Hike-in Required
No
ADA accessible
No
Guided tours
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Rainbow Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in northern New York. The dark tannin-stained waters crash 35 feet over a broken bedrock slide and into a narrow gorge. The falls are accessed by a 0.3-mile walking path. Several other waterfalls on the Grass River are nearby, but this is by far the most scenic.

The pull-off to visit the falls is easy to miss, so keep a sharp eye out for the boulders and small clearing on the right side of the Tooley Pond Road 5.9 miles south of the intersection with County Route 27.

The footpath begins in a small clearing and quickly meanders through the woods passing wildflowers along the way. Red trillium (Trillium erectus) and spring beauty (Claytonia virginia) are especially common in early May. Just before the main falls, a small wooden footbridge crosses a narrow side channel. In the spring, this is worth a stop, as the cascade is quite scenic.

Continuing across the bridge, the footpath spiderwebs to various overlooks of the falls. Great views can be found from all over the river bank, but keep young children within reach as the river's edge is a sheer dropoff with no safety rails. Common viewpoints are from directly above the falls and from far downstream, looking up through the narrow canyon. The heavy mist from the falls causes vivid rainbows on sunny days.

Unfortunately, the swift currents both above and below the falls prevent this from being a swimming area. Sometimes, when the water is high, whitewater kayakers will make descents of the falls. This is a challenging Class V falls, and it should only be attempted by experts. Kayakers know this waterfall as Large Marge.

To return to the vehicle, simply retrace your steps along the footpath. If you haven't already, continue downstream to visit Twin Falls and Sinclair Falls, also accessed off the Tooley Pond Road.

Logistics + Planning

Current Weather: Powered by Dark Sky

Mostly cloudy throughout the day.
Sun
79°F
50°
Rain in the morning and afternoon.
Mon
74°F
63°
Partly cloudy throughout the day.
Tue
80°F
60°
Partly cloudy throughout the day.
Wed
78°F
62°
Light rain in the morning and overnight.
Thu
80°F
58°
Light rain throughout the day.
Fri
70°F
60°
Possible light rain in the morning.
Sat
68°F
56°

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Moderate

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Beautiful waterfall. Other adventures nearby. Wildflowers.

Cons

None.

Pets allowed

Allowed

Features

Wildflowers
Big vistas
Waterfalls

Location

Nearby Adventures

Nearby Lodging + Camping

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