Angel Falls, zoomed in, September 2006
The view from across the gorge.

Angel Falls is a 120' foot waterfall located near Naples New York in the High Tor Wildlife Management Area. It falls into Conklin Gully. This waterfall is mentioned by www.visitfingerlakes.com and elsewhere. A 120' foot waterfall sounds pretty exciting, but height is not everything. The waterfall can only be easily seen from across the gorge, from several hundred feet away, and even after a good rain the night before, there was not much water going over the cliff. The falls also faces north, which makes for some difficult lighting on a sunny day.

To see the falls, start at the parking area for Conklin Gully. There is unmarked, steep trail that climbs up the side of the gorge. This is on the left hand side of the gorge, facing upstream. The trail is steep, but you do not have to ever actually climb. Eventually the trail levels out and you can see across the gorge and have a look at Angel Falls, assuming any water is flowing. To reach the base of the falls you would have to climb up Conklin Gully past the big falls. In the winter people climb the frozen falls. They reach the base by rappelling down the cliff.

There are at least two other Angel Falls in New York. The USGS lists an Angel Falls north of Arcade and West of Gainsville in Wyoming County, but that is all the information available. There is also an Angel Falls downstream of Carpenter Falls on Bear Swamp Creek near Skaneatles Lake. A picture of this pretty falls can be found here.

The Main Waterfall, 15', August 2002
A Fall on the left (north) fork

Arwright Falls is near the town of Arkwright, New York. There are several falls in this gorge, the main one being about 15 feet tall. Unfortunately the area is closed to the public. The land is privately owned, and the owners got tired of people trashing the area.

May 2006

Big Eric's Falls is located on the Huron River east of Skanee. The falls consists of a series of drops, each of which are only a few feet high, but around 100 feet wide. It is named for Big Eric Erickson, a logger from the 20's. In addition to the falls, he also has a road, a bridge and a campground named for him (although sometimes the name is spelled 'Erick', so maybe they were named for his father?). Big Eric's Bridge Campground is right next to the falls. The falls are just below the bridge.

To reach the falls head east on Skanee Road until it ends. This is also the end of the pavement. Head right on Erick road for a mile until you reach the bridge. Beyond the bridge are rough, unpaved road, and some wild waterfalls such as Forty Foot Falls. Big Falls, a much larger drop on the Huron River, is several miles upstream.

June 2005

The community of Black River Falls is in western Wisconsin just off of I-94. There are lots of cities and towns with "Falls" in their name, and you just know that there must be, or have been, a waterfall of some sort in the area, and any waterfall hunter is always tempted to go explore these places. More often than not what you will find is a dam, as is the case at Black River Falls. Here the rapids of the Black River, which is a good size river, once dropped 10-20 feet. A large dam now sits on the site, providing power to the town. When water is being released you get a sense of what the falls might have looked like.

May 2004

This small, gently sloped 15' high waterfall is in Bedford Reservations Cleveland Metropark, in Cleveland Ohio adjacent to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. From the looks of it there is never a lot of water in this waterfall. Nonetheless it is impressive for a city park to have a waterfall. The waterfall can be accessed from the Gorge Parkway. There is a sign, trail and observation platform. The walk to the falls is short.

May 2004

The slides

Ohiopyle State Park's Cascade Waterfalls is located on Meadow Run. Here the stream descends around a total of 10 feet in a series of small drops. It had been raining heavily the days prior to when the pictures were taken. Normally Meadow Run is a much tamer stream and the cascades are much less impressive looking. The trailhead to the Cascades is located near the park office. It is about a 1/2 mile walk to the falls.

Right along route 381 downstream of the Cascade Waterfalls you will find the natural waterslides. Here Meadow Run twists through a section of smooth and slippery rock and people join it for the ride. Of course if the water is too high, as it is in the pictures, this would likely be fatal, but later in the summer it is a fun ride. There is a parking area for the Slides right off of 381.

July 2004

Cataract Falls is north of Blind River Ontario, right along Rte 557 which intersects with Hwy 17 in Blind River. The waterfall is only about 6 feet high. There is a lot of rock to climb around on and a natural whirlpool downstream that you can float around in. A sign on the bridge labels this as the Cataract River, but some sources say the falls is on the Blind River. The falls are close to where the river flows into Lake Duborne. The Blind River flows out of Lake Duborne.

