Waterfall hikes are some of the most photographed and most family-friendly trails in any state — the destination delivers a clear visual reward, and many are short enough to do before lunch. We pulled every New York trail in our database whose name explicitly references falls, cascade, chute, or plunge, then ranked them by accessibility so the easiest and shortest waterfall hikes surface first. The result is ten hikes that pay off without punishing the people you're hiking with.
New York compresses Adirondack High Peaks, Catskills, Finger Lakes gorges, Long Island shoreline, and Hudson Highlands into one state. The Adirondacks alone are larger than several Western parks. May-October for high routes; black flies in late spring; fall foliage in early October is the visual peak. Waterfalls run hardest in spring snowmelt and after sustained rain — the same windows when trail surfaces are slipperiest.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 36,499 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in New York — but the data has limits worth being honest about. We identify waterfall hikes by scanning trail names for terms like "falls," "cascade," "chute," and "plunge." That misses unnamed seasonal cascades and trails whose primary feature is a waterfall not mentioned in the route name. Treat the list as a confident sample, not a complete catalog.
The Ranking
Ranked from #1 to #10. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. 3 Falls Trail
3 Falls Trail near Westport in Clinton County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #1 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the 3 Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Animal Chute
Animal Chute near West Milford in Passaic County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #2 slot for accessibility. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Animal Chute trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Auger Falls Trail
Auger Falls Trail near Wells in Hamilton County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #3 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Auger Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Awosting Falls Connector
Awosting Falls Connector near Accord in Ulster County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #4 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. Compared to similar trails in New York, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Awosting Falls Connector trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Awosting Falls Connector
Awosting Falls Connector near Accord in Ulster County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #5 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Awosting Falls Connector trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Beamer's Fall Side Trail
Beamer's Fall Side Trail near Stella Niagara in Niagara County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #6 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Beamer's Fall Side Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Beamer's Fall Side Trail
Beamer's Fall Side Trail near Stella Niagara in Niagara County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #7 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Beamer's Fall Side Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Bear's Den Falls Trail
Bear's Den Falls Trail near New Salem in Franklin County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #8 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bear's Den Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Bellows Falls Riverfront Trail
Bellows Falls Riverfront Trail near North Walpole in Windham County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #9 slot for accessibility. Expect gravel surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in New York, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. A gravel-and-dirt tread holds up well after rain, though loose surface on descents calls for trekking poles or careful footing. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bellows Falls Riverfront Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Big Woodhull - Sand Lake Falls Trail
Big Woodhull - Sand Lake Falls Trail near Woodgate in Herkimer County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #10 slot for accessibility. Expect ground surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Big Woodhull - Sand Lake Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your New York trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for New York. May-October for high routes; black flies in late spring; fall foliage in early October is the visual peak. Hypothermia in shoulder seasons (Adirondack weather changes fast), ticks (Lyme endemic), and slick rock on exposed High Peaks routes.
Always cross-reference the official land-manager page before driving out — closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal road access can change quickly. Our trail pages link directly back to the OpenStreetMap source so you can see the tags we're working from.
If you're new to hiking generally, our beginner's guide covers footwear, layering, and the day-pack basics. For safety planning on bigger objectives, the ten essentials guide is worth twenty minutes of reading.
More New York hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our New York coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in New York — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Steepest trails in New York — Hikes with the most elevation gain in the state.
- Best beginner hikes in New York — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Most challenging hikes in New York — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in New York — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in New York — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in New York — Short, easy trails sized for kids and grandparents.
Rankings like this are starting points, not verdicts. Trail conditions change, new routes get tagged, and what was the toughest trail in New York last year might not be next year. We refresh these articles when the underlying data shifts meaningfully.
Got a correction, a route we missed, or a question? Drop us a note via the contact page. We read every email and we'd rather hear it from you than miss it.
