Trifter

Pottersville Falls is a waterfall in New Jersey located along the Black River in the town of Pottersville right where Morris, Hunterdon and Somerset Counties meet in the north-central part of the state.

Pottersville Falls drops and slides some 40 to 50 total feet through a beautiful picturesque ravine as the forceful Black River carves and squeezes its way past.

Pottersville Falls and the town of Pottersville used to be called Lamington Falls but the name was changed to honor the prominent Potter family. Once past Pottersville Falls the Black River suddenly changes its name and becomes the Lamington River. While this may seem odd the river does undergo dramatic changes past Pottersville Falls. At and above the falls the river has a dark appearance to it even in the fall (see photo below) while past the falls the river becomes much lighter in appearance as the terrain levels out.

Harriet Adams (aka Carolyn Keene) who edited and wrote most of the Nancy Drew mystery books lived in Pottersville until she died in 1982 when in her 90’s.

Image via Wikipedia

At Christmas time the town has been known to put up a big sign saying “This is Bedford Falls” in deference to the bad connotations associated with Pottersville from Frank Capra’s brilliant holiday film classic It’s a Wonderful Life starring Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore as Mr Potter and of course Clarence.

Image via Wikipedia

Pottersville Falls actually consists of three separate falls with the uppermost fall being the main drop and the tallest and heaviest flow of the three.

Below the main drop are two smaller waterfalls that go right through the narrow rocky gorge the Black River has carved out.

After the two smaller falls the river levels out for a small stretch

and then tumbles through yet another pretty waterfall

as it flows through a canyon like atmosphere.

Pottersville Falls is located right along Black River Road just north of the town of Pottersville. From the town you turn right onto Black River Road from CR 512/Fairmount Road or left onto High Street to left on Black River Road if coming down CR 512/Fairmount Road from the north. Black River Road is very narrow here and the falls is located right above a small white house. If you want to see the falls from the road you have to park further down the road and walk and even then the views are not great as you can see from the photo below.

You can hear Pottersville Falls all year long from Black River Road and the falls is visible from the road when the trees are leafless. But the land between the road and the falls is steep and private and contains two houses one of which is occupied year-round. The other side of the falls is public land and can be accessed from a trail that begins at a public hunters parking lot located just up the road from Pottersville along Pottersville Road about .2 tenths of a mile past the Firehouse and away from town. If you are coming from town keep going straight and do not go over the river. If coming into Pottersville from the other direction as soon as you cross the bridge over the river you turn immediately left. Once you park in the lot the trail goes directly uphill from the park bulletin board. Just keep going left at every opportunity along the trail for maybe a half mile until you hear the river and falls below. Then work your way carefully down to the river (the trail does not go down to the river, photo below is the river just above the main falls).

Right above the falls is very steep and rocky so you’ll want to reach the river a little above where the falls begin. Use extreme caution here at all times and do not attempt this hike in wet weather as the terrain going down to and around the falls will be slick and dangerous.

Pottersville Falls is a beautiful New Jersey waterfall.

Unless otherwise credited all photos © Joe Dorish with permission granted to use the photos as long as you provide a clear working link back to this web-page.

More New Jersey Waterfalls:

Wetumpka Falls

Great Falls of the Passaic