Cow Shed Falls is a 56-foot, three-tier waterfall on Dry Creek in Fillmore Glen State Park, Cayuga County, New York.
The falls
Three tiered plunges – 18, 30, and 8 feet – carry Dry Creek down through blocks of Tully limestone, for a total drop of about 56 feet; older measurements put the total closer to 37 feet. Cow Shed Falls is the lowest of the major falls in Fillmore Glen.
Getting there
Fillmore Glen State Park, managed by New York State Parks, is about 0.2 mile from Cow Shed Falls to the park's main parking lot. A trail-status update dated May 7, 2026 listed all trails, including the Gorge Trail, as open. The 2026 vehicle-use fee is $8 per car and $35 per noncommercial bus; the $80 Empire Pass is accepted.
When to go
The park is open year-round, dawn to dusk. Summer flow can shrink to a trickle except after rain. Restrooms are listed as available from mid-April to mid-November.
On site
Day-use areas allow at most two pets, which must be supervised and either crated or on a leash no longer than 6 feet, and are barred from buildings, playgrounds, boardwalks, pools, and guarded beach areas. Fillmore Glen has a stream-fed swimming pool elsewhere in the park; whether swimming is allowed at Cow Shed Falls itself is not documented.
History and name
The falls are officially named Cow Sheds Falls and have also been called Lower Falls and Dry Falls; a legend holds that fallen rock blocks once sheltered cows here. Fillmore Glen is named for President Millard Fillmore, who was born nearby.
Nearby
Dalibarda Falls is about 0.6 mile away, Pinnacle Falls about 0.7 mile, Hogsback Falls about 1.1 miles, and Montville Falls about 1.2 miles.
Distances are straight-line.