Minnehaha Falls is a 28-foot, two-tiered waterfall on Glen Creek in Watkins Glen State Park, Schuyler County, New York, about 0.2 mile upstream from the park's lower visitor center.
The falls
A survey done in person now puts the total height at 28 feet across two plunges, 19 feet and 9 feet — up from an earlier figure of 21 feet. Glen Creek flows year-round but often runs low in summer and early autumn. The viewpoint often also takes in Cavern Cascade, a neighboring fall on the same creek.
Getting there
The falls sit in Watkins Glen State Park, about 0.2 mile upstream from the lower visitor center. In 2026, vehicle entry costs $10, collected sunrise to sunset from mid-May through mid-October, and the shuttle between the park's two entrances costs $6 per person each way. The park is open dawn to dusk year-round, but the Gorge Trail itself is normally open only from mid-to-late May through mid-to-late October, weather permitting. The main tunnel entrance and Sentry Bridge are closed for construction in 2026, which changes the start of the Gorge Trail route.
When to go
The falls are reachable only in the Gorge Trail's mid-May-to-mid-October season; flow in Glen Creek drops by summer and into early autumn.
On site
The viewpoint shows both tiers, with Cavern Cascade often visible from the same spot. Swimming and entering the gorge are prohibited, carrying a stated $250 fine, and visitors must stay on designated trails. Pets are not allowed on the Gorge Trail; elsewhere in the park's day-use areas, up to two pets are permitted on a leash no longer than six feet. The park's trail map warns that leaving the trail has led to serious accidents and deaths; no incident specific to Minnehaha Falls is documented.
History and name
The fall was formerly known as Curtain Cascade, probably for its upper tier, before taking the name Minnehaha Falls.
Nearby
Whispering Falls is about 0.1 mile away, Diamond Falls about 0.2 mile, and Central Cascade about 0.3 mile. Rainbow Falls is about 0.4 mile away.
Distances are straight-line.