Freedom Falls in Venango County is one of the best waterfalls in Pennsylvania and one of the coolest ones I’ve seen in the US. Read on for more tips on how to get there, best viewing spots, and nearby attractions!
I love waterfalls. Freedom Falls is definitely one of the coolest waterfalls I’ve seen in the US.
While it’s not the tallest waterfall (about twenty feet), its unique structure makes it very beautiful. Freedom Falls is especially cool because it almost acts like two different falls. One side flows down shale (similar to Bridal Veil Falls in Ohio) and the other drops off the edge of the rock into a pool below.
How to Get to Freedom Falls
Freedom Falls is a location on Google Maps, so you can simply search on your phone. If you’re coming from another location, I’d recommend downloading the maps as we had very limited cell service in this area.
The parking area is distinguished by this large rock. There are spots for several cars on either side. Note that the road to the falls is a gravel road and may be challenge to navigate in the winter.
Best time to Visit Freedom Falls
We visited on Memorial Day Weekend around 8:30 am and there were already a handful of people there. I’d imagine it gets very crowded in the main summer months and in the afternoons. As always, visit early if you want to avoid crowds.
I bet the falls would be lovely in the winter, but may be challenging to get to given how much scrambling was involved in getting down to see the falls. I’m a huge fan of frozen waterfalls, but I am glad that I was able to see the falls in the warmer weather. Hearing the water from the car and walking closer and closer towards the falls was very cool. Because the pools at the base are so deep, I’d bet that people take a dip in there when its really hot out!
Accessibility
One of the nice things about Freedom Falls is that it is pretty accessible from the parking lot and doesn’t require a long hike to get to, unlike Henry Run Falls in nearby Cook Forest. The hike down is only about 250 yards. There are some roots and I could see it getting muddy in heavy rainfalls. However, it is not accessible by stroller or wheelchair.
I think it would be great for kids and families. We saw a handful of older children when we were there, but it would be managable for mobile kids over three.
To hike down to see the falls head on requires a little bit more scrambling downhill over roots. If you keep hiking along the creek, you can also see the Rockland Furnace.
Nearby Attractions
Less than a mile from the falls is the Rockland Tunnel, which I highly recommend visiting. You can also walk downstream to visit Rockland Furnace.
Freedom Falls is also a little less than an hour from Cook Forest State Park and 35 minutes from Oil Creek State Park. We combined these two parks with Clear Creek State Park and visited the falls on our way back to Pittsburgh on our last day.
Have you visited Freedom Falls? What did you think about it? Let me know in the comments below!