Tenant Creek Falls is a 35-foot steep cascade on Tenant Creek in Hamilton County, New York, in the Wilcox Lake Wild Forest of the southern Adirondacks. It is the first and busiest of three waterfalls along the creek, less than a mile from a trailhead on Hope Falls Road.
The falls
The World Waterfall Database, working from lidar data, describes two distinct steps of roughly 10 and 25 feet; earlier surveys listed 110 feet. The drop has also been given as 35 to 50 feet. The water fans out over smooth, sloping rock into a plunge pool. Two smaller falls sit within 200 yards of each other farther upstream.
Getting there
The route from Northville follows Route 30 north for 4 miles, turns right on Old Northville Road for about 1.5 miles, then turns left on Hope Falls Road for 7 miles to the parking area on the right. The last stretch is a seasonal dirt road. In the Wilcox Lake Wild Forest, the marked trail to the first falls is 0.9 mile one way (1.8 miles round trip) with 300 feet of gain, marked with yellow trail markers and a register, and rated easy. An unmarked but established path continues 1.2 miles to the upper falls, making 4.2 miles round trip for all three.
When to go
The seasonal road is closed in winter; snowshoers park lower down, which adds about a mile each way, and microspikes are helpful for icy spots. The trail is used for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The lower falls draws crowds in warm weather, while the upper pair is quieter.
On site
Each of the three falls has a swimming hole at its base, and the walk to the first falls is suitable for families with small children. The trail is eroded and wet in places. The low, sloping rock at the falls is slippery; keep off it when wet.
History and name
The falls are also known by other names, including Tenant Creek Lower Falls and Tenant Creek First Falls.
Nearby
Upper Tenant Creek Falls is about 1 mile upstream, Hope Falls on Stony Creek about 3.3 miles and Groff Creek Falls about 5.7 miles.
Distances are straight-line.