Willsboro Falls is a 40-foot run of low-angle slides and cascades on the Boquet River near the town center of Willsboro, Essex County, New York. A dam stood here for two centuries. Since it came out, the river has been running over the ledges in something closer to their natural state, and it can be seen from town parks and a fishing access a short walk from the road.
The falls
The World Waterfall Database estimates from lidar that the river drops about 40 feet in two stretches of gradual, tiered cascades spread over roughly 680 feet, with the tallest drop about 20 feet. The main slide drops 20 to 25 feet, and the river is about 100 feet wide at the falls.
Getting there
Heading north on Route 22 through the town center, go straight onto Gilliland Lane instead of crossing the river bridge. An anglers' parking lot is a few hundred feet ahead on the left, and footpaths lead from it to rocky outcrops over the falls. The west bank has a second unpaved parking area off Mill Lane, with either walk under 0.1 mile. A riverside trail starts at Gateway Park on Route 22, which overlooks the falls. It runs down Mill Lane, crosses the Main Street Bridge to Gilliland Lane, and continues through Gilliland Park and the Willsboro Preserve. Seasonal flow and winter conditions aren't documented.
On site
Rocky outcrops on the Gilliland Lane side provide views over the falls. The Mill Lane side gives a different angle across the river, and the riverside trail provides multiple fishing access points.
History and name
The name is unofficial. A dam operated at the falls from 1813 until it was removed in 2015. The falls' potential for mill power was what drew settlers to the area in the 1760s.
Nearby
Buttermilk Falls on Little Trout Brook is about 7.4 miles away. Wadhams Falls, also on the Boquet River, is about 10 miles away. Across the state line in Vermont, Shelburne Falls on the LaPlatte River is about 8.7 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.