A waterfall is loosely defined as water traveling over a precipice, but man is a defining creature and no one is going to leave it at that. Scott Brown and Gary Letcher in their books on waterfalls and Raymond at PAWaterfalls.com all ignore Caledonia Falls for one reason or another. Yet it might be one of the most photographed waterfalls in Pennsylvania, simply because of its location on PA Route 233 and US Route 30 in Caledonia State Park. Whenever I am in the area, or passing west on 30, I stop for a few minutes, take the walk up the entrance to the Thaddeus Stevens Trail, and visit the waterfall.
Caledonia is a true cascade, as water spills from rock to rock as the old mill race flows downhill to Mountain Creek, meeting under the road. Its easy to photograph from the top, as I’ve done here, or from either side. Unfortunately shooting from the road requires standing on the shoulder on either side, which can be a little unnerving as cars and trucks go past. Still, I think its worth the effort, and unlike most waterfalls you need to invest little effort in hiking, as the falls are a few feet from the parking area. During the summer the flow is little more than a trickle, but after the spring runoff or a heavy rain the falls are impressive.
December 2, 2014 @ 9:15 am
This waterfall is so lovely! And I think even more so because it’s fairly easily accessed.
Moving water speaks to the soul, doesn’t it?
I love visiting my favorite spot in one of our state parks: Radnor Lake Nature Area, which is a short-ish drive from my home south of Nashville. Just off my preferred trail, a bench situated on a platform overlooking a creek has been the host to many a journaling session for me. I derive my best experiences there from observing flora and fauna and listening to the water after a recent rain.