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Aunt Sarah's Falls
Location - Village of Montour Falls, Town of Montour, Schuyler County
Maps - Google Map, Topo
GPS/Locations - N 42.35185 W 76.85597
Directions - Take Rt. 14 south towards Montour Falls and the waterfall will be visible on the right (west) just before hitting the the village. Pull off the parking area to the left (just before the falls).
Or use Google Directions.
Information
Number of falls:
  1
Size/Types:  90 ft in height, it first freefalls about a third of the way, then it fans out on a steep slop of shale for another third, it then freefalls again into a shallow plunge pool where it immediately crosses under Rt 14.
Best time to visit: Spring and after heavy rain.
Flow: low.
Waterway:
not named.
Time:
a few minutes.
Accessibility
Seasons/Hours: Year-round. Dawn to dusk
Parking:
There is a small, dedicated parking area across the street, just north of the falls.
Admission: free
Handicap accessibility: Yes
Pets: Allowed on leash.
Accommodations: none.

 
Description...
It's easy to miss Aunt Sarah's Falls, despite it's Massive size. Rt 14 is the main road on the west side of Seneca Lake, and when you are driving down the road at 55 mph or more, you can blink and miss it. The key is to look for the parking area to the east first, then quickly turn your head to the west. The falls is the unofficial boundary for the Town of Montour (there's actually a small granite stone near the falls marking the town boarder)- when you reach the village within, you've gone too far.

With cars zooming down Rt 14, it's tough to enjoy this beautifully formed falls without road noise (or the fear of getting hit for that matter), but it's a quick and easy stop, and certainly one of the easier waterfalls to photograph. View the fall from the parking area, or cross the street to the small grassy area near the base of the falls.

One of the more uniquely shaped waterfalls, Aunt Sarah's Falls starts out with a thin ribbon freefall. It then hits a slanted portion of the shallow gorge and fans it out,  it then finishes with a wide freefall. The flow is often minuscule, but the large amount of activity gives this falls a great deal of noise. Upstream, far out of sight, is at least another 100 ft of cascades. But the land is not accessible.

The Village of Montour Falls lies within a gouge carved out of the Portage Escarpment by glacial and water erosion. Aunt Sarah's Falls, as well as SheQuaGa Falls, both tumble down it.

Trails
Difficulty: easy.
Markings: View from the parking area, or at the base of the falls.

History...
Although, the true origin of the fall's name is not known, local legend states that it is named for the Seneca wife of a pioneer who jumped over the falls to her death.

Montour Falls, like Watkins Glen is nestled within the basin of Seneca Lake. Thousands of years ago, when the lake levels were much higher, this whole region would have been under water.

Catherine Montour or Queen Catherine, was a matriarch of the Seneca tribe of the Iroquois during the late 1700’s. Known to be the daughter of a native Huron and a French official, she was well versed in both cultures. Since she could speak English in addition to native languages, she was influential in dealing with early white settlers in the area. Montour Falls was previously known as  'Catherine's Town,' but was destroyed during the Sullivan Expedition during the Revolutionary War. Rebuilt by non-native settles, the town was then called Havana, and renamed Montour Falls in 1890. The village of Catherine and nearby Catherine Creek are also named after Queen Catherine.

Montour Falls was an important trade stop and travel hub in its early years. It played an important roll on the Seneca Lake Inlet when the Chemung Canal was built in 1827. The Chemung Canal connected Seneca Lake with the Chemung River.

Around 1820, Louis Philippe, who would later become the last king of France, toured the Finger Lakes region and made a sketch of the falls. This sketch is on display at the Louvre Museum in France.

Do not miss...
The numerous waterfalls in this region.

