Today I’m super excited to post about Eagle Cliff Falls, a little waterfall hike near Watkins Glen, New York! It’s mostly off the radar, and it’s privately owned, though I would guess that it could be busy on weekends. I visited in the autumn of 2020, so the swimming area was closed and we were the only people in the gorge. It’s not a long hike, but it is quite beautiful if you happen to be in the area.
Quick Stats
Eagle Cliff Falls is in Havana Glen Park just outside of the village of Montour Falls. (If you happen to be in the area, check out Deckertown Falls, too.) The park is privately owned and includes a small campground and picnic area (including a pavilion), with a ball field and a playground conveniently nearby. It’s really a nice little place if you’re looking to picnic and chillax for a day. The owners charge $2 per vehicle, cash only. I guess walk-ins are free since we biked in and no one batted an eyelash at us.
The trailhead is at the end of the road. It’s pretty obvious where to go. Walk through the fence and up the sidewalk. At this point, a sign told us that the swimming area was closed due to COVID. Most of the summer, swimming is allowed in the river. However, note that the park is closed from October to mid-May, so plan your trip for the summer or early fall months.
We continued up the pathway into the gorge. The owners have put up stairways and catwalks through the worst sections. It’s wide and easy enough to hike as long as you don’t mind stairs. Be sure to look downstream, too, since there are several small sets of waterfalls before you get up to Eagle Cliff Falls.
Keep walking upward for about 0.1 miles to the wide, gravelly area below Eagle Cliff Falls. It’s a simple grotto with a lovely single-drop 41ft. waterfall. I’ve heard that the waterfall is usually wider than what I’m showing here. The entire region was in the middle of a prolonged drought, so I was just thankful the stream had water at all!
And that’s that! It’s short and sweet but it’s also very pretty. If you happen to be in the area and don’t mind spending $2 to get in, it’s a great little hidden gem!
Round Trip Trail Length: 0.25 miles out & back
Elevation gain: 201ft. (537ft. to 630ft.)
Facilities: Picnicking, campground, swimming, restrooms, ball field, playground
Fees: $2/vehicle. Cash only.
Trail notes: This is best (per me) in the autumn when you’ve got the colorful leaves and a little less water on the falls. It would also be great on a rainy day. I expect swimmers could detract from the beauty on a hot summer weekend.
Trail 
Road
Signs
Scenery
Would I go 100 miles out of my way for this?
Overall Rating:
GPS Coordinates for Eagle Cliff Falls
Havana Glen Parking for Eagle Cliff Falls: 42.3354167°, -076.8291167° (N42° 20.125′ W76° 49.747′ / 42°20’07.5000″, -076°49’44.8200″) (536ft.) (0.0)
Eagle Cliff Falls: 42.3350763°, -76.8275446° (42°20.10458′, -076°49.65268′ / 42°20’06.2747″, -076°49’39.1606″) (630ft.) (0.1)
The gpx file for Eagle Cliff Falls can be downloaded – please note that this and the GPS Coordinates are for reference only and should not be used as a sole resource when hiking this trail.
Download GPX File size: 1.2 KB Downloaded 46 times
(Note: I do my best to ensure that all downloads, the webpage, etc. are virus-free and accurate; however, I cannot be held responsible for any damage that might result, including but not limited to loss of data, damages to hardware, harm to users, from use of files, information, etc. from this website. Thanks!)
Getting to Havana Glen Park
From Watkins Glen, head south on NY-14 (aka N Franklin Street). After 3.8 miles, turn left onto Havana Glen Road. A quarter mile later, turn right into a gravel driveway with a sign for the park. Take the left fork to drive by the admission booth (pay the entrance fee) and then go straight down to the parking area for the waterfall.
From the south, head north on NY-14. Just before the town of Montour Falls, turn right onto Havana Glen Road. Only 0.2 miles later, turn right into a gravel driveway with a sign for the park. Take the left fork to drive by the admission booth (pay the entrance fee) and then go straight down to the parking area for the waterfall.
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