Hikes to Waterfall on the Finger Lakes Trail

The Finger Lakes region of New York State is known for its array of stunning, cascading waterfalls – some even call it a ‘waterfall mecca.’ Whether you’re thru-hiking the trail and want a place to pause for some meditation and reflection on how far you’ve come on your long-distance hiking journey, or you just want to cool off in a natural-fed swimming pool at the base of one of the area’s many falls, these are the top five waterfalls to visit along the Finger Lakes Trail.

Upper, Middle and Lower Falls in Letchworth State Park

The Grand Canyon of the East, Letchworth State Park is home to three of the largest and most stunning falls you’ll find along the Finger Lakes Trail, in addition to 50 smaller cascades scattered throughout the park. Traverse the park’s Gorge Trail to take in all of them from scenic overlooks and bask in the take-your-breath away landscape of this ultimate waterfall location along the trail. If you’re into photography, this is one location where we suggest you bust out your camera.

Watkins Glen Waterfalls via Stone Stairs

The ultimate spot in the Finger Lakes region for hiking among towering falls, thundering chutes, and beautiful cascades, Watkins Glen State Park is home to 19 waterfalls accessible via the park’s iconic stone stairs. Climb over 800 steps, connect with nature and revel in a moment of introspection as you take in the vista before you. It would be blasphemous not to stop here and take stock of Watkins Glen’s sheer awesomeness when it comes to waterfalls. Seriously.

Shequaga/Montour Falls South of Watkins Glen

Just south of Watkins Glen and the southernmost point of Seneca Lake, hikers can take a detour off of the trail to the village of Montour Falls with little difficulty. Accessible via the Catharine Creek Wildlife Management Area and the Queen Catharine Marsh Loop, travel a bit further and you’ll find the Montour Falls Historic Loop, highlighted by Montour or Shequaga Falls, ‘Tumbling Waters’ in Seneca – a towering, frothy, and beautiful cascade. See our interactive map for directions.

Lucifer Falls and Lower Falls in Robert H. Treman State Park

Among waterfalls along the Finger Lakes Trail, an image of Lower Falls or Lucifer Falls in Robert H. Treman State Park might elicit the most anticipation among hikers. Towering Lucifer Falls provides the perfect panorama to take in from its overlook accessible via the park’s Gorge Trail, and Lower Falls, fed by Enfield Glen, offers one of the region’s most iconic natural swimming pools at the base of the falls, complete with supervision from lifeguards in the summertime.

Buttermilk Falls in Buttermilk Falls State Park

Getting to Buttermilk Falls in Buttermilk Falls State Park requires a brief side trip along one of the Finger Lakes Trail’s spur trails, but spending a day or two in this waterfall-filled park is absolutely worth it. Hike the park’s Gorge and Rim Trails to take in the view of cascading Buttermilk Creek, enjoy a soaring cliff jumping adventure, and cool off in the natural-fed swimming pool at the base of Buttermilk Falls, the largest of the park’s 10 falls.

Reap the health benefits of a quick day hike with a waterfall as your reward, or make a few stops to take in the beauty of cascading falls while hiking the trail end to end. Whatever your reason for hiking the Finger Lakes Trail, be sure to enjoy some of New York’s most beautiful waterfalls along the way.

	Click the menu button in the upper right for commands to Change the map background and Adjust map opacity,
	Click the button in the upper right to view the map in the full window. Then click the geolocate button to show your present GPS location on the map.
The following symbols appear on the map (use the Hide/Show Symbols menu in the upper right to control symbol visibility):
	Information about FLTC Maps, Loop Maps, Guides and GPS files you can purchase from the FLTC Store. Also, connect to Trail Condition Notices directly from the symbols.
	Trailhead with parking. Click the symbol for more information and for driving directions.
	Parking prohibited by law or landowner request.
	Parking Advisory – Limited or poor parking; some have nearby alternatives.
	Camping, including lean-tos, bivouac sites, public and private campgrounds. See Lean-tos, Bivouac Areas, and Campgrounds for more information
	Hunting closures. See Hunting Season Schedules for more information.
	Potable water
	Water source – TREAT BEFORE DRINKING
	FLT Passport hike is nearby. Click the icon to view details, obtain a map, or obtain the guidebook.
	Google street view. Drag the icon onto highlighted streets and click. (For more information)
	½-mile tickmark – hover over a tickmark to display the mileage along the trail segment (Use Hide/Show Symbols menu to show the tickmarks).
	Connections to other long-distance hiking trails.

