Loading...

WINTER SALE! 50% OFF Supporter Accounts — now through January 31st. Learn More.

Salmon River Falls Trail

The Salmon River Falls Trail at Salmon River Falls Unique Area near Orwell, New York is an easy universally-accessible out-and-back trail that leads to the 110-foot tall waterfall, Salmon River Falls.

Universal Access
Note that this trail is mostly universally accessible. Visitors will find a wide, flat, and crushed stone pathway that leads to two viewing areas of Salmon River Falls - all fully accessible; however, this GPS track leads down a series of stairs that leads to the creek bed and top of Salmon River Falls, which is not universally accessible.

Hike Description
This hike begins at the main parking lot and trailhead for Salmon River Falls and heads in along the universal access trail.

Salmon River Falls Overlook - Mile 0.05
Hikers will find a quick view of Salmon River Falls almost immediately, located near the trailhead. This is one of the best views of the waterfall, despite the obstruction from the trees, because you get the see the entire waterfall without hiking the super-steep and somewhat sketchy Salmon River Falls Gorge Trail.

The trail will continue onward from the first overlook area, passing the Salmon River Falls Gorge Trail along the way.

Top of Salmon River Falls Overlook - Mile 0.2
Around mile 0.2, the trail will reach another overlook of Salmon River Falls, but this time it's located adjacent to the top of the waterfall. From here, hikers get a close-up view of the 110-foot tall waterfall.

Riverside Hike - Mile 0.22 to 0.32
From mile 0.22 to 0.32 (out-and-back) hikers can take a series of stairs that lead to the creek and out to the top of Salmon River Falls. Note that there's a line/marker where visitors should not pass to ensure their own safety.

From here, the hike is "over" unless you wish to hike upstream further. The walk back to the parking lot is about 0.25-miles from the top of the waterfall, hence the 0.5-mile out-and-back hike. If you're adventurous and don't mind a sketchy hike, be sure to check out the Salmon River Falls Gorge Trail before you leave - it's super hard and a bit sketchy, but the views from the bottom are awesome. Most hikers skip that trail as well, so there's far less people down in the gorge than on this accessible trail.

Parking
Hikers will find plenty of parking at the large parking lot at the coordinates provided along Falls Road.

Pets
Dogs are allowed only if leashed and must be cleaned up after.

Warning
Steep ledges: This hike includes several areas where you can walk up to 110-foot tall ledges. Watch your step and stay back from ledges to enjoy the views.
Explore 1 trail near Orwell, NY

Know Before You Go

  • The Salmon River Falls Trail is a short, 0.5-mile out-and-back trail in Orwell, NY, offering easy access to scenic views of the 110-foot Salmon River Falls.
  • The trail is largely universally accessible, featuring a wide, flat, crushed stone pathway to two overlooks, though a side path to the creek bed involves stairs and is not accessible.
  • Visitors should exercise caution due to steep ledges along the trail and be aware that the Salmon River Falls Gorge Trail offers more challenging hiking with less crowded views from the bottom.
Interactive topographic map for Salmon River Falls Trail located in Orwell, NY. Click the "View Map" button to load GPS coordinates and trail markers.
Get directions
Distance
0.5 mi
Difficulty
Easy
Type
Out-and-Back
Est. Time
15 min
Elev. Gain
54'
Rating
5.0
Added
August 26, 2023
Updated
August 29, 2023

Weather Forecast

Loading...
Total Change
39'
Ascent
54'
Descent
53'
Loading...

Download the GPX Data for Offline Use

Supporters get exclusive access to download trail routes to the MyHikes app for offline use. Stay prepared on your adventure, even without an internet connection! Become a Supporter today to unlock this feature and hike with confidence.

Download Salmon River Falls Trail GPX Data to the MyHikes Mobile App

Features

Vista / Lookout Point
Dogs
Waterfalls

Points of interest

  1. Parking

    43.54912, -75.943103
  2. Main Trailhead

    43.549047, -75.943012
  3. Salmon River Falls (110-feet tall)

    43.548017, -75.939797
    Salmon River Falls (110-feet tall)
  4. Salmon River Falls (110-feet tall)

    43.547921, -75.939916
    Salmon River Falls (110-feet tall)

Safety information

For your own safety: plan ahead, let someone know where you'll be, and hike at your own risk.

Hazards

Rockfalls, Ledges, or Scrambles

Availability

All seasons

Surface type

Universal Access

Trip Reports (Reviews)

Rated 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating.

Ready to help fellow hikers? Add a trip report to share your experience and provide valuable insights for other hikers!

0.5 miles / 0.8 km
August 26, 2023
Hiking
No community routes found. To add your own hike as a Community Route for this Trail guide, leave a Trip Report with an attached GPX file.

Popular categories

Scenic mountain view representing vista trails
Vista trails
Scenic gorge of cascades representing waterfall trails
Waterfall hikes
Rugged mountain terrain representing summit trails
Summit trails
Scenic mountain view representing dog-friendly trails
Dog-friendly
Scenic campsite with a view representing camping trails
Camping trails
Appalachian Trail logo representing A.T. hikes
A.T. hikes

You May Also Like

Colorado's Million Dollar Highway - Plan a day's drive adventure along the iconic Million Dollar Highway in Colorado. Explore the best short trails, roadside stops, waterfalls, vistas, ghost towns, and hot springs within a ~6 hour road trip.
Explore

Colorado's Million Dollar Highway

Plan a day's drive adventure along the iconic Million Dollar Highway in Colorado. Explore the best short trails, roadside stops, waterfalls, vistas, ghost towns, and hot springs within a ~6 hour road trip.

Read
Glacier's Going-to-the-Sun Road - Discover the breathtaking beauty of Glacier National Park along the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road. From stunning roadside stops to picturesque waterfalls and vistas, this engineering marvel offers endless opportunities for exploration.
Explore

Glacier's Going-to-the-Sun Road

Discover the breathtaking beauty of Glacier National Park along the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road. From stunning roadside stops to picturesque waterfalls and vistas, this engineering marvel offers endless opportunities for exploration.

Read
🍪 We use cookies to learn about site usage and to serve map tiles. You may block cookies manually in the browser. By continuing you agree. Learn more