Most Beautiful Waterfalls in New York State
by Joe Dorish on 10/05/09 at 8:40 am
Unless you live in New York State you do not realize how many many beautiful waterfalls reside there.
Everybody knows about Niagara Falls but did you know that Niagara is not even the tallest waterfall in New York State? New York State is loaded with beautiful waterfalls.
Kaaterskill Falls
Image via Wikipedia
Kaaterskill Falls is the highest continual waterfall in New York State with a total height of 260 feet. Kaaterskill Falls is a dual cascade waterfall that is located in the Catskill Mountains along Route 23A between the towns of Haines Falls and Palenville. Kaaterskill has been a tourist attraction for nearly 200 years, was mentioned in Washington Irving’s classic, Rip Van Winkle, and was often featured by the Hudson River School of painters in the mid-19th century.
Taughannock Falls
Taughannock Falls is the tallest continual single drop waterfall in New York State and likely the tallest such waterfall east of the Rockies. Located in Taughannock Falls State Park along Route 89 in Ulysses, New York, this waterfall is 215 feet high which is 33 feet higher than Niagara Falls.
Lucifer Falls
Located in Robert H. Treman State Park is the 115 foot high Lucifer Falls. Treman State Park is located along Route 327, just west of routes 12, 34 and 96 in the towns of Enfield and Newfield, southwest of Ithaca.
She-Qua-Ga Falls
She-Qua-Ga Falls is located right in the town of Montour Falls, New York off Genesee Street. It tumbles 165 feet in several large steps.
Cohoes Falls
Cohoes Falls was once considered the second most beautiful waterfalls after Niagara. While not the highest of waterfalls at 75 feet, it spans over 1,000 feet across the Mohawk River near the city of Cohoes, New York. Today, water above Cohoes Falls is diverted for hydroelectricity so only during periods of heavy rain and spring runoff do the falls run as it used to. You can view a live webcam shot of the Cohoes Falls here.
Middle Falls of Letchworth State Park
The Middle Falls of Letchworth State Park fall 107 feet in the “Grand Canyon of the East” in spectacular fashion. Letchworth State Park is located 35 miles south of Rochester and can be reached by taking Exit 7 off I-390.
Minelot Falls
Minelot Falls is located in John Boyd Thacher State Park 15 miles southwest of Albany on Route 157 off Route 85.
Cavern Cascade Falls
The Cavern Cascade Falls is located in Watkins Glen State Park in the village of Watkins Glen in the Finger Lakes section of New York State.
Chittenango Falls
Chittenango Falls is 167 feet high and is located off Route 13 in Madison County, New York.
Stony Kill Falls
Stony Kill Falls is 87 feet high and located in Minnewaska State Park Preserve along Routes 44/55 in Ulster County.
Buttermilk Falls
Located in Buttermilk Falls State Park along Route 13 southwest of Ithaca, Buttermilk Falls gradually descends 100 feet looking like buttermilk.
Ithaca Falls
Ithaca Falls is located in the city of Ithaca along Lake Street and falls some 150 total feet.
Deh-ga-ya-soh Falls
Deh-ga-ya-soh Falls plunges some 150 feet into the “Grand Canyon of the East” in Letchworth State Park.
Niagara Falls
One of the great waterfalls of the world, Niagara Falls plunges some 183 feet in spectacular and awe-inspiring fashion.
Liked it
30 Comments
papaleng
May 10th, 2009
fantastic list of New York state water falls.
Lostash
May 10th, 2009
More great info here! Have you visited all of these places that you write about??
LANESHA
May 10th, 2009
love that last picture
revivor
May 10th, 2009
fabulous intro to a world I never knew existed!!
I’ve been to Niagara on a visit to the US but missed the rest!?
Thanks – revivor
marisolflamenco
May 10th, 2009
Beautiful…I love the last picture is Amazing!!
Mrs. Turaz
May 10th, 2009
This is better than Liberty Statue to make sure that you are in New York!
muhammed
May 10th, 2009
Wow, Kaaterskill falls! I used to go swimming there when I was a kid — I did a doubletake when I saw it on the website.
It’s not well known, there isn’t even any place to park to go to it, you have to pull over to the side of the road and walk down a steep embankment.
