Park recommendations?

A place to discuss waterfalls. Including the parks that house them and the hikes to get to them.

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Des219
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We are planning a trip in October but not sure where in NY and what time. Somewhere around the 11th maybe, any suggestions of a date and place? We have been to Stony Brook, Letchworth, Niagara, Watkins, Robert H. Treman, Buttermilk, Taughannock, and Fillmore.

We live in Lancaster, PA and now have a 21 month old. That is why we have been staying pretty much central NY.

Would appreciate any help and recommendations of what we should see next. Also, if there is a specific date that you would think would be good historically for leaf peeping.

Can't be too difficult of a hike since we will be carrying our daughter on our back. Our trip in August we did Buttermilk and Fillmore Glen (approximately 4 miles in 1 day) so we can hike with our daughter, just not rope climbing and stuff like that.

Thanks for your help. Also, we are planning 4 days. 1 day to drive there and 1 back so 2 days of parks.
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hobkyl
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It sounds like you've covered all the state parks (maintained) for waterfalls. There are plenty of decent creek walk hikes in the area if you're up to it. Some hiking on a trail, some in the creek...never to strenuous. A few that come to mind are Grimes Glen in Naples, Lick Brook in the Swedeler Nature Perserve in Ithaca, and Ludlowville Falls across the lake from Taughannock. Cascadilla in Ithaca is sidewalked too. Check out the Finger Lakes area on the map on this site, and you will get some information on
those and perhaps find some others. Just ask if you see one you're interested in but unsure if it would suitable or not.

Fall colors? Hard to say for historically after the year that we've had.
“There’s an inconsequentiality to our lives that living in the wilderness shows up. Mountain are real, they set their limits, they set ours. They expose us, make us vulnerable and strong at the same time. “
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Des219
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Hobkyl, thank you for posting a response. Grimes was a must see for me, but I was concerned about the difficulty of the hike. Lick Brook was one that I wanted to visit last trip but ran out of time so thank you for confirming that. I will research Ludlowville and Cascadilla since I had not heard of them before.

What are your thoughts on Eagle Cliff (Havana Glen) and Excelsior?

The other option we were considering is the Catskill area since we have not been anywhere over there. John Boyd Thacher is one example and then maybe make it over into MA to Bash-Bish falls and what ever else is in the area.

By the way keep up the great images.
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hobkyl
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With the exception of walking in the water (slippery), Grimes is fairly easy to negotiate. Lick Brook, you can see several falls (if running) from a flat foot path. Some more are viewable by hiking uphill or upstream but perhaps not doable while carrying a child. Ludlowville has a nice park with amenities that overlooks the falls, and not too sketchy of a hike down to the base. Might be a little difficult right at the top part but then the trail eases in grade. Cascadilla would be a definite good one. Also nearby you have Ithaca Falls, and Wells Falls.

Eagle Cliff/Havana are easily doable and has a maintained trail as well as a park. Excelsior would be a no go. Along the FLT, the trail is very steep and the access to the falls is down some steep embankments. Further up the road, roadside falls....Hector Falls is always a nice stop.

Not too familiar with Central NY falls, but hopefully Backpacker or LGD see this post and chime in with regards to those.
“There’s an inconsequentiality to our lives that living in the wilderness shows up. Mountain are real, they set their limits, they set ours. They expose us, make us vulnerable and strong at the same time. “
--Alison Wat




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Des219
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Great information. Thank you.
champy1013
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Leaf peeping may be an issue this year. Usually we peak around mid October, but if this warm/dry weather continues, we could have one of those years where everything stays green till around Halloween, turns brown and falls off a day later. Happened a few years back. A lot of the falls are absolutely bone dry right now, kinda scary actually, but in the CNY area we're on pace for our driest year ever.

Usually Fillmore Glen is a nice choice around the area. If you have time, look at Carpenter's Falls. You can easily explore and see the upper falls, then take a nice trail through the woods all the way down to the shore of Skaneateles Lake. Fall color should be OK around then because it sits at a higher elevation than the surrounding area.

Good luck!
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Des219
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Thanks champy. I think for this trip we are going to go East and visit several of the following: Stony Kill Falls, Awosting Falls, Fawn's Leap Falls, Bastion Falls, Kaaterskill Falls, and Barberville Falls.

If anyone has any comments on any of these I would appreciate it. Also, we are thinking about Bash Bish Falls and several in that area.

Thanks for the Finger Lake suggestions, we will be making a visit there too, just since this fall sounds like it might not be too good for central NY, we thought we would try East.
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Des219
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It looks like we are going to do the following:

Day 1
1) Stony Kill Falls, NY
2) Awosting Falls, NY

Day 2
3) Kaaterskill Falls, NY
4) Bash Bish Falls, MA
5) Race Brook Falls, MA

Day 3
6) Campbell Falls, MA
7) Canaan Falls, CT
8) Kent Falls, CT

It looks like the water might be higher now! Hopefully we get to see some waterfalls and some foliage.
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