August 2001

This waterfall is a few miles outside of Crystal Falls MI (the falls Crystal Falls was named for has been destroyed by a dam). The falls is near Bewabic State Park and you may be able to get directions from the park. I am unclear on whether or not the falls is open to the public. I visited it in 2001, and as far as I know it was okay to do so then. There seems to be some question about the path people commonly took to the falls trespassing on someone's private property. To play it safe I will not give any directions to the falls. Besides I am not sure I really remember how I got there. Here is some help from MapQuest. You can ask the locals for more information.

The falls is about 15 to 20 feet high in a very shady spot, making it a challenging one to photograph. I was not real pleased with any of the pictures. There are lots of interesting trees and rocks around the falls. You can climb out on the rocks at the base of the falls.

May 2006

Eric's Falls is located on the West Branch of the Huron River east of Skanee. This, like Big Eric's Falls further downstream, is named for Eric Erickson. This is a small falls, with a drop of at most 5 feet. The falls is easy to reach, if a bit out of the way. Take Black Creek Road south from Skanee Road for about 3 miles. Take a left. The road should immediately cross a bridge. The falls is just below the bridge. There is a larger falls downstream (West Branch Falls) but it is on private property. Big Falls is also nearby.

July 2004

This small waterfall southwest of Hurley Wisconsin in the town of Gile is on the West Branch of the Montreal River. There are two main drops here with a sharp curve between them. The total drop is listed at 15 feet.

Gile Falls is off of 77 west of Hurley. To reach the falls park at the fire station off of 77. In the southeast corner of the parking lot there is a hiking/cross country ski trail. Follow this trail and it will take you to a bridge just above the falls. This trail skirts one of the impressive man made hills here. The hills were created during the mining era.

Some directions tell you to take Kokogan Street to Gile Falls Street. However there are signs posted here saying the trails are closed and large piles of deadwood block the trails.

November 2006

The Great Falls on the Caney Fork has been severely altered by the Great Falls Dam. The Caney Fork River is one of the major tributaries of the Cumberland River, and carries a lot of water. It is unclear what the falls looked like before the dam was built. The rocky and mostly dry river bed is several hundred feet wide. There are a couple of spots where the little water that still flows drops about 20 feet. I do not know if larger drops existed behind the dam. Originally this was probably a large and fierce cascade.

There is an overlook and trails that will take you down to the river bed. From the looks of it, the river still runs high once in awhile, so keep an ear out for sirens.

The construction of the Great Falls Dam resulted in the accidental creation of Twin Falls, which can easily be seen from Great Falls. You can walk down the river bed towards the falls, but the outflow from the power house will prevent you from reaching the falls.

Like many large historical falls, Great Falls shows up on maps.

June 2005

This small waterfall is located in St. Paul. It is located in Hidden Falls Regional Park, which is right across the river from Minnehaha Park and Minnehaha Falls. This is a small falls and does not have a lot of water. It had been raining heavily the day before the photo was taken.

From Minnehaha Falls, cross the river on 46th Street/Ford Parkway and take the first right. This twisty road is Mississippi River Blvd. The entrance to the park is on the right just after one of the turns. The sign is not real easy to see when coming from the north. Once in the park, park at the first parking lot, and walk to the right (north) to find the falls.

There is a long trail that follows the shores of the Mississippi River that cuts through the park. They are also picnic areas and restrooms.

Main Falls, September 2006
Small Falls

Indian Falls is in Indian Falls New York. There are many towns with 'falls' in there name, and you know that at one time there must have been a waterfall there. In many cases dams have replaced the falls, but Indian Falls still has its waterfall. The waterfall is on private property and there is no good place to get a view of it from the road. There is a bar and grill next to the falls from which you could get a decent view of the falls. Unfortunately I was there at 10 in the morning and the bar was not yet open.

