Hayden Falls Park

I have been coming here since I was a teenager. Neat place to take out of town guests, one of the only waterfalls around here.
In regards to other reviews, there is minor «destruction and damage.» Yes, there is a very small amount of trash from families with children walking through on a daily basis. However the «destruction» or very minimal graffiti on extremely high up rocks is from about 3 – 5 years ago, before the rails were put in and the staircase just brought you down and you walked along the water to the waterfall.
This is not an unsafe or unclean area at all. I would recommend to anyone trying to see a pretty site.

After driving past the tiny parking lot for Hayden Falls Park a million times, we finally decided to stop and check it out now that we’re getting into hiking trails and this was listed on Unilocal as such. We discovered a beautiful little waterfall at the end of the boardwalk, but as others have said this is definitely not for someone searching for a good hike/​walk. The most «intense» part to get your heart pumping is the stairway leading down to the boardwalk. Besides that, it’s basically just a 2 minute walk reaching the falls, and then you’re done and you’ve seen it all. It was certainly a gorgeous sight to see, though, so no regrets. When we visited there were 2 people with professional looking cameras hogging the observance deck and 3 teenagers who had scaled over the railing and climbed up the cliffside to watch the falls, so it seems like people disregard the rules and cautionary tips quite a bit here. One word of advice: be careful going down the stairs on a wet day! It had lightly sprinkled a few hours before we visited and the wooden stairs were slimy and slippery so we had to climb down them super slowly. Overall, lower your expectations if you’re looking for a grand park or a good hiking trail, but Hayden Falls Park is still worthy of visiting once and seeing yet another gem Columbus has to offer.

Idk, I’ve seen the Hayden Falls listed on a whole bunch of «places to see in Columbus» lists, however the Boyfriend and I were not super impressed. It’s cute if you’re just driving by (we live off of Haydens Run so it’s not too far from us) but I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit. It’s about a ten minute quick stop! When we came there was a couple with a baby doing photos on the bridge which was sort of cute.

A pretty site within the city limits. Limited parking on warm days (maybe ten spots). Short hike with one set of steps, probably two stories. I envy the nearby homeowners with access to ²⁴⁄₇ waterfall white noise.

Hayden Falls Park is a cute little (quite little) park! There’s a small parking lot that was pretty easy to get in and out of. The boardwalk to the falls was super short and quick… I was kind of hoping for a little bit of a walk… we were only at the park for maybe 15 minutes. I was not too disappointed though because the waterfall was awesome! I’m glad they’ve preserved these falls and have made it easily accessible for everyone. Definitely kid-​friendly and I highly recommend seeing it at least once! I’d love to go back in the summertime if I’m around the Dublin area!

The entrance and parking is very small and I know people who were actually blocked in.
The hike is on a deck like walking path, not wheelchair accessible. Unfortunately there is graffiti in a few places. The fall itself is beautiful. Even though it says no swimming or wadding in the falls, people are rude and get it it. One girl was in her underclothes (I’m sure of it). Best time to go is when its cool outside, not summer. I trying to encourage a new client to do their elopement there next week.

Hayden Falls is pretty, but I do wish there was more to it. The boardwalk is great for accessibility, however it limits the experience and can get crowded at times. The opportunity to walk around and explore the beautiful park would be much more enjoyable. It is a nice place for a quick escape.

The fall was very pretty, but the «hike/​walk» to it was so short. I was expecting a longer hike/​walk instead of 8 minutes.
If you are looking for a super short walk, than this is perfect, but if you were expecting at least a mile, search elsewhere. There are a few steps down (all wooden planks, manmade). The short walked was shaded the whole way and it opens up to a viewing area.
There are a ton of signs saying do not swim or waddle in the pool, but a ton of people disregard it.

The only complaint is that it’s small and kinda cramped. But you WILL NOT find a more lovely place in Columbus. It’s so serene to watch the waterfall and nice to get away from the world for a bit. Great spot to take pictures too! Try and go during times that it won’t be busy, that way you’re not shuffled around and feel like you’re hogging it.

We were on a road trip and needed a place to get out and stretch our legs. The park was way smaller than what we expected that is probably a nice nature get away for those who live in the area. We checked out some homeless tents nearby under the bridge.

Do not go during peak hours; the parking lot is small. You will have to wait for a parking spot but the wait was not long.
The waterfall was small but the walk down to the fall was scenic (lots of trees). It was refreshing to be outside and my friend and I enjoyed it!

What a beautiful, peaceful, romantic walk. Boyfriend wanted to take me down to see the waterfall which was so calming. Only issues is the trash around the area and the boardwalk is very, very slick when it is wet. It was spritzing rain the whole time and my boyfriend slipped down stairs and hurt his back and was laid up for several days. Will go back again when it is dry.