Also, the waterfall acts as a natural waterslide, and there is a delightful swimming hole at the foot of the waterfall, filled with perch fish.
The locals are usually there, but they’re friendly.
The fact that it isn’t easy to find on google maps, and that there isn’t easy parking prevents it from being polluted by cigarette buts and disposable diapers, which is so rare these days.
Joe Dorish
May 10th, 2009
Lostash, my friends have a small summer place near one of these falls so I have been to many of them and will visit at least one more this summer.
anii
May 10th, 2009
you forgot the hidden burning falls in chestnut ridge park– where a flame is under a waterfall!!!!!
J
May 10th, 2009
I remember visiting Letchworth State Park as a kid and I swear you could walk right to the edge of that waterfall. There were some flat rocks right before the drop.
Even though I lived in NY for years I never knew there were that many beautiful waterfalls.
RevJoe
May 10th, 2009
You now I had no clue about the other waterfalls in New York. I would imagine they are all over. i will have to check them out if I can when i go
CHAN LEE PENG
May 10th, 2009
Excellent article. Keep it up.
Judy T Lloyd
May 10th, 2009
I noticed that each falls has the same particular type of rock over which they tumble. Excellent pictures.
Anne McNew
May 10th, 2009
thanks for the quick tour… those are very amazing falls.
Ruby Hawk
May 10th, 2009
These are beautiful fall. I love waterfalls and parks. They are wonderful.
shelton hall
May 10th, 2009
Just so you know it’s just the city is called “cohoes” not “cohoes falls” I lived there for 10 years
Annie Hintsala
May 10th, 2009
More stunning photos! I look forward to the next one.
Уилхелм Сцхнотз
May 11th, 2009
nice images……
Thanks
Walter Plinge
May 11th, 2009
The Cohoes Falls is really somethiong to see and to be appreciated. For more info: http://www.cohoes.com/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=34&TPID=9360
Betty Carew
May 11th, 2009
I didn’t know about these other falls Joe , yes you are truly blessed. Great write and read
Joe Dorish
May 11th, 2009
That was a typo Shelton. If you click on the Cohoes Falls link you will see I published an article about the falls a few weeks ago or here is the link.
http://newsflavor.com/opinions/cohoes-falls-hydroelectricity-gone-wrong-or-right/
B-Wegs
May 11th, 2009
Man i got a lot more to see.
Kate Smedley
May 11th, 2009
another beautiful article Joe, stunning waterfalls
mill3r
May 11th, 2009
I’ve been to the buttermilk falls. Amazing place it is.
So listen, if anyone of you have obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD as we psychiatrist refer to, contact me thru this link : http://www.healthmad.com/Health/Urge-to-Pee-Alot-or-Urinary-Anxiety.659343
After all, my answers do deserve some credits don’t they.
Joseph Edward Murch
May 11th, 2009
I live in Warsaw, NY, and many residents here can tell you we do have a hidden one deep behind the village park. I am not sure what the name of it is, or if it has been named, but it is a beauty.
ed
May 12th, 2009
That is amazing
sexyme
May 13th, 2009
i saw the falls ,,,
fall
Ron Andrews
May 25th, 2009
I’ve seen many lists of NY waterfalls. In every one of them, I learn of some falls that are new to me. I also find that some of my favorites are left out. There must be several hundred waterfalls in this state.
FWIW, here are my favorites: http://homepage.mac.com/randrews4/PhotoAlbum17.html
Joe Dorish
May 25th, 2009
Nice photos Ron, thanks. Saw a couple new ones. The one waterfall I really wanted to include but couldn’t find a good picture for was Pratts Falls. Of course the day this was published I found one.
NY State is loaded with great waterfalls outside of Niagara but I’m always amazed at how few people realize this.
D. Susan Torrance
Sep 8th, 2009
Joe – THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m spending next week in New York State which I knew almost nothing about since I live in Texas. By looking at the state’s tourism website, I had found many waterfalls and had decided that they will be the main focus of my trip. However, they list the parks and attractions with websites and/or contact info. Unless I happened across them, I would have totally missed the ones in Ithaca and Montour Falls which are on my route! There are websites that list ALL falls, but I don’t have time to wade through them (pun intended). Thank you again!
Leave a Comment