Little Falls is the historic falls of the Mohawk River in the city of Little Falls, Herkimer County, New York, today a partly dewatered series of rapids in a narrow rock gorge beside Erie Canal Lock 17 and Moss Island. The city takes its name from them.
The falls
The Mohawk loses about 40 feet through Little Falls, dropping through a gorge carved nearly 13,000 years ago when Glacial Lake Iroquois drained at the end of the last ice age. River and canal share the gorge, separated by Moss and Loomis islands. Most of the river's flow is now diverted into the Erie Canal and regulated for hydropower, leaving what is classified as rapids rather than a waterfall, with no recorded height. Several small drops remain, the most accessible downtown one falling about 4 feet.
Getting there
To reach Canal Place, turn onto Mill Street from the north end of the NY 167 bridge over the Mohawk, then right onto Canal Place. Street parking is available, and a concrete sidewalk reaches the river view in about a minute. Moss Island can be reached on foot from Lock 17 off Route 169 or from Canal Place. The Empire State Trail, which meets ADA standards, runs through the corridor.
When to go
Because the flow is diverted and regulated, the rapids' volume depends on canal and power operations rather than season alone.
On site
Moss Island shows bare rock and what the city calls one of the largest collections of glacial potholes in the United States; the island is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also a climbing area, with most routes rated 5.8 to 5.10. Lock 17 has a lift of about 40 feet, the highest on the New York State Canal System. The city plans a Sky Bridge linking the Empire State Trail with the Seely Street area, with work scheduled to begin in 2026.
History and name
The rapids forced early traders to carry boats around them, and later canals bypassed them with locks. The city points to the ruins of what it calls the oldest surviving lock in the United States, dating from 1795. Moss and Loomis islands were joined into one landmass during the canal rebuilding of 1916.
Nearby
Buttermilk Falls, in the city's Buttermilk Falls Park behind the municipal pool, is about 1 mile away. Faville Falls is about 5.3 miles away, and High Falls and Beardslee Falls on East Canada Creek about 6 and 6.2 miles.
Distances are straight-line.