A Lap of America – Waterfalls of Upstate New York

Upstate New York has a number of impressive waterfalls (not including the really big one shared with Canada).

Each of the falls had nice hikes perfect for the dogs and people.

Awosting Falls is just west of Poughkeepsie in the Minnewaska State Park. At 65′ it is not the tallest, but offered a nice walk down into the gorge to observe it from below.

Lucifer Falls is in the Robert Treman State Park near Ithaca. It cascades 115′ down into the gorge. The hike down is on impressive stone stairs and bridges, and goes past a couple of smaller falls until you reach the main event.

Taughannock Falls is just north of Ithaca, only about 30 minutes from Lucifer Falls. The 1.3 mile hike was a gradual uphill on a wide path/road under shade trees.

It falls 215′ from the creek above, in a gorge that is 400′ deep, which makes it’s drop almost 50′ higher than Niagara Falls.

The visitor center is on top of the gorge with an overlook of the falls.

Letchworth State Park has 3 main falls, appropriately named Upper, Middle and Lower.

The upper has the Genesee Arch Bridge above it (the Genesee River is below). This falls is 70′ high.

The middle falls is the most impressive, not only because of it’s 100′ + drop, but the width and volume of water going over.

Unfortunately a thunderstorm came up and we never made it to the lower falls, but enjoyed our time before the rain exploring the ‘Grand Canyon of the East’, which at places is 600′ deep.