The 5 Most Incredible Waterfalls in the Northeast

Kaaterskill Falls
Kaaterskill Falls

Put these waterfalls on your next Northeast travel itinerary, because every single one of them will completely take your breath away.

1. Kaaterskill Falls, NY

Kaaterskill Falls is amazing! Photo Credit
Kaaterskill Falls is amazing! Photo Credit

Kaaterskill Falls, located in the Catskills Mountains of Upstate New York, is far and away the most incredible waterfall in the Northeast. With great access to viewpoints at both the top and bottom of the falls, you won’t have any trouble fully experiencing the scale and power of this huge 180 foot waterfall.

The best thing about Kaaterskill falls is that you don’t just have to look at the falls from afar, but a new trail lets you get up close and personal.  From the bottom access of the waterfall, take the stairs up to the rocky plateau where you’ll be able to see the waterfall crashing into the rocky pool.  If it’s been raining recently, you’ll be close enough to get sprayed with the splash of the water!

 

As if that wasn’t enough already to make Kaaterskill Falls worthy of a visit, this fall currently has no entrance or parking fee to visit!

 

2. Stony Kill Falls, NY

Walking behind the waterfall at Stony Kill! Photo Credit
Walking behind the waterfall at Stony Kill! Photo Credit

What was once a secret waterfall known only to locals now has a brand new trail for visitors.  What makes this waterfall unique is the incredible amphitheater like setting that has been created by the falls slowly carving away the rocks over thousands of years.

The best part about visiting this waterfall? You can walk behind it and experience what it’s like to stand behind a curtain of falling water!  To get the most out of your visit, it’s worth walking up the stream above the falls to find the plethora of picturesque swimming pools and whirlpools.

 

3. Bash Bish Falls, MA

Notice that incredible water color! Photo Credit
Notice that incredible water color! Photo Credit

Located right near the border of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York, Bash Bish Falls is an easily accessible waterfall that is well worth the visit. This waterfall isn’t the largest out there, but the water seems to glow a beautiful turquoise making it seem as though you’ve just stepped into a tropical paradise.

Once you’ve seen the falls, take a minute to explore the stream below which contains a series of smaller falls and pools. While swimming isn’t allowed in the main pool below the falls, many enjoy a refreshing dip in the smaller pools in the stream. Be warned, though, the water here is absolutely freezing!

 

 

4. Sabbaday Falls, NH

Sabbaday Falls is one of many waterfalls in New Hampshire, but few others can compare to the beauty of this location.  These falls aren’t just one single waterfall, but rather it’s a series of three equally amazing, yet very different falls one after another.

The first waterfall you’ll encounter is situated in the back of a beautiful rocky gorge. Towering walls of rock, carved away by thousands of years of erosion now encapsulate this awesome waterfall and the amazing turquoise water that flows from it. The second waterfall you’ll see dances its way down a sheet of granite, and is the largest of the three falls.

The trail goes out on a wooden bridge right beside this waterfall, and it’s an excellent vantage point for taking photos.  The third waterfall at Sabbaday Falls is the true gem of this location.  This small waterfall plunges into a circular pool of shimming emerald green water that is so surreal you might think someone poured dye in the water.

 

5. Rainbow Falls, NY

It feels like you might be walking around in a jungle when you visit Rainbow Falls! Photo Credit
It feels like you might be walking around in a jungle when you visit Rainbow Falls! Photo Credit

This waterfall in the Adirondacks of Upstate New York is well worth the hike to see it. As you approach the falls, you’ll notice the hills on either side of the trail closing in and getting steeper and steeper until they turn into huge walls of rock.  When you first see the falls, you’ll be awestruck.  In contrast to most other waterfalls that fall freely through the air, this waterfall seems to glide and flow along the rocky wall and wind its way through various cracks and crevices in the rock.

Rainbow falls is definitely something you have to experience in person to fully appreciate, and it’s best to go in the spring or after a good amount of rain.

 

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peter-brandon

peter-brandon is one of the authors writing for Outdoor Revival