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LakeQuality

Updated July 2026

Rainbow Falls

Schuyler County, New York — about 100 ft, taller than most.

A delicate veil where an unnamed tributary spills off the cliff into the gorge in Watkins Glen State Park, often catching a rainbow. The stone Gorge Trail passes directly beneath it about two-thirds of a mile up.

Height
100 ft
Type
Cascade
Access
Moderate Hike
Trail
1.5 mi out-and-back
Elevation gain
500 ft
Best season
Spring
Land manager
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Watercourse
Tributary of Glen 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 New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.

Graded lakes within 25 miles

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Frequently Asked Questions

Rainbow Falls drops about 100 feet. That makes it the 194th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 73% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.

The Gorge Trail reaches it about 1.5 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 500 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate. The nearest town is Watkins Glen. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation 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

Sources

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