Kaaterskill Falls - Beautiful Scenic Waterfall in New York
EducationKaaterskill Falls - Beautiful Scenic Waterfall in New York
Kaaterskill Falls drops 260 beautiful scenic feet along Kaaterskill Creek in two main drops in the Kaaterskill Wild Forest between the towns of Palenville and Haines Falls in the Catskill Mountains in New York. At 260 feet in total height Kaaterskill Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in New York State and is much taller than Niagara Falls though it lacks anything close to the sheer volume of mighty Niagara.
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Kaaterskill Falls has been a tourist attraction in New York since at least 1753 when famed botanist and naturalist John Bartram of Philadelphia visited the falls and wrote an account of the adventure. Washington Irving mentions Kaaterskill Falls in "Rip Van Winkle" which was published in 1919 and famed Hudson River School painter Thomas Cole made the falls famous when his painting of them appeared on the cover of the New York Evening Post in 1825.
Almost all of the famed Hudson River School of artists and other famous American artists painted Kaaterskill Falls including William Frederick Church, Asher Durand, Sanford Gifford, John Frederick Kensett and Winslow Homer.
Kaaterskill Falls has two main drops the first of which is 180 feet in height followed by the lower drop which is some 80 feet in height. One of the interesting and fun things about Kaaterskill which is not clear unless visitors go to the falls is that after the first drop of 180 feet Kaaterskill Creek forms a nice pool of water great for swimming in summer before the water flows down for the second drop.
Kaaterskill Falls is located on public land and is a popular tourist attraction in New York today.
To reach the falls take Route 23A north from Palenville for about 2.5 miles or south from Haines Falls for about 1.3 miles and look for the parking area on the south side of the road. From the parking area walk about 200 yards down the road to the marked trailhead sign and take the trail to Kaaterskill Falls.
Image Source by NHRHS2010
Be careful here of the traffic while walking down Route 23A and be careful on the trail to the falls which is steep and not well laid out. Once at the falls be careful as people have died here falling off the cliff face.
The USGS lists Kaaterskill Falls as the tallest waterfall in New York State but it is not. Inspiration Falls in Letchworth State Park for one is taller and so are others but nevertheless Kaaterskill Falls is a beautiful scenic natural wonder waterfall in New York that has been thrilling and inspiring tourists and visitors since the early 1700's.
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Sources:http://3dparks.wr.usgs.gov/nyc/parks/loc25.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaaterskill_Falls