The falls is on Tonawanda Creek and appears to be about 20 feet high, and 50 feet wide. Indian Falls is on the Onodaga Escarpment, which is responsible for a number of falls in Western New York, including Akron Falls. Upstream about 1/2 mile of Indian Falls you can find Little Falls. Just follow Little Falls road and look for a parking area on the left side of the road. This is a cascade with a gradual drop of 5 to 10 feet. The land around this falls appears to be public and there are some trails along the river bank that lead to the falls.

May 2002

This small 50' waterfall is in Jones Gap State Park in South Carolina. Jones Gap State Park is 25 miles northwest of Greenville off US 276 and 11 miles northwest of Marietta. The Falls is roughly 2(?) miles from the Jones Gap Trail trailhead. The falls themselves are not particuarly impressive, but the general area is quite lovely. The trail follows the Middle Saluda River closely. There are lots of cascades and small falls along the river.

Misty Cavern Falls is another small waterfall in the area. From Jones Gap State Park, you can hike to Ceasar Head State Park (the two are adjacent). The impressive Raven Cliff Falls are at Ceasar head. Unfortunately I did not know this when I was down there. The 100 foot Falls Creek Falls are also quite close by.

July 2004

Kennebec Falls is a small waterfall right along Hwy 17 in Ontario, roughly halfway between Blind River and Massey. If you are heading towards Chutes Provincial Park or Manitoulin Island from the west you will drive right past this waterfall. It is visible from the bridge. There is a small "parkette" here, although it was closed due to bridge repairs. The waterfall is only a few feet high, but it is 100 or more feet wide. There is a micro hydro-electric plant here run by the Serpent River First Nation.

October 2006

Keshena Falls is a low wide waterfall on the Wolf River. The Wolf River originates in northern Wisconsin and its waters eventually reach Lake Winnebago and then Lake Michigan's Green Bay by means of the Fox River. The upper stretches run through a rough rocky land and there are many rapids and small falls. Big Smokey Falls, which is few miles upstream of Keshena Falls, is the biggest drop on the river. At Keshena Falls the river gradually drops 10-20 feet. The river is very wide here, and the falls consist of three or more large segments. There is no spot where you can see all of the falls. In addition to the falls there are the remains of an old bridge an hydroelectric plant here. The falls are on the Menominee Reservation and are culturally significant.

They were repairing the bridge the day I visited. I do not know if better views can be found on the other side of the river (it is very easy to get to the other side by means of Route 47 but I did not know it). Keshena Falls shows up on my road atlas. To reach it head north from Shawano on Route 47/53. Stay on Route 53 when it branches off from 47, about 10 miles north of Shawano. Keshena Falls road will be on the left a 1/4 mile past the junction.

July 2004

Kimball Falls is in Kimball Wisconsin. While driving west along US 2 from Saxon Falls to Peterson Falls you will see a small sign on the south side of the road for Kimball Falls. Kimball Falls is a small rapids in a small park. It is less than a mile from US 2 and easy to get there, so visiting it will not take much time, and it would be a nice area to stop for a lunch break. The sign for Peterson Falls is the same style as the sign for Kimball Falls, but Peterson Falls is far more impressive.

March 2005
October 2004

This 20'? waterfall is on the lands of the former Camp Kokiwanee Girl Scout Camp. The land was recently purchased by ACRES and is now open to the public as the Kokiwanee Nature Preserve. The falls is just outside of Lagro Indiana. From US 24 take Hwy 524 south into Lagro. Follow it across the Wabash. Take a right onto Hanging Rock Rd. Follow this until you reach Country Road 300 E. Follow this for a short distance. The park is on the right. A short distance from the parking area a sign directs you along a long, rambling and not always well defined trail that eventually leads to the falls. It is about a 30 minute walk. You can also follow the main trail, an old road, and after about 30 minutes a sign will direct you towards the waterfall. If you are feeling lazy, you can actually drive to within viewing distance of the falls. Just continue on County Road 300 E. Take a right at the stop sign, and then take the next right into the Tailwater Fishing area. There is a parking lot, and the falls will be on the right.

There are some other falls of similar size and appearance along the Wabash. I am not sure how much water any of these falls ever has.

