Glens Falls is a waterfall on the Hudson River in Warren County, New York, where dams and a hydroelectric diversion have reduced the natural drop to about 30 feet.
The falls
Most of the river now bypasses the natural rock ledges through the hydroelectric project. A lidar survey found the natural falls to have a drop of just under 30 feet, well short of the 60 feet once listed for the site. A marker at the hydroelectric project puts the natural drop at 36 feet and identifies the exposed rock as black Glens Falls limestone.
Getting there
The Village of South Glens Falls provides a free viewing platform at Coopers Cave, beneath the Route 9 bridge over the river. Parking is at the bridge's south end, reached by two immediate right turns after crossing the bridge southbound.
When to go
The posted viewing season runs from Memorial Day through October 31, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Diversion for the hydroelectric project leaves the natural falls mostly dry for much of the year.
On site
The platform looks into the cave and down at the river from beneath the bridge.
History and name
The falls were earlier known as Chepontuc and Wings Falls. The cave beneath the bridge is linked in local history to James Fenimore Cooper and The Last of the Mohicans.
Nearby
Bakers Falls is about 2.6 miles away, Spier Falls about 7.6 miles, and Buttermilk Falls about 8.5 miles.
Distances are straight-line.