Kaaterskill Falls

Beautiful falls, hike was a workout but worth it at the end! It had just rained the day/ night before which made for a gorgeous waterfall. The parking lot stays pretty busy, but is a good size! The observation deck view was an easy hike. Would definitely hike to these falls again.

Today we explored the Kaaterskill Falls. We tried to park at the Laurel House Road Parking Lot, but it was already full when we arrived, so we were sent to the next lot, which was just another .4 of a mile away, at Schutt Road. There were some nasty, but needed port-a-potties there. Parking there added a little bit of distance to the trek, but it was doable. We viewed the falls from the viewing deck, at the top of the falls, and the deck between the upper and lower falls. We decided to skip going to the bottom, figuring the juice wasn’t worth the squeeze. There are many, many stone stairs along the way down. It gets very busy, so it is a good move to get there early. The parking lots I mentioned were free to park at, but there are several places along the way charging anywhere from $10-$20, (US currency). People come from far and near to see these waterfalls. When we were there, they weren’t running a strong as they would have been. Had we been there in the springtime when the snow is melting. It was still very nice and a lot of exercise.

It's a very beautiful area. I've been 3 or 4 times before but this time, September 3, 2025, the area is having a serious drought and the falls were very light but the pools along the stream is as clear as glass and gorgeous! It's an amazing gorge. I have hiked from the both the upper access and lower access (23a). I highly recommend the upper access. The viewing platform is an easy .3miles, and the top of the falls is not far from there. If you're up for a bit more of a challenge, theres a trail that leads to the bottom of the falls. It's about 1 mile and the last section is a bit steep but the steep section is modified with steps. I went with my 7 year old daughter and she had no difficulty. I was the one trying to keep up with her scampering back up the stairs! It's a nice walk and the beautiful gorge is great motivation to get a little exercise!

We visited Kaaterskill Falls right after a snowfall, and the views were absolutely stunning! The entire waterfall was surrounded by layers of ice and snow, creating an incredible frozen landscape. The icicles hanging from the cliffs looked like crystal formations — it felt magical and peaceful at the same time. The trail was a bit slippery, but the scenery was totally worth it. Highly recommend visiting in winter if you’re prepared for the cold and icy conditions!

Beautiful place to hike down to the lower falls. Moderate to hard. More than 180 stairs going down and back up. Well worth it.

Beautiful hike, a little steep. Gorgeous views

so beautiful. worth the hike. got here here early sunday morning at 7:30 am. we took the laurel road trail. highly recommend to go behind the falls at the top. the stairs weren’t too bad going back up but definitely be careful as the trail becomes very narrow.

Easy hike with a lot rock steps. Went over the labor weekend and it was not that bad. Lots of parking but little walk from the rear parking to the hike entrance. Amazing view and experience.