As summer draws to a close and New Yorkers prepare for dropping temperatures, changing trees, and the start of school, you may be looking for a hiking trail that unexpectedly hides a waterfall.
And while most people immediately think of Niagara Falls in Buffalo, there are many other falls scattered throughout the state that are a little off the beaten path.
Here is a list of 14 places across the state that you should visit.
Letchworth State Park
Wyoming County Park in Castile is home to three major waterfalls that originate from the Genesee River. Known as the “Grand Canyon of the East,” the park offers visitors 66 miles of hiking trails as well as an Autism Nature Trail, an accessible, mile-long trail with eight sensory stations that provide a safe and inclusive space for people with autism or other related disabilities.
Chittenango Falls State Park
Glacial carving of rock over 400 million years old has created a 165-foot waterfall in this central New York park. Located in Cazenovia, you can view the falls from above, cross a winding path into the gorge and view the falls from a pedestrian bridge, then return to the summit via a small trail on the opposite side of the gorge.
And through November 11, you can also participate in the 2024 Central Region Geocache Challenge at Chittenango Falls State Park and other events throughout the region.
High Falls Nature Reserve
Columbia County’s tallest waterfall – 150 feet high – flows northeast through the Hudson Valley until it reaches the Hudson River. The one-mile companion trail along Agawamuck Creek in Chatham connects you from a parking lot to a viewpoint of the falls.
Watkins Glen State Park
The stream plunges 120 meters over a distance of three kilometers, creating 19 waterfalls. The main hiking trail through the gorge includes over 800 stone steps and a series of small trails that branch off to several other outdoor activities.
Taughannock Falls State Park
Just northwest of Ithaca in Trumansburg, Taughannock Falls plunges 215 feet — three stories higher than Niagara Falls — and carves a 400-foot-deep gorge through layers of sandstone, shale and limestone. You can view the falls from above and below at the end of the gorge trail, which is nearly a mile long and runs along Taughannock Creek.
Two other hiking trails – the North Rim Trail and the South Rim Trail – are each about one and a half to two miles long.
Minnewaska State Park Nature Preserve
In Ulster County, Minnewaska State Park Preserve is home to numerous waterfalls, including Awosting Falls in the northern part of the park, as well as 50 miles of trails for biking, walking and hiking.
Kaaterskill Falls
Kaaterskill Falls, located in the Great Northern Catskills in Greene County, plunges over 260 feet in two stages and includes a 1.4-mile round-trip hike. The waterfall has also been depicted in several works of art, including a painting by Thomas Cole, Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle, Asher Durand’s Kindred Spirits, and a romantic verse by William Cullen Bryant.
Buttermilk Falls State Park
Buttermilk Falls, located southwest of Ithaca, takes its name from the foaming waterfall that Buttermilk Creek forms on its way to Cayuga Lake. The upper park offers a small lake, hiking trails through woods and along the gorge and rim, while the lower park offers camping, a natural pool and a nearby wetland with a nature trail, Larch Meadows.
Chestnut Ridge Park
The Eternal Flame Falls Trail near Orchard Park takes hikers 1.2 miles out and back to a 35-foot waterfall and an added surprise. The Eternal Flame in the waterfall is a small natural gas spring that can be lit to create a flickering flame.
Salmon River Falls
The 110-foot-tall Salmon River Falls in Oswego County offers several hiking trails, including a 600-foot-long Gorge Trail that leads from the Falls Trail to the bottom of the gorge. The one-mile-long Upper Falls Trail takes you from the Falls Trail to Dam Road along the north side of the river. And the River Bed Trail starts at the end of the Falls Trail and takes you to the riverbed above the falls.
Salmon River Falls also includes an accessible, 1-foot, one-way hiking trail with a gentle incline, wide tread, and a firm, compacted rock surface.
Grimes Glen Park
The newest addition to Ontario County’s park system is located in Naples and is known for its waterfalls. Grimes Glen Park is also known as the site of the oldest petrified tree in New York.
Mine Kill State Park
Mine Kill Falls in Schoharie County plunges 80 feet (24 meters) and features viewing platforms and the Long Path hiking trail that takes you to the lower falls. The park is also part of the Saratoga-Capital District Region Geocache Challenge 2024 through November 11.
Tinker Falls
Located in Labrador Hollow Nature Preserve in Cortland County, the fifty-foot-tall Tinker Falls includes a short, accessible trail that follows Tinker Falls Creek to the right. The accessible portion of the trail ends after 0.25 miles with a partial view of the falls, but the trail continues to the top of the falls and branches off into several different trail options.
Robert H. Treman State Park
Winding trails lead you past 12 waterfalls in the Ithaca-area park, including the 115-foot-tall Lucifer Falls. Other amenities include nine miles of hiking trails and a stream-fed pool for swimming below the falls.
Emily Barnes is the New York State team’s consumer protection reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Contact us at [email protected].