	Click the menu button in the upper right for commands to Change the map background and Adjust map opacity,
	Click the button in the upper right to view the map in the full window. Then click the geolocate button to show your present GPS location on the map.
The following symbols appear on the map (use the Hide/Show Symbols menu to control symbol visibility):
	Click for information about FLTC Maps, Loop Maps, Guides and GPS files you can purchase from the FLTC Store. Gray rectangles show the coverage area of each map. Also, connect to Trail Condition Notices directly from the symbols.
	Trailhead with parking. Click the symbol for more information. GPS coordinates, and for driving directions.
	Parking prohibited by law or landowner request.
	Parking Advisory – Limited or poor parking; some have nearby alternatives.
	Camping: lean-tos, bivouacs, public and private campgrounds. See Lean-tos, Bivouacs, and Campgrounds for more information
	Hunting closures. See Hunting Season Schedules for more information.
	Potable water Water source – TREAT BEFORE DRINKING
	½-mile tickmark – hover over a tickmark to display the mileage along the trail segment (Use Hide/Show Symbols menu to show the tickmarks).
	Connections to other long-distance hiking trails.

	Click the menu button in the upper right for commands to Change the map background and Adjust map opacity,
	Click the button in the upper right to view the map in the full window. Then click the geolocate button to show your present GPS location on the map.
The following symbols appear on the map (use the Hide/Show Symbols menu to control symbol visibility):
	Click for information about FLTC Maps, Loop Maps, Guides and GPS files you can purchase from the FLTC Store. Gray rectangles show the coverage area of each map. Also, connect to Trail Condition Notices directly from the symbols.
	Trailhead with parking. Click the symbol for more information. GPS coordinates, and for driving directions.
	Parking prohibited by law or landowner request.
	Camping: lean-tos, bivouacs, public and private campgrounds. See Lean-tos, Bivouacs, and Campgrounds for more information
	Hunting closures. See Hunting Season Schedules for more information.
	Potable water Water source – TREAT BEFORE DRINKING
	½-mile tickmark – hover over a tickmark to display the mileage along the trail segment (use Hide/Show Symbols menu to show the tickmarks)
	Connections to other long-distance hiking trails.


CLASS OF 2023
Donna Flood
Sharon Ray
Willa Powell
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Peter Wybron
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Cate Concannon	Scott Brooks	Scott Bahantka
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CLASS OF 2013	CLASS OF 2012	CLASS OF 2011
Cathy Concannon	Patricia Haynes	Jon Bowen
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Gail Merian	Ken Reek	Sigi Schwinge

CLASS OF 2010	CLASS OF 2009	CLASS OF 2008
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Cheryl Peluso	Vicky Gaeta	Linda Cruttenden
Georgeanne Vyverberg	John A-X. Morris	Scott Lauffer
George Zacharek	Irene Szabo	Terry Meacham
		Jacqui Wensich

	Enter GPS coordinates (Latitude, Longitude) or an address (street address, town, or zip code) and click Find to recenter the map at that location.
	Click on the center tool to show a small cross-hair in the center of the map. The tool shows the coordinates of the center if you pan or scroll the map.

	Enter GPS coordinates (Latitude, Longitude) or an address (street address, town, or zip code) and click Find to recenter the map at that location.
	Click on the center tool to show a small cross-hair in the center of the map. The tool shows the latitude and longitude coordinates of the center if you pan or scroll the map.
	Select a map background from the list in the upper right. Use the menu icons to find tools to measure distance and control background opacity.

Waterfall Hikes