Jefferson County, Kentucky

Waterfalls Near Louisville, KY

Louisville has 3 named waterfalls within 30 miles, 2 of them inside 10 miles. The nearest is Falls of the Ohio, 1.2 miles north of town. Falls of the Ohio earns the best visitor rating nearby (4.7 stars from 19 Google reviews). The list includes falls across the line in Indiana.

Distances are straight-line from the town center. Driving routes are longer.

Photo of Falls of the Ohio in Clark County, Indiana
Pictured: Falls of the Ohio, IN

Best Waterfalls Near Louisville at a Glance

12 Waterfalls Near Louisville, Ranked by Distance

  1. Falls of the Ohio

    Louisville, KY · Jefferson County · 1.2 mi north of Louisville
    4.6 (11 reviews)

    Falls of the Ohio is the closest named waterfall to Louisville, 1.2 miles to the north in Jefferson County. It ranks 2nd for review count among waterfalls near Louisville.

    Rating
    4.6 (11 Google reviews)
    Address
    Louisville, KY 40212
  2. Falls of the Ohio

    Jeffersonville, IN · Clark County · 1.3 mi north of Louisville
    4.7 (19 reviews)

    Falls of the Ohio lies 1.3 miles north of Louisville in Clark County, number 2 of 12 by distance. It draws more Google reviews than any other waterfall near Louisville. Its own nearest town is Jeffersonville.

    Rating
    4.7 (19 Google reviews)
    Address
    Clarksville, IN 47129
    Known for
    river
  3. The Big Falls

    Fort Knox, KY · Meade County · 28 mi southwest of Louisville

    The Big Falls lies 28 miles southwest of Louisville in Meade County, number 3 of 12 by distance. Its own nearest town is Fort Knox.

    Address
    Meade County, KY (GPS 37.8998, -86.0251)
  4. Harts Falls

    Hanover, IN · Jefferson County · 33 mi northeast of Louisville
    1.0 (1 reviews)

    Harts Falls lies 33 miles northeast of Louisville in Jefferson County, number 4 of 12 by distance. It ranks 8th for review count among waterfalls near Louisville. Its own nearest town is Hanover.

    Rating
    1.0 (1 Google reviews)
    Address
    Saluda Township, IN 47243
  5. Chain Mill Falls

    Hanover, IN · Jefferson County · 34 mi northeast of Louisville
    5.0 (1 reviews)

    Chain Mill Falls lies 34 miles northeast of Louisville in Jefferson County, number 5 of 12 by distance. It ranks 9th for review count among waterfalls near Louisville. Its own nearest town is Hanover.

    Rating
    5.0 (1 Google reviews)
    Address
    Hanover Township, IN 47243
  6. Fremont Falls

    Hanover, IN · Jefferson County · 34 mi northeast of Louisville
    3.0 (6 reviews)

    Fremont Falls lies 34 miles northeast of Louisville in Jefferson County, number 6 of 12 by distance. It ranks 4th for review count among waterfalls near Louisville. Its own nearest town is Hanover.

    Rating
    3.0 (6 Google reviews)
    Address
    Hanover Township, IN 47243
  7. Butler Falls

    Hanover, IN · Jefferson County · 35 mi northeast of Louisville
    3.3 (4 reviews)

    Butler Falls lies 35 miles northeast of Louisville in Jefferson County, number 7 of 12 by distance. It ranks 7th for review count among waterfalls near Louisville. Its own nearest town is Hanover.

    Rating
    3.3 (4 Google reviews)
    Address
    Hanover Township, IN 47243
  8. Crowe Falls

    Hanover, IN · Jefferson County · 35 mi northeast of Louisville
    4.2 (5 reviews)

    Crowe Falls lies 35 miles northeast of Louisville in Jefferson County, number 8 of 12 by distance. It ranks 5th for review count among waterfalls near Louisville. Its own nearest town is Hanover.

    Rating
    4.2 (5 Google reviews)
    Address
    Hanover, IN 47243
  9. Deadman Falls

    Hanover, IN · Jefferson County · 36 mi northeast of Louisville
    5.0 (1 reviews)

    Deadman Falls lies 36 miles northeast of Louisville in Jefferson County, number 9 of 12 by distance. It ranks 10th for review count among waterfalls near Louisville. Its own nearest town is Hanover.

    Rating
    5.0 (1 Google reviews)
    Address
    Hanover Township, IN 47243
  10. Horseshoe Falls

    Hanover, IN · Jefferson County · 36 mi northeast of Louisville
    3.6 (7 reviews)

    Horseshoe Falls lies 36 miles northeast of Louisville in Jefferson County, number 10 of 12 by distance. It ranks 3rd for review count among waterfalls near Louisville. Its own nearest town is Hanover.

    Rating
    3.6 (7 Google reviews)
    Address
    Hanover Township, IN 47243
  11. Drennon Falls

    New Castle, KY · Henry County · 37 mi east of Louisville

    Drennon Falls lies 37 miles east of Louisville in Henry County, number 11 of 12 by distance. Its own nearest town is New Castle.

    Address
    Henry County, KY (GPS 38.4389, -85.1103)
  12. Hoffman Falls

    North Madison, IN · Jefferson County · 39 mi northeast of Louisville
    3.8 (5 reviews)

    Hoffman Falls lies 39 miles northeast of Louisville in Jefferson County, number 12 of 12 by distance. It ranks 6th for review count among waterfalls near Louisville. 78-ft.-high waterfall at Clifty Falls State Park, with a picturesque cascade over a limestone ledge.

    Rating
    3.8 (5 Google reviews)
    Address
    Madison Township, IN 47250

Where the Waterfalls Are

Louisville sits in or near the Ohio Valley and Western Kentucky area of Kentucky. Away from the plateau, Kentucky's waterfalls are few and widely spread. The most significant is the Falls of the Ohio at Louisville, a stretch of rapids where the Ohio River crosses fossil-rich limestone beds; dams and the locks around them have tamed the falls, but the exposed rock remains notable for its fossils. Meade County, along the Ohio downstream, and Henry County, in the rolling country between Louisville and Frankfort, each hold one named fall. Allen County near the Tennessee border adds another in the karst-influenced landscape of south-central Kentucky, where much water travels underground rather than over ledges. Read the Kentucky waterfall guide.

By direction from Louisville: 2 to the north and 1 to the southwest. They are spread across Jefferson County (1), Clark County (1), and Meade County (1). The average distance is 10.3 miles.

By Distance

Within 10 miles of Louisville

Falls of the Ohio (1.2 mi), Falls of the Ohio (1.3 mi)

20 to 30 miles of Louisville

The Big Falls (28 mi)

Nearby Towns With Waterfalls

Waterfalls Near Louisville: FAQs

How many waterfalls are near Louisville, KY?

3 named waterfalls lie within 30 miles of Louisville: 2 within 10 miles, 0 10 to 20 miles, 1 20 to 30 miles. Distances are straight-line from the town center.

What is the closest waterfall to Louisville?

Falls of the Ohio in Jefferson County is the closest, about 1.2 miles north of Louisville.

What is the best-rated waterfall near Louisville?

Falls of the Ohio has the highest Google rating among nearby falls with at least 10 reviews: 4.7 stars from 19 Google reviews.

Which counties are the waterfalls near Louisville in?

Jefferson County (1), Clark County (1), and Meade County (1).

How does Louisville compare with other Kentucky towns?

Louisville ranks 9th of the 15 Kentucky towns in our directory for the number of waterfalls within 30 miles.