Kaaterskill Falls is easily one of the most beautiful waterfalls in New York and should be on every bucket list! The 231-foot waterfall is in the eastern Catskill Mountains just north of New York City. Although the Catskill Mountains and surrounding area are home to many beautiful waterfalls, Kaasterskill Falls easily takes the trophy for my favorite waterfall.

The trail to Kaaterskill Falls overall is not strenuous and has multiple viewpoints of the waterfall. You can hike to a viewing platform above the falls, to the bottom of the first drop, and to the very bottom of the waterfall. I recommend hiking to all three because each viewpoint is stunning!

If you want to visit Kaaterskill Falls, you are in the right place. In this guide, I review everything you need to know about hiking to Kaaterskill Falls! It is one of my favorite waterfalls in New York, so I know you will love hiking to it.

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Tips for Hiking Kaaterskill Falls

Start the hike early in the morning. Kaaterskill Falls is one of the most popular waterfalls in New York, and the parking lot fills up quickly. I recommend starting the hike early in the morning to enjoy a quieter trail.
Do not travel off-trail. Unfortunately, there have been many deaths and injuries near Kaaterskill Falls from people traveling off the trail. Make sure to stay on the designated, marked trails.
Start at Laurel House Road Parking Lot. Although a few trails lead to Kaaterskill Falls, I recommend starting at the trailhead on Laurel House Road. In my opinion, this is the easiest trail, and it passes all three viewpoints.
Hike to all the viewpoints. The easiest viewpoint of Kaaterskill Falls is 0.3 miles on the trail to a viewing platform overlooking the waterfall. Although the views from this viewpoint are beautiful, I recommend hiking the rest of the trail to the bottom of the waterfall. Trust me, the views from the bottom are stunning!

How to Get to Kaaterskill Falls

A few trails lead to Kaaterskill Falls, but I recommend hiking it from the Laurel House Road Parking Lot. In my opinion, this trail is the easiest and brings you to all three viewpoints.

The parking for Kaaterskill Falls is at the end of Laurel House Road in Palenville, New York. The trailhead has a fairly big parking lot, but because Kaaterskill Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the state, the parking lot fills up quickly, especially on the weekends in summer and fall.

I recommend arriving at the trailhead early in the morning or visiting on a weekday to enjoy the waterfall with fewer crowds. We visited on a Friday at 8 AM in May and were the first in the parking lot. We had the waterfall to ourselves for about a half hour before more people arrived.

Best Time to Hike Kaaterskill Falls

Kaaterskill Falls hike is open year-round, allowing you to enjoy the waterfall every season. My favorite time to visit is early spring to early summer when there are fewer crowds and the water flow is heavy.

Summer and fall are the most popular times to visit because they have optimal hiking conditions, and the foliage in the fall is gorgeous. I have seen photos of Kaasterskill Falls in the fall, and it is stunning with the vibrant foliage.

Winter is an underrated time to visit Kaaterskill Falls and has the least amount of crowds. The trail in the winter is icy and snowy, so you must have proper hiking gear and traction to enjoy the hike to the bottom of the waterfall.

Kaaterskill Falls Hike Overview

The first section of the hike to the viewing platform is easy and mostly flat, so most of the elevation gain is on the second section when you descend to the bottom of Kaaterskill Falls.

The stone stairs bring you to the bottom of the first and second drops of Kaaterskill Falls, giving you an incredible opportunity to have an up close and personal experience with the falls. The stairs down to the bottom of the waterfall are steep but well-maintained and easy to follow.

Kaaterskill Falls Hiking Stats

If you hike to Kaaterskill Falls from Laurel House Road, here are the hiking stats:

Length: 1.8 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 390 feet
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Best time to hike: Year-round, although early early summer is my favorite
Facilities: This parking lot has restrooms.
Dog-friendly: Yes, the hike to Kaaterskill Falls is dog-friendly! Dogs must be on a leash. Because the trail is well-maintained, it is perfect for dogs. Our dog loved the hike!

