
Trail 1 CCC to Poplar Loop (1.3 mi)
This loop uses a short and flatter part of Trail 1 and 3. Start at the Nature Center and walk down over the foot bridge. When you get to the CCC information panel, turn right and follow the upper section of Trail 1. Soon you will get close to the roadway (the star) but avoid it for now and continue along the inner wood line to the end of Trail 1 where you’ll take a right turn onto Trail 3. Follow Trail 3 to where you can exit across the road into Poplar Grove. Walk along the woodland edge and head to the road, taking a left down toward the Nature Center. For a shorter hike, you can leave Trail 1 where it passes the road (the star) and head back to the Nature Center or just retrace your path. This shorter loop is about 0.7 mi.
Central Loop and Canyon Road (4.5 mi if you did it all)
The map shows the loop and various starting points – any of the parking areas. The entire loop is 4.5 mi, but shorter “out and back” walks are a feature of this circuit. There are 6 or more walks embedded in this loop. The mileages given on the map are the distance between the (yellow) dots.
The Canyon Road section (Tunnel Falls to Poplar Grove) is the most scenic, but the Outer Road section (Campground to the Pool) is very nice, plus deer and wild turkey are most often seen along there. You can start at any of the parking areas along the road and do an out-and-back walk as far as you wish to go. Or, if you are game, the entire circuit is yours.
The Canyon Road section, while not “rugged”, involves noticeable ups and downs as it follows the ridge line of Clifty Canyon, and is best considered moderate for that reason. But it is roadway and has a lane for walkers and bicyclers.
The Outer Road section has very nice pine and cedar groves, as well as the wildlife mentioned above. You can park at Cragmont Shelter, the pool, or (if not busy) the campground overflow lot.
Lastly, from the parking at Tunnel Falls or the campground overflow, you can aim north on Canyon Road (note, there is no protected bicycle/walk lane on this section) and head to Dean’s Branch, Hickory Grove, and if you have energy, Lookout Point!
Overall, you can park at any of the parking areas and start your walk headed in whatever direction your feet take you for as far as you want to go and return.