Catharine Valley Trail, when completed, will extend 12 miles from Watkins Glen State Park to Mark Twain State Park in Horseheads, NY, passing through Montour Falls along the way. The trail follows the old Northern Central Railroad and the Chemung Canal towpaths with multiple historic sties along the way. Friends of the Catherine Valley Trail website.
Contact
Village of Montour Falls
408 W. Main St.
Montour Falls, NY 14865
(607) 535-7367
www.villageofmontourfalls.com
Weather
Montour Falls, New York, weather forecast
 

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Aunt Sarah's Falls Falls

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Photography Tips
▪ This is a large waterfall with only a small area to shoot from. Bring a wide angle lens or shoot from across the street.
▪ Busy Rt 14 is part of the character of these falls. Try to incorporate it into your shot.
▪ Since the falls is so large and out in the open, shooting it in bright sunlight is near impossible. Early day will cast uneven shadows and the late sun will leave it in the shade. It's best to wait for an overcast sky for this one.

▪ See the Articles section for more waterfall photography tips.
 

Area Attractions
Nearby Waterfalls
SheQuaGa Falls - Montour Falls, NY (1 mi S.)
Deckertown Falls- Montour Falls, NY
Havana Glen - Montour Falls, NY (2 mi. SE.)
Excelsior Glen- Watkins Glen, NY
Twin Falls - Dix, NY (8 mi. W.)
Watkins Glen State Park - Watkins Glen, NY (2 mi. N.)
Hector Falls - Watkins Glen, NY
Lodging

The Falls Motel - Montour Falls, NY
Admiral Peabody's Lakeside Lodging - Watkins Glen, NY
Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel - Watkins Glen, NY
Colonial Inn & Motel - Watkins Glen, NY
Glen Motor Inn - Watkins Glen, NY
Longhouse Lodge Motel and Manor - Watkins Glen, NY
The Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars - Dundee, NY
Bed & Breakfast

Wisteria Way - Montour Falls, NY
"At The Falls" B&B - Montour Falls, NY
'bout Time Bed & Breakfast - Montour Falls, NY
Echoes of The Glen B&B - Watkins Glen, NY

Cascata Winery at the Professors' Inn - Watkins Glen, NY
Benjamin Hunt Inn - Watkins Glen, NY
Tudor Rose Bed & Breakfast - Watkins Glen, NY
Glen Manor - Watkins Glen, NY
Idlwilde Inn - Watkins Glen, NY
Magnolia Place - Watkins Glen, NY
Sunrise Landing - Watkins Glen, NY
The Marmalade Cat - Watkins Glen, NY
The Manor Bed & Breakfast - Watkins Glen, NY
1892 Seneca Inn Bed & Breakfast - Watkins Glen, NY
Madison Guest House - Watkins Glen, NY
Seneca Springs Resort - Hector, NY
Wineries
Glenora Wine Cellars - Dundee, NY
Castel Grisch Estate Winery - Watkins Glen, NY
Cascata Winery at the Professors' Inn - Watkins Glen, NY
Lakewood Vineyards, Inc. - Watkins Glen, NY
Atwater Estate Vineyards - Hector, NY
Chateau LaFayette Reneau - Hector, NY
Bloomer Creek Vineyard - Hector, NY
Red Newt Cellars - Hector, NY
Arcadian Estate Winery - Rock Stream, NY
Restaurants
Chef's Diner - Montour Falls, NY
The Wildflower Cafe - Watkins Glen, NY
Montage Restaurant - Watkins Glen, NY
Seneca Harbor Station - Watkins Glen, NY
Seneca Lodge - Watkins Glen, NY
Ice Cream
The Great Escape Ice Cream Parlor - Watkins Glen, NY
Arts and Crafts
Linda McIntyre Art Gallery - Watkins Glen, NY
O'Susannah's Quilts & Gifts - Watkins Glen, NY
Shopping
Guild Bros. Antiques & Gifts - Montour Falls, NY
Famous Brands Outlet - Watkins Glen, NY
Storylines bookstore & café - Watkins Glen, NY
Entertainment/Things to do
Watkins Glen International - Watkins Glen, NY
Farm Sanctuary - Watkins Glen, NY

Links
Captain John Montour
Story of pioneer life in Montour Falls
Friends of the Catherine Valley Trail website
 

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