Updated July 2026
Lower Falls (Letchworth State Park)
The Lower Falls is the southernmost of Letchworth State Park's three major waterfalls on the Genesee River, with an historic stone footbridge crossing the gorge just below it. It is reached via the Gorge Trail and a stairway descent.
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 NY State Parks (Letchworth State Park) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lower Falls (Letchworth State Park) drops about 70 feet. That makes it the 326th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 53% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Gorge Trail (Trail #1) reaches it about 3 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 810 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate. The nearest town is Mount Morris. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with NY State Parks (Letchworth State Park) for closures and current conditions.
Spring and fall. 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
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