Little Falls in Low Water, August 2003

Little Falls is a small stream that falls into the Kaministiquia River Gorge, a mile or so downstream of Kakabeka Falls west of Thunder Bay Ontario. It can be reached via the Mountain Portage Trail

This waterfall is probably about 40 feet high, and is probably much more impressive in the spring.

May 2007

McGowan Falls is the smallest of the many falls in Ontario's Grey County. There is a dam on top of the falls, and the height of the falls is at most 10 feet. This is definitely not worth a long drive, but its worth a quick stop on your way to visit the many waterfalls in the Owen Sound area. The falls is located in a park just east of the Hwy 4/Hwy 6 junction. Inglis Falls is about 40km to the north. Eugenia Falls is about 30km to the east.

July 2004

This small 10' waterfall is a few miles west of Silver Falls along Michipicoten Harbor road. It is visible from the road but the view is obscured. You have to get out of your car and walk a short distance to get a close up view. I do not know what the official name fo this waterfall is, or how regular it is. The picture shown here was taken on a very rainy day in September. This falls is right near the border of Michipicoten First Nation lands. Dore River Falls is also on Michipicoten land. It can be visited by canoe or kayak. I have no idea if it is accessible by land. Rumor has it that is is slated for hydroelectric development.

July 2004

This waterfall shows up in MapQuest and is mentioned on canoe routes. The waterfall is about 5 feet high, but it is over 100 feet wide and a lot of water goes through this fall. It is visible from Hwy 17 just west of Blind River, Ontario. There is a short two track off of Hwy 17 that leads to the falls. Be careful because the two track is located right along a curve on Hwy 17. The Mississagi's much more impressive plunge is at Aubrey Falls far to the north.

May 2005

Ocqueoc Falls is the only "major" waterfall in Michigan's lower peninsula. In rockier, hillier parts of the world this would be a nameless rapids of no note but here in the farmlands and forests of Michigan it merits its own little park. The falls is at most 5 feet high. There is a small gorge below the falls, with rocky walls about 20 feet high. The Ocqueoc Falls State Forest Campground is just across the road, and the Bicentennial Pathway passes by the falls.

The falls is about 10 miles northwest of Onaway, the nearest city. From Onaway head east on MI-68. MI-68 takes a left turn after about 8 miles. According to some maps, this northbound stretch of MI-68 is part of Millersburg Road. After 2 miles, MI-68 veers off to the right, but continue straight. Take a right onto Ocqueoc Falls road. According to my road atlas, Rainy River falls is about 6 miles to the east, but it is on private property. I imagine it is similar in size and appearance to Ocqueoc Falls.

May 2006

Ogemaw Falls is a 12 foot drop on Ogemaw Creek in Baraga County Michigan. It is located off of Baraga Plains Road, which intersects with US-41 just a mile or so north of Canyon Falls. Head west for about 1.5 miles. The road will turn to the left, and there will be a large pond to the left. This is where the road crosses Ogemaw Creek. The falls are a few hundred yards to the left. The road crosses above the falls, so you cannot see them from the road. You have to climb down into the gorge to get a view. This is not difficult, but there is no real trail. This is a small waterfall. Many much more impressive waterfalls can be found in Baraga County.

September 2006

Papermill Falls is located in western New York, about 3 miles south of Avon. This waterfall is only about ten feet high and is very easy to visit. From Avon head south on Route 39 (locally known as Avon Road). Take a left (east) onto Papermill Road. The road crosses the creek just above the falls. There is a small county park on the left side of the road before the bridge. No hiking is necessary. In addition to the falls there is a very pretty old stone bridge just upstream of the current bridge.

Papermill Falls is located roughly halfway between the falls in Rochester and the falls is Letchworth.

May 2005

Potato Patch Falls can be found right next to the Potato Patch backcountry campground in Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore in Michigan 8 miles north east of Munising Falls. I do not think the name is official. I am just following the lead of this person. The falls has several parts. The plunge is 20+ feet high. Above this there is a cascade that drops several feet. Below the plunge there is a long slide that is at least 30 feet high. You could probably get to the base of the falls, but due to the number of trees you probably would not be able to see the whole falls. The falls is just a short distance from the Lake Shore Trail head at Miners beach. You just have to hike up the hill to see the falls. The lake shore trail passes right over the top of the falls.

