Best dog-friendly waterfall hikes in New York
62 verified hikes from our directory of 389 New York waterfalls.
What we mean by dog friendly
Dog-friendly means the land manager allows leashed dogs on this specific trail. State parks and National Forests usually do; National Park trails almost never. We mark dog_friendly only when we've confirmed the policy applies to the trail, not just the parking lot.
One caveat: Leash rules are enforced. Bring a 6-foot leash, waste bags, and water for the dog. Hot rock and pavement burn paws — check temperature with your hand for 5 seconds before letting them walk on it.
Gear hint: Our dog Brook carries her own water in a fitted pack; we carry her booties for shale and hot pavement. Cold-water tail-tuck on small breeds is real — keep them out of glacial plunge pools.
The 62 picks
Each opens to a full page with trail distance, elevation gain, parking, fee, best months, and live conditions when available.
Artists Falls
height unverified · High Peaks Wilderness
Auger Falls
height unverified · Siamese Ponds Wilderness
Awosting Falls
height unverified · Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Beaver Meadow Falls
height unverified · High Peaks Wilderness
Beede Brook Falls
height unverified · Giant Mountain Wilderness
Black Chasm Falls
131 ft · Indian Head Wilderness
Bridal falls
height unverified · Allegany State Park
Bridal Veil Falls
66 ft · Indian Head Wilderness
Buttermilk Falls
height unverified · Slide Mountain Wilderness
Buttermilk Falls
height unverified · Buttermilk Falls State Park
Cascade Falls
height unverified · High Peaks Wilderness
Central Cascade
height unverified · Watkins Glen State Park
Chittenango Falls
167 ft · Chittenango Falls State Park
Cornell Falls
height unverified · Slide Mountain Wilderness
Frontenac Falls
95 ft · Taughannock Falls State Park
Green Hole Falls
23 ft · Indian Head Wilderness
Grey Rock Falls
33 ft · Indian Head Wilderness
Hector Falls
165 ft · 0 mi
Hells Hole Falls
height unverified · Indian Head Wilderness
High Falls (Climax)
height unverified · McKenzie Mountain Wilderness
High Falls (Main)
height unverified · McKenzie Mountain Wilderness
High Falls (Mini)
height unverified · McKenzie Mountain Wilderness
High Falls (Rainbow)
height unverified · McKenzie Mountain Wilderness
Little Stony Kill Falls
height unverified · Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Lower Bridal Veil Falls
33 ft · Indian Head Wilderness
Lower Falls
height unverified · Robert H. Treman State Park
Lower Falls
height unverified · High Peaks Wilderness
Lower Falls
height unverified · Letchworth State Park
Lower Ghost (Japanese) Falls
49 ft · Indian Head Wilderness
Lower Stag Brook Falls
height unverified · McKenzie Mountain Wilderness
Lucifer Falls
height unverified · Robert H. Treman State Park
Middle Falls
height unverified · Letchworth State Park
Mine Hole Falls
23 ft · Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Mine Kill Falls
height unverified · Mine Kill State Park
Minelot Falls
98 ft · Thacher State Park
Old Mill Falls
13 ft · Indian Head Wilderness
Otter Falls
height unverified · Big Indian Wilderness
Peter's Kill Falls
height unverified · Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Pixley Falls
height unverified · Pixley Falls State Park
Plattekill Falls
60 ft · 0.4 mi · 200 ft climb · Indian Head Wilderness (Catskill Forest Preserve)
Rainbow Falls
height unverified · Watkins Glen State Park
Rainbow Falls
height unverified · High Peaks Wilderness
Rainbow Falls
height unverified · Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Raquette Falls
height unverified · High Peaks Wilderness
Red Rock Falls
height unverified · Indian Head Wilderness
Roaring Brook Falls
262 ft · Giant Mountain Wilderness
Russell Falls
height unverified · Giant Mountain Wilderness
Saw Mill Falls
height unverified · Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Sheldon Falls
height unverified · Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Shoebox Falls
10 ft · High Peaks Wilderness
Stony Kill Falls
height unverified · Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Swimming hole and water fall
3 ft · High Peaks Wilderness
T Lake Falls
height unverified · West Canada Lake Wilderness
Taughannock Falls
217 ft · Taughannock Falls State Park
Touey Falls
height unverified · William C. Whitney Wilderness
Upper Falls
height unverified · Letchworth State Park
Upper Falls
height unverified · High Peaks Wilderness
Upper Ghost (Japanese) Falls
43 ft · Indian Head Wilderness
Upper Stag Brook Falls
height unverified · McKenzie Mountain Wilderness
Verkeerderkill Falls
height unverified · Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Wedge Brook Cascades
height unverified · High Peaks Wilderness
West Stoney Creek Falls
height unverified · Silver Lake Wilderness
Before you go: 5 things we always check
- The official land manager's page for road and trail closures (linked on every individual waterfall page).
- The weather forecast for the area AND upstream — flash floods come from rain miles away.
- Recent ranger or hiker reports for slippery rock conditions.
- Whether the trail crosses a creek without a bridge — water levels change daily in snowmelt season.
- Cell coverage at the trailhead. Download offline maps in advance.
See our full safety disclaimer for the dangers we've flagged on individual waterfalls. Several have fatalities on record.