Lower Falls is a waterfall on the Raquette River in Franklin County, New York, one of the drops of the Raquette Falls group south of Upper Saranac Lake. It is described as more of a natural slide than a steep drop, where the river bends sharply through an S-curve and pours over the rocks.
The falls
The river runs broad over the rock rather than plunging, sliding through its S-shaped bend a short walk beyond the clearing at the state's Raquette Falls outpost. No surveyed height has been published.
Getting there
Coreys Road leaves NY 3 between Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, just east of Panther Mountain. The trailhead lot is about 3 miles down Coreys Road on the right, 0.2 mile past the Stoney Creek crossing; another account gives 2.6 miles. The trail starts behind the registration kiosk and follows a wide path over rolling ground for about 4 miles to the outpost, then a forest road and a narrow foot trail for the last quarter mile or so. The outing is listed at 9 miles round trip with 1,050 feet of gain, rated moderate but long. Lean-tos line the river, the first a tenth of a mile in.
When to go
The route is hiked in summer and used for backcountry skiing and snowshoeing in winter, though it isn't groomed.
On site
The trail is often wet even without recent rain, so waterproof boots help. The final foot trail is slippery, with awkward footing and steep drops to the river; keep young children close. A rough riverside extension beyond the falls adds about 2.5 miles.
History and name
The Raquette River was historically used to float logs downstream, and the state maintains an interior ranger outpost at Raquette Falls.
Nearby
Raquette Falls is about 0.2 mile away and Upper Falls about 0.5 mile, both on the Raquette River. Millers Falls on the Cold River is about 6.3 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.