June 2005

River Falls is another town in Wisconsin with "falls" in the name. The town is located at the junction of the Kinnickinnic River and the South Fork of the Kinnickinnic River. Waterfalls were located just above the junction of both rivers. Both falls were put to work by settlers. Junction Falls Dam still remains on the main fork of the river, but the dams and mills on the smaller South Fork fell into disrepair and were washed away in floods.

At least two small unnamed waterfalls each around five feet high are on the South Fork. One is easily accessible from Glen Park. There is a pedestrian suspension bridge leading into the park over the falls that gives you a nice view of the gorge. The second fall is upstream, just behind the Boy Scout Lodge at the end of Vine Street.

Here is some more information about the area. If you are just looking for waterfalls, make sure you have time to check out Willow Falls, Vermillion Falls, and Minnehaha Falls before spending a lot of time here. Each of those falls is far more impressive and the first two are both within 20 miles, and the last within 50 miles.

March 2006

Rock Rest Falls is located in Jennings County Indiana near Vernon. This small, seasonal, roadside falls is about 10 feet high. Below the falls is a small rocky ampitheatre and gorge. The waterfall is located along side Rock Rest Road between US-50 and State Road 7. Rock Rest Road is known as County Road 75 where it meets US-50 and Country Road 25 where it meets State Road 7. The falls is on the west side of the road and is only 30 feet from the road. There is an area alongside the road where you can park. The land the falls is on is part of the Calli Nature Preserve.

May 2004

Scott Falls is a small roadside waterfall. It is 10 miles west of Munising on M-28. The falls is a single 10 foot drop. There is a small park by the falls. Even on a rainy day in the spring the falls does not have a lot of water.

August 2001

This small waterfall is located on the Silver River in the Keewenaw along M-26 about 4.5 miles east of Eagle River and 4 miles west of Copper Harbor. This Silver River is different and smaller than the Silver River in Baraga County. The falls are around 10 feet high and about twice as wide. The river has a small watershed and rarely has a lot of water. The falls are located just downstream of the M-26 bridge over the river. There is a small picnic area on the other side of M-26.

July 2004

Smalley Falls is in Wisconsin near Pembine. It is a minature version of Long Slide Falls which is 1/2 mile downstream. There is small parking area and a trail that leads to the falls. The falls drops around 10 feet or so over a stretch of around 100 feet. You can hike from here to Long Slide Falls. Like Long Slide Falls, there are no fences or railings here.

September 2005

This is a small waterfall on Speckled Trout Creek, just south of Lake Superior Provincial Park. It might actually be in the park, but I am pretty sure that it is not. The waterfall is a narrow chute about 10 feet high and 30 feet long and only a couple of feet wide. The creek has carved out some interesting potholes and there is a nice big pool at the bottom.

There is no official trail to this park. You can walk down the creek to reach it. There is a two track on the north side of the creek, but it was gated and marked as private property. I learned about this falls from fishing sites. Fish from the lake cannot get past the waterfall.

April 2006

Swayze Falls is located in Ontario's Short Hills Provincial Park. Swayze Falls is a 50' high seasonal wet weather waterfall. Unless it has been raining recently, you are likely to find just a trickle as seen in the photo, or even an entirely dry falls. The falls used to flow more regularly, but deforestation has affected the stream flow.

The Short Hills are the work of an ancient river which broke up the escarpment creating a series of hills. The park protects 735 hectares of this unique environment. A series of hiking, biking and horse trails wind through the park. Swayze Falls is located in the southwest corner near the Roland Road access point. A second smaller waterfall can be found in the park on Terrace Creek.

July 2004

Twelve Foot Falls is in Wisconsin's Marinette County, 12 miles southwest of Pembine on the Pike River. As the name suggests, this waterfall is about 12 feet high. It is a slide, like many of the waterfalls in the area. Further downstream you can find Eight Foot Falls. The waterfalls are in a county park with a $2 day use fee. Camping is also available. There are many nice vantage points from which to view the falls and trails lead to the top of the falls.

