Catskills Waterfalls: 3 Hidden Gems in New York

The Catskills are a well-known tourist destination thanks to their beautiful lakes and hiking trails, but there’s another hidden gem that many tourists overlook: the region’s waterfalls.

The mountainous terrain in the Catskills creates some stunning geology, and as a result, there are quite a few waterfalls located throughout the Catskills. Some of them are even on public land, meaning that they’re free to view! This article will take you through some of the best spots to see these amazing natural wonders.

What are the different types of Catskill waterfalls?

In the region's surrounding waterfalls, for instance, there are three distinct types. Overlook waterfalls are most common; they're created by erosion as water flows over a ledge. Flow-over falls occur when the same thing happens but the waterfall ends up falling over a larger area. Finally, plunge and cascade waterfalls take place when water shoots down from a rocky outcropping. The latter two require more of an adventurous spirit to get to them—and are some of the best spots to find solitude during your stay at Seminary Hill—but they're also fairly easy to identify by sight.

Tompkins Falls

Toping the Catskills waterfall list is Tompkins Falls, a waterfall deep in the heart of the Catskills near Livingson Manor in the Delaware wild Forest. The 20-foot-tal waterfall is one of the most remote spots that you can reach while still on a mtaintaned asphalt roadway. The falls are located directly along Barkaboom Road, so you can see them while driving along the remote throughfare. Tompkins Falls is one of the few roadside waterfalls in this part of the state.

Kaaterskill Falls

Kaaterskill Falls in the Catskills is a natural beauty that shouldn’t be missed. It’s one of the tallest waterfalls in the Catskills region of New York and one of the most beautiful. Unfortunately, it can only be seen by foot or kayak—but it’s worth a trip if you like the outdoors and adventure. Kaaterskill Falls is located in an area called Palenville, which is about 90 minutes away from Albany on the east side of Catskill Park and south of Hunter Mountain. To get there from Palenville, take a trail from Valley View Farm to reach these powerful falls!

Plattekill Falls

Plattekill Falls - the tallest waterfall in the Catskills - is a gem in one of America's largest and most spectacular national parks. For travelers, though, Plattekill Falls is harder to access than many of the other waterfalls in the region. To get there, you need to travel on unmarked trails and bushwhack through dense forest for about an hour. But it's worth it; to see such a beautiful scene from above is truly awe-inspiring. Unfortunately, even if you make it down to the base of Plattekill Falls, there are no good places to swim near it.