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LakeQuality

Updated July 2026

Kaaterskill Falls

Greene County, New York — about 260 ft, among the tallest.

A two-tiered 260-foot waterfall in the eastern Catskills, among the tallest in New York, with an upper drop of about 167 feet and a lower drop of about 64 feet, reached by a rocky trail from Route 23A.

Height
260 ft
Type
Tiered
Access
Moderate Hike
Trail
1.4 mi out-and-back
Elevation gain
300 ft
Best season
Spring snowmelt (Apr-Jun)
Land manager
Catskill Park / NYSDEC
Watercourse
Spruce Creek

Before you go

Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check Catskill Park / NYSDEC for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.

Graded lakes within 25 miles

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Frequently Asked Questions

Kaaterskill Falls drops about 260 feet. That makes it the 56th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 92% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.

The Kaaterskill Falls Trail (from Route 23A / Bastion Falls) reaches it about 1.4 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 300 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate. The nearest town is Haines Falls. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Catskill Park / NYSDEC for closures and current conditions.

Spring snowmelt (Apr-Jun). Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.

More New York waterfalls

Sources

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