Taughannock Falls

Height: 215 feet
Trail Type: Dirt and Pavement
Hike Distance: 1.5 miles round trip
Difficulty: 3
Beauty: 10

Overview:

If you only see one waterfall in Upstate New York, Taughannock Falls is the one. It’s rare that you can get so close to such a towering and powerful waterfall, but you can make it happen here. There are two primary ways to view the falls – from an overlook up along the ridge and down at the base from a trail at the bottom. 

Directions:

From the intersection of Highways 96 and 277 in Trumansburg, drive 1.7 miles south on Highway 96 and turn left onto Taughannock Park Road. The overlook from the top of the gorge is 1.8 miles down on the right. To get to the trail to the base, continue to the end of the road and turn right onto Highway 89. The parking area for the trail is on the other side of the bridge over the creek on the right.

Hike Description:

The trail starts at the parking area and is relatively flat for the entire 3/4 mile to the falls. The trail is wide and runs between shaded forest and the open creek bed. The trail ends 100 feet or so from the base, giving you a full panoramic view of the falls.