As a native from Hilliard I went to these falls often as a kid. Before the stair case, it was just a winding path through the woods. Now, as others have said, it is a simple stair case leading right to the main even, the falls. I wish more people would stay on the walk, because there is trash and destruction all over the place where people have strayed off. I see people standing on slippery rocks disturbing the ducks trying to get their selfies. Just stay on the wooden walk people! It is not that hard. Beautiful waterfall if you can view it alone (which is rare).
I always see cars here, even late at night. I would advise staying away after dark, it does not seem safe.

Blink and you will miss it; but believe me, you won’t want to miss this. Out of no where, there is a parking lot with a park sign — no visible park. Grab one of the like six available parking spots on the side of the road and you will notice a stairway.
Trek down the flight of stairs, follow the winding bridge and you will soon discover why they put up a parking lot. Beautiful little nature walk, maybe ¼ if a mile. At the end, you are rewarded with a waterfall.

Even though I had read all the reviews about how amazing this place was, I was still a bit shocked when I got there. It’s really beautiful.
I think what makes Hayden Falls such a treat is that it’s tucked away in the city. One minute you’re on the highway, and the next minute you’re walking down the mile-​high staircase at the park.
Speaking of that staircase… yeah, it’s kinda steep. But it’s totally worth it. Once you reach the bottom of the stairs, the path winds around to a gorgeous little waterfall! Such a cool little oasis.
I visited Hayden Falls when the leaves were at peak color change, and this was the perfect setting. The park is tiny, but it’s still a great place to escape the city and soak up some nature.

This place is SUPER cool.
Right in the middle of jam packed traffic is a little parking lot.
I got curious one day & pulled in and I am so glad I did.
At the end of a wooden bridge is a beautiful waterfall.
Completly unexpected in the middle of the hustle & bustle.
I highly recommend checking this place out!

What a wonderful little oasis! I’ve only explored the waterfall part but I’m pretty sure there are some more trails. I would guess so since we saw people on top of the waterfall! I am not sure that was legal since I saw people almost hanging off the edge. Scary!
I really wasn’t expecting this in such a busy area. It was a little rough trying to leave the park since the traffic was so bad. It was worth it in my opinion.
I am not in the most pristine shape so when I saw those stairs I was intimidated. They were not bad at all though. The whole path is on a deck sort of structure so it was super easy.
The waterfall was so pretty. The water was so clean. Everything was just beautiful. It’s not somewhere I would go often but you have to visit at least once.
The only things I didn’t like was the trash and that it was busy. There were random things people threw or dropped. I saw a squirt gun and even a condom wrapper. Ew! They probably need to have it supervised more. I will visit again but not often.

For the longest time, I wasn’t even aware of this park, but have passed its location many a time. It is not well marked. There is a very small paved parking area on the south west corner of the Hayden Run Bridge. I had always noticed a couple cars parked there but could not see anything else and always wondered what the attraction was.
After parking, there is a wooden staircase that you walk down into a gorge area. At the bottom of the staircase is a wooden boardwalk that runs alongside of the stream that merges into the Scioto river. The boardwalk only goes for about a block or so. It’s actually a serene location even though the busy Hayden Run street runs parallel above you. The boardwalk leads you right up to the falls. I was quite surprised to see how popular the place is, but has never been overly crowded.
It’s one of my favorite local spots for shooting photos.

Making urban green spaces accessible can be a double edge sword. On one hand, it is nice to get somewhere without much hassle and it’s good that it allows more diverse, in terms of capability, sightseers access; on the other, it loses some of the experience in getting to it. Hayden Falls Park is a great example of this.
Fourteen years ago I first found this little known spot when curiosity finally compelled me to investigate the parking lot that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, beside a seemingly common grove of trees just west of Hayden Run Bridge. Parking there, I saw a pair of teens drop between an opening in the grove. Inspecting closer, I saw a foot-​worn trail that descended sharply into a gorg. After carefully listening and confirming that there were not dueling banjos playing, and praying that I was not a character in a James Dicky film, I stumbled down the path which ran very quick. What I found at the bottom was a surprise, something I never would have thought was in Columbus, a waterfall of some 20-​plus feet high. This became the place I took friends, communed with nature, or went to think away the blues.
Today a wooden staircase is built over the path, taking some of the adventure out of it but allowing seniors, children, and others to experience the falls. Below a wooden walkway takes you to it, winding under foliage. From it you can view wildlife: birds, hawks, frogs, spiders, of all types.
Sometime trash can build up here making you sad for humanity.
The pool create by the falls can be good for swimming, although park rules may forbid it. I’ve heard that some have dived off the falls, this is not advised, unless you want to be featured on the TV show, 1000 Ways To Die.
Although the built amenities have taken way some of the fun, this is still one of my favorite places in town.

This is a nice little tucked away spot in Dublin… It isn’t very big, but it doesn’t need to be. There’s a fun waterfall with a little cove to watch wild life. You can also take a nice stroll on the bridge over the Scioto.
It’s a nice break if you can’t take the jaunt to Old Man’s Cave.