Trenton Falls Scenic Trail

Autumn is a great time to view scenic waterfalls in upstate. Places like Watkins Glen and Kaaterskill come alive in blaze of yellow and red. Just north of Utica there’s a set of falls that rival some of these gorge’s but with an exclusive twist. It is only visible twice a year.

Trenton Falls is only open to the public one weekend in the spring and one weekend in the fall. As luck would have it, my Dad saw a news piece on Trenton the week of the fall opening and called me to tell me my parents wanted to walk it. The path is a family-friendly gravel trail with some dirt and mulch cut offs to scenic overlooks. We made plans for Saturday when the weather looked best.

Trenton Falls is owned by Brookfield Renewable Power and in partnership with the town of Trenton Parks opens the scenic trail to the public. The Falls has a long history of hydroelectric generation dating back to 1901, 5 years after Niagara Falls was fitted to produce power. Prior to becoming a plant, it had been operated as a retreat and was considered a must see stop between the east coast and Buffalo.

We arrived in the gravel lot at 1pm as volunteers from the town guided us to a parking spot. At the entrance a large party tent and tables had been set up to sell food and offer info about the site. At the beginning of the walk we passed the site of the formal resort hotel and family cemetery, before being greeted with the site of a 14 foot diameter pipe running down the hill.

After a small foot bridge there was a staircase over the pipe. Standing on top of a pipe that’s a story tall really puts it into perspective. On the platform was an infographic, and volunteer ready to answer any questions. Beyond the platform the scenic trail really begins.

After a short climb on the gravel trail, we were able to cut onto the mulch trail overlooking the gorge. Our first scenic overlook gave us a view of Sherman Falls below. I had visited Trenton once before in the spring the waters were raging with snowmelt. Today the falls were a little lower and calmer, but enhanced by the fall colors framing them.

We eventually made our way back to the gravel path where the historic frames of original pipework stood. The concrete foundations once held a 10-foot diameter wood pipe used in the original hydroelectric plant. They have since been converted into a neat viewing area providing a second angle of Sherman Falls.

After taking some photos and a few shameless selfies we continued our walk to the Upper and Lower Namesake Falls. Another mulch cut-out provided the initial views but upon traveling further up there is a set of stairs to a large viewing area of the Upper Falls. This was the best view of the day and is the finish line for the 45 minute out and back hike.

Back at the entrance of the trail we traveled past the parking lot to a lower section where the water returns to the West Canada Creek. Here the Morgan Dam regulates the returned water and provides an access point to water.

Trenton Falls is a hidden gem in NY. After the expansion of trains to the Adirondacks and Lake Ontario it became forgotten as a tourist resort and faded into history. Even today it can be difficult finding information on opening dates, but the juice is definitely worth the squeeze. Various local news sites will post the dates about a week or so ahead of time, so keep a look out and you will be rewarded.