Location
- Tully,
Onondaga
County
Maps -
Google Map,
Google Earth,
Multi GPS/Locations - N 42.81599 / W 76.15731 Directions - Located near the south end of Woodmancy
Road in Tully. The easiest way to get there is to take Route
5/20 until it intersects with Route 80. Take Route 80 south
until you reach the south end of Woodmancy Road. Head north
on Woodmancy. It's a short drive to the two noticeable sets
of guardrails on the right side of the road.
Or use
Google Directions.
Information
Number of falls: At least 4. Size/Types: Cascades. The first waterfall, directly
accessible and viewable from Woodmancy Road is about a 35',
two-tiered cascade, that pours out of a culvert underneath
the road. The area around the first waterfall recently
suffered from a mudslide that compromised the road above, so
the state DOT covered the glen wall with retainer rock to
prevent another one. Admittedly it does detract from the
overall beauty of the first falls. The second waterfall is a
multi-tiered cascade about 15' in total height. The third
waterfall, Fellows Falls, is a steep cascade down a sandstone face, much
like Montville Falls. Dropping
at least 65' and covered with moss, it's a real beauty,
reminiscent of the types of waterfalls found out west.
Additionally, there is another 10' cascade directly below the
large falls that is more typical of the shale waterfalls we
commonly find in the area. At least 1 more waterfall can be
seen downstream, but the accessibility is unknown at this
time. Best time to visit: Spring, early Summer, Fall. Flow: Variable. Dependent on rainfall. The water
flow can be very low during the hot months of the summer.
Waterway: Onondaga Creek. Time: A few minutes for the roadside waterfall, about
an hour and a half to see the rest.
Accessibility Seasons/Hours:
Year round.
Parking: Scarce. Pull off to the side of Woodmancy Road
as close to the guardrails as possible. Admission: Free. Handicap accessibility: Roadside view only. Pets: Not recommended. Accommodations: None
Description...
Fellows Falls is just one in a series of ravines and glens
that course water down from the Tully Hills, through the valley,
and then into the City of Syracuse. We were able to find 4
waterfalls, ranging in size from 10-65 feet in height. Three
of them follow the typical shale-makeup of most Finger Lakes
region waterfalls, but the main attraction, the 65 foot
Fellow Falls, cascades down a steep, multi-hued layers of
rock, creating a beautiful sight. The material is called
‘Tully Limestone’ and is unique to this portion of New York
State. It contains rare
fossils not found anywhere else.
The portion of
the gully near Woodmancy Road suffered from a landslide
several years ago that destroyed part of the road itself and
required extensive repair, which unfortunately disrupts the
view of the upper falls. It's
also important to note that the mud and clay make-up of the
land in this area is very unstable at times of high
rainfall. Be careful and check the weather prior to
exploring this gully.
Many people are
not even aware of the lower reaches of the ravine, that are
in a much more natural and beautiful state (compared to the
heavily constructed upper falls). The lower gully is
surrounded by mature forests which command a beautiful view
down into the Tully Valley. There are a few large pools for
wading, and since you will be walking downstream, you
approach falls from the top and can enjoy beautiful vistas
as look downstream into the gorge.
Trails Difficulty: Difficult
There are no well-defined trails. Viewing the roadside falls
is easily done from the top of
Woodmancy Road. Getting down to the creek bed below is a
different story, due to the recent landslide. There are
newly built rock retaining walls that provide for a way to
scramble down, but it should be done with extreme care.
Once in the ravine, creek walking down some slippery shale
will reward you with a much better environment than that
closest to the road. There are numerous
cascades that you'll have to carefully scale down to reach
the top of the main waterfall. About a quarter of a mile
from the road, you will reach the crest of the 65 foot
Fellows Falls, which you won't be able to see to well. To
get a decent view, cross the creek and walk to the right
where you will see an opening in the woods and a rough game
trail. If you carefully follow the wooded ridge that
descends to the right of the gorge, you will be rewarded
with brief peeks of the falls through the woods. Continue
the descent on the ridge and eventually you will reach an
area where you can get to the bottom of the ravine and walk
right to the base of the falls. To view the final waterfall,
continue downstream a short distance and walk on the hill to
the right of the gorge. This will take you to the bottom of
the fourth waterfall.
Note: Land to the right of Fellows Falls is posted.
Most of the land along the gorge is public watershed land,
but also interspersed near the bottom of the ravine is land
that was once owned by Allied Chemical, and more recently,
Honeywell International. Respect land rights and do not
trespass onto posted land. Markings: posted signs denoting private property.
History... During the last ice age, the edge of a
giant glacier stood at Tully Valley and had built up an
enormous
end moraine, about 600 feet high across the valley. As
the torrents of melt water flowed south, they spread
quantities of gravel and sand that now make up much of the
valley floor. It is the most extensive area of glacial
outwash in Central New York. The ravines above the floor of
the valley have gradually eroded, forming steep gorges that
make up the numerous waterfalls in the area, consisting of
both Tully Limestone and shale. Just south of the moraine
and Fellows Falls, lies the Tully Lakes, pothole and kettle
lakes formed from enormous melt-waterfalls and chunks of ice
from the receding glacier.
The area around
Onondaga Creek in Tully has always been known for its salt
deposits. Native American and early settlers to the region
were aware of salt wells at the south end of where Fellows
Falls lies. 60 million years ago, the area below Fellows
Falls contained shallow sea, which condensed to form salt
mineral. This area was historically favored for excellent
salt deposits. It wasn’t until 1889 that the Solvay Process
Company began mining the salt (1300 feet below the surface).
Mining continued until the mid-1980’s. The wells were
plugged in the late 1990’s when the DEC became concerned
about seepage into streams and ground water.
The area has
recently been known for landslides that dropped portions of the
clay-based hillsides down into the valley, the biggest
being in 1993. This area, as well as the whole Onondaga Creek
watershed, are often disturbed by farm run off, gravel
mining, and denuding of the hillside for housing
developments.
Do not miss... Tully Lakes Park is located
the the south and is an excellent location to view kettle
lakes, formed by melting chunks of glacial ice as well as
lakes formed by the plunge pools of massive waterfalls that
streamed down the melting glacier.
Photography Tips ▪
The upper falls
doesn’t provide much in the way of nice shooting during the
hot summer months. It is in the open, water is coming from a
culvert, and the flow is very low. Early spring or fall,
when rainfall is more ample, are the best times to
photograph the upper waterfall. Attempt to position you
camera so you don’t capture the area where the landslide
was, as it detracts from the scene.
▪ The lower waterfalls in the gully are much nicer,
surrounded by trees and mosses. It is narrower here, and the
falls look good, even in low flow.
▪ Try shooting from the top of Fellows Falls, looking down
the ravine into the Tully Valley.
▪ To capture the Fellows Falls, you must reach the bottom of
it. You’ll need a wide-angle lens and a polarizer. Portrait
shots works best. The moss at the base of the falls adds
nice contrast to the picture.
▪
▪ See the Articles section
for more waterfall photography tips.