Northwest Bay Brook Falls

Northwest Bay Brook Falls is an easily-accessible hidden gem near the roadside in the Town of Bolton, New York.

Two waterfalls can be found in this section of the brook; an 8-foot flume waterfall that wraps around a large rock formation at an almost 180-degree angle and a 20-foot cascade approximately 50 yards upstream.

The trail is an unmarked footpath across the road from the trailhead for the Tongue Mountain Range Trail at Clay Meadow. It leads down to the brook where the lower section will be directly in front of you at this point. Use caution, as rattlesnakes have been known to lie in the sun on the rocks here.

You’ll have to scramble over the rocks to get a view of the upper falls, which are upstream. During times of low water, it is possible to walk up the brook or along the side of the brook. The rocks in and around the brook in this section are extremely slippery, so use caution.

The easiest way to view the upper falls from above is to follow the footpath back through the woods and to the road. Walk up the road until you come to a gate, which looks like an old road. Follow this path up and to the area above the brook.

At the parking area is a small pond where, in the spring and if the timing is right, you can witness thousands of tadpoles swimming near the shore.

Along Route 9 in this area are several trailheads, such as the Clay Meadow Trailhead, that lead to the Tongue Mountain Range. The range consists of First Peak, French Point Peak, Fifth Peak, Five Mile Mountain (the highest point in the town of Bolton at 2,258 feet), Huckleberry Mountain and Brown Mountain. The range lies along the western shore of Lake George and offers stunning views.