Updated July 2026
Lick Brook Falls
Lick Brook tumbles through a steep, lesser-known gorge in the Sweedler and Thayer Preserves south of Ithaca, with three major falls ranging from about 25 to 93 feet tall. The trail climbs over 400 feet up the side of the gorge through hemlock and white pine forest.
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 Finger Lakes Land Trust / Cornell University for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lick Brook Falls drops about 93 feet. That makes it the 225th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 67% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Lick Brook Falls Trail (Sweedler Preserve) reaches it about 3.6 miles (loop), rated strenuous. The nearest town is Ithaca. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Finger Lakes Land Trust / Cornell University for closures and current conditions.
Spring. 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
- Awosting Falls · 60 ft
- Bastion Falls · 70 ft
- Beaver Meadow Falls · 60 ft
- Buttermilk Falls (Ithaca) · 165 ft
- Buttermilk Falls (Long Lake) · 20 ft
- Buttermilk Falls · 165 ft
- Carpenter Falls · 90 ft
- Chittenango Falls · 167 ft
Sources
Get trip conditions by email
Lake grades, water temperature, and seasonal conditions as the data updates. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.