Signs will lead you to this waterfall from US 141 or US 8. From US 8 head south on Lily Lake Road and follow the signs. On this route it is about 4 miles to the falls. From US 141 head west on Beecher Lake Road and follow the signs. On this route it is about 9 miles to the falls, only three of which are paved. Here is some help from MapQuest.

Eighteen Foot Falls is a short drive away.

August 2001

Trap Falls is in the interior of Michigan's Porcupine Mountains State Park. This small waterfall is remote. As you see, no roads show up in this map from MapQuest. It is a hike of more than two miles to reach this waterfall. If you are looking for a nice hike, this can be quite rewarding, but if you just want to see a waterfall, your time is better spent elsewhere.

The waterfall is only about 10 feet high. There is a long stretch of rapids above and below the falls. The falls is in a deeply forested area and is usually in shadows. The shortest way to the falls is take the Government Peak Trail from M-107. I do not recall there being much of a parking area here. It is just over 2 miles on this trail to the falls. You can also take the Union Spring Trail. It is about 4 miles to the falls on this trail. From the Lake of the Clouds overlook it is nearly a 6 1/2 mile hike to the falls. All the distances are one way. Trap Falls is one of the sights on the 15 mile Escarpment Trail/Government Trail loop.

July 2004

Upson Falls is in Upson Wisconsin. It is in a small town park off of Park Rd. If you are heading south on 122, take a right when you reach Upson and you will be on Park Rd. There are signs on 77 telling you how to reach Upson Falls.

This is a small waterfall consisting of a couple of drops, the largest of which is around 6 feet high. The waterfall is on the Potato River (or Creek at this point). As the Potato River flows north it gets more impressive. The large Potato Falls are roughly 20 miles away. Foster Falls is about 6 miles downstream.

May 2005

Whispering Falls is in Ohio's Hocking Hills. It can be found along the gorge trail from Old Man's Cave to Cedar Falls. The falls is roughly in the middle of the 2 mile trail. The small stream free falls around 100 feet into the Queer Creek gorge. This falls was still running in May, which means it outlives many of the other minor falls in the area, but I doubt it often makes it to June. There are at least two other seasonal falls to be found in the Queer Creek gorge.

May 2007

White's Falls is a small waterfall in Ontario near the shores of Lake Huron, in Muskoka District. This is a small waterfall, and it has a dam on top of it. The falls is about 10 feet high, and 40 feet wide. There are a large number of waterfalls like this in this part of Ontario, dam included. White's Falls is located east of Hwy 400 on White's Falls Road. There is a small roadside park by the falls. The falls is on the stream that flows from Six Mile Lake to Gloucester Pool. This is another common feature of area waterfalls. They are often on the inlet or outlet of a lake. If you continue east, you will reach Big Chute. The falls here has been dammed dry, but the Big Chute Marine Railway is a fascinating engineering marvel.

Zoar Falls, 10', September 2002
Lower Plumb Brook, one of the Tributary Falls

Zoar Falls is near Gowanda New York, in the Zoar Valley, on the Cattaragus Creek. I do not know if that is the official name of the falls, but it works for me. The official name might be Big Falls, which would make the remote Zephyr Falls in Yellowstone the only 'Z' falls that I know of. To reach the falls from Hwy 62 in downtown Gowanda, head east on Torrance. Take a right onto Palmer. Take a right onto Broadway. Take a left to Point Peter Road, and then a left onto Forty Road. One of those lefts is not well marked, I forget which (I think it is the first). Forty Road goes down a steep hill into the gorge and ends where a bridge used to be. There is a parking area. The falls are upstream. It will take an hour to walk to them. You will pass a tributary fall on the left (facing upstream). I believe this is Lower Plumb Brook Falls. Just upstream of the parking area there is another tributary fall on the left (facing downstream). These are fairly high but have little water in the summer. There are several other such falls in the area.

Zoar is a bit of a party place, and there was lots of rubbish there. It is a hangout for nudists as well. The locals seemed to be rather annoyed by the place. Some people however, love it.

Skinny Dip Falls is also in the area. This page has many pictures taken in Zoar valley, including several waterfalls, plus some maps showing you where some of the highlights are located.