Wolcott Falls - Photos, Maps, Information

Wolcott Falls

Location - Wolcott Falls Park, Village of Wolcott, Wayne County
Maps - Google Map, Google Earth, Multi
GPS/Locations - N 43.22139 / W 76.81167
Directions - The easiest way tot get there is to take Rt. 104 and head North on Whiskey Hill Rd, which becomes New Hartford St. as you enter the village. Make a right on East Main St. (where the fountain is located) and then a left on to Mill St. The park entrance will be on your left.
Or use Google Directions.

Information
Number of falls: 1
Size/Types: A beautiful 50 foot drop that freefalls in a wide ribbon for little more than half its length and then tumbles the rest of the way down steep shale. Lit at night with white light.
Best time to visit: Year round.
Flow: Medium to high
Waterway: Wolcott Creek and Mill Pond.
Time: 1 minute from the lookout deck, 15 minutes taking the trail to the bottom.

Accessibility
Seasons/Hours: Year round.
Parking: Roughly 12 cars
Admission: Free.
Handicap accessibility: no
Pets: Allowed on leash.
Accommodations: Restrooms, picnic tables, playground, hiking trail, pavilion, historic information kiosk, observation deck.

Description...
Wayne county is pretty flat. I'm not sure if it is the flattest county in NY, but you'd be hard-pressed to find any interesting gorges in that region.

I've been in the village of Wolcott numerous times. This classic upstate small-town, 3 miles south of Port Bay, has its share of little shops and restaurants, with the town centerpiece being the "enchanted" fountain at the corner of Main and New Hartford. It was a surprise to me to find a 50 foot waterfall nestled within a decent size gully just down the street.

Now protected in a barely noticeable town park, accurately named Wolcott Falls Park, this waterfall is fed by Mill Pond, a surprisingly dirty man-made reservoir from the days of area gristmills. It's obvious from the historic markers and information present on site that this falls was once the true centerpiece of the town, powering numerous mills and allowing the early Wolcott economy to proper.

Today the park highlights both the natural beauty of the falls and its past with a newly built observation deck overlooking the falls and information kiosk spotlighting Wolcott history. The falls is lit at night and visitors only have to travel a few feet from the parking lot to the viewing area to catch a glimpse.

Despite the scum-coated creek bed the falls itself is quite beautiful. It drops more than half its height in a wide ribbon and then tumbles down the rest of the way down steep shale. Some algae growth on the rock wall where the water crashes into the rock adds some interesting color into the scene.

Trails
Difficulty: Easy.
From the parking lot, head towards the wooden observation deck to see the falls from above.
To take the trail to the bottom, head away from the parking lot, pass the pavilion and playground, and go towards the back right of the park where the trailhead into the wooded area begins. This trail winds back towards the falls within the glen. During the spring and summer, this short trail has a wide variety of beautiful plant life.
Markings: none

History...
The falls was previously known to Native Americans of this regions as Ganadsgo, meaning "Leaping Waters."
In 1809, Jonathan Melvin, a Revolutionary War veteran, built a gristmill and sawmill on 500 acres surrounding this site, becoming one of the first settlers in the area. A generous man, he donated some of his property to build a church and school, which helped further establish the town. The mill remained until it burnt down in the 1960's. Other mills once stood in this vicinity, but little evidence of their existence remain.

Do not miss...
Venus Rising from the Sea. The town centerpiece, this painted cast iron statue was installed when municipal plumbing arrived in 1913. It was erected upon a natural spring that was originally used a a public water source and drinking fountain for town residents and their animals. When the town tapped into municipal plumbing, this fountain was erected to continue to provide residents and their animals with a publicly accessible source of water. Over the years it has painted numerous color schemes: from bronze to present day natural colors.

Chimney Bluffs State Park to the north is a glacial drumlin, cut in half by lake erosion, offering up beautiful clay peaks.

Thorpe Vineyards is a lakeside winery located just minutes away from the state park. It's the only winery you'll find in this area of the state.

Photography Tips
▪ The observation deck is the perfect sot to shoot the falls.
▪ You may be able to get a shot of the falls peaking through the trees from the grass between the observation deck and the road.
▪ The observation deck is the perfect spot for a tripod and a long exposure to catch the falls lit at night.
▪
▪ See the Articles section for more waterfall photography tips.