Kaasterskill Falls Trail Map

What to Pack For the Hike

Although the hike to Kaasterskill Falls is not strenuous, the weather in the Catskills can be unpredictable, so it is crucial to pack the right gear and layers for the season you visit.

This is a great baseline for what to pack, and you can adjust as needed:

beautiful waterfalls in the catskills

Kaaterskill Falls Hike Guide From the Upper Trailhead

As I previously mentioned, the best trail, in my opinion, begins off Laurel House Road. This hike brings you to the viewing platform first before descending to get an up-close and personal experience with Kaaterskill Falls.

**Always remember to leave no trace. It’s crucial to pack out what you pack in and leave no trash. Some spots have trash bins, so you can easily throw your trash away. If they don’t have trash bins, you can throw your trash away at a nearby gas station or convenience store.

Laurel House Road Parking

The best trail to Kaaterskill Falls starts on the upper trailhead off Laurel House Road. The parking lot is pretty big but can fill up quickly on weekends and in the summer and fall. I recommend arriving early to secure a spot and enjoy the hike with fewer crowds.

Trailhead to the Viewing Platform

From the Laurel House Road parking Lot, you will follow the trail past the kiosk and take a left to follow the Yellow Trail. This section of the trail follows an easy-to-follow, wide gravel path, making it great for the entire family to enjoy! Soon you will come to another junction, where you will continue right on the Yellow Trail to the viewing platform.

The viewing platform has breathtaking views overlooking Kaaterskill Falls and the surrounding mountains. Although you cannot see the entire waterfall from the platform, you get an incredible view of the first drop, which is the most dramatic of the two drops. I loved this viewpoint because we could see how huge Kaaterskill Falls is!

Viewing Platform to the top of Kaaterskill Falls

If you want to hike to the bottom of Kaaterskill Falls, you will retrace your steps to the nearest trail junction and turn right onto the Blue Trail. Please make sure to only stay on designated trails here. Do not be tempted to follow unmarked paths because many people have had fatal injuries traveling off-trail.

Once you cross the bridge on the Blue Trail, you will follow the trail signs leading to the Lower Falls. This section of the trail turns from a wide gravel path to a narrow trail with rocks and roots and begins to climb gradually. At the next trail junction, you will turn onto the Yellow Trail and follow it to the Lower Falls.

The Top of Kaaterskill Falls to the Second Viewpoint

Now the fun begins! The trail to the base of Kaaterskill Falls descends quickly down stone steps, which can be slippery when wet. About halfway down the descent, you will see a trail to the right that leads to the bottom of the first drop. This viewpoint is my favorite because you can get an up close and personal experience with the waterfall!

The Second Viewpoint to the Bottom of Kaaterskill Falls

If you want to continue to the base of Kaaterskill Falls, you will follow the trail back to the steps and continue the steep descent to the bottom of the second drop. This viewpoint allows you to see the entire waterfall for the first time on the hike, and you will be in awe!

And you will quickly realize why Kaaterskill Falls is one of the most iconic waterfalls in New York. If you are a photographer, this viewpoint is fantastic for capturing a long exposure shot of Kaaterskill Falls.

I loved the bottom viewpoint of Kaaterskills Falls because it has a stunning view of the falls! Because we arrived early, we were able to have every viewpoint to ourselves and take gorgeous photos without the crowds.

Kaaterskill Falls to the Trailhead

When you are ready to start the hike back to your car, you will retrace your steps up the stone steps to the bridge and follow the wide gravel path on the Yellow Trail back to the parking lot.

Trails Near Kaaterskill Falls

If the hike to Kaaterskill Falls was not enough, you can add Inspiration Point for a 4.7-mile round-trip hike. If you are up for a longer hike, I highly recommend visiting Inspiration Point because the views of the surrounding mountains are beautiful!

easy hikes in the catskills

If you want to hike to Kaaterskill Falls, this guide is the perfect place to start planning! It has everything you need to know about the Kaaterskill Falls hike. Once you visit Kaaterskill Falls, you will quickly realize why it is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in New York!