Greenwood Falls Guide Before Visiting 2026 Updated

Greenwood Falls is a waterfall in St. Lawrence County, New York, about 16 miles southeast of Gouverneur. This guide covers what to check, bring and expect before you go, using visitor ratings, official USGS records and live conditions for this exact location.

At a glance

Location

St. Lawrence County, NY

Nearest town

Gouverneur (16 mi)

Coordinates

44.20494, -75.19569

USGS topo

Fine quad

Getting there

Greenwood Falls sits about 16 miles southeast of Gouverneur in St. Lawrence County. Navigate to the coordinates 44.20494, -75.19569, which mark the waterfall itself; the trailhead or parking area may be some distance away.

Open directions in Google Maps or Apple Maps, or view the map on the Greenwood Falls listing. Navigation apps sometimes route onto seasonal forest roads, so check road status if you are heading into the mountains.

Most well-known falls are in state parks managed by New York State Parks or on state Forest Preserve and other lands managed by the Department of Environmental Conservation; the Adirondack and Catskill parks are a patchwork of public and private land, so posted boundaries matter. Popular parks such as Watkins Glen, Taughannock and Niagara Falls charge vehicle fees and become crowded on summer weekends, and Kaaterskill Falls parking fills early. Gorge rims are the chief hazard: shale and limestone edges crumble, ledges are wet and slippery, and fatal falls have occurred at several sites, including the upper ledges of Kaaterskill Falls. Swimming in gorges is often prohibited outside designated areas. Stay on marked trails and behind barriers.

What to bring

This checklist is tailored to Greenwood Falls based on what visitors report and the conditions typical of New York. For the complete list, see our waterfall hike packing guide.

• Offline map and coordinates. Save 44.20494, -75.19569 and download offline maps; cell service is often weak near waterfalls.
• Shoes with real grip. Rock near falling water stays wet and slick even in dry weather.
• Water and a snack. More than you think you need, even for a short walk.
• A light rain layer. Spray from the falls and quick-moving showers can soak you.
• Headlamp. In case your visit runs later than planned; check sunset time in the conditions panel above.

How to prepare

Timing

Spring is prime waterfall season across New York. Snowmelt and rain usually push the Adirondack and Tug Hill rivers to their highest levels from April into May, and the Finger Lakes gorges run strongly through spring. Many smaller gorge falls drop to a thin veil in July and August, though Niagara and other large river falls flow steadily all year. Autumn brings outstanding foliage, peaking in the Adirondacks in late September and early October and later in the Catskills and Finger Lakes, and fall rains often restore flows. Winter freezes many falls into ice sculptures, but some Finger Lakes gorge trails close for the season because of ice and rockfall.

Safety

Stay behind railings and off wet rock, never climb on the falls, and keep children within arm's reach near the water. Check the weather panel above for flood or storm alerts before you set out; water levels can rise fast after upstream rain. Our waterfall safety guide covers the most common hazards.

Respect the place

Pack out everything you bring, stay on established paths to limit erosion, and leave rocks and plants where they are. See Leave No Trace at waterfalls.

History of the area

According to the U.S. Geological Survey's naming record: The name is associated with that of the stream on which the falls is located

The federal gazetteer describes it this way: 58 ft. high; in Greenwood Creek State Forest, in the Town of Pitcairn, along Greenwood Creek 1.6 mi. SE of East Pitcairn

Greenwood Falls was entered in the Geographic Names Information System on November 10, 2017, and it appears on the USGS Fine 7.5-minute topographic map.

The U.S. Board on Geographic Names made a formal decision on its name on November 9, 2017.

Its neighbors on the map tell the story of the surrounding land: Grass Pond (lake, 1.2 mi), Portaferry Lake (lake, 1.6 mi), Cold Spring Creek (stream, 1.8 mi), and Greenwood Creek (stream, 1.8 mi).

Adirondacks and the St. Lawrence Valley. Northern New York holds the largest concentration of named falls in the state. Rivers draining the Adirondack dome drop repeatedly as they cross from hard Precambrian rock onto the lowlands, and many of these falls are near small towns such as Hannawa Falls, Canton and Gouverneur, where they once powered mills and now feed hydroelectric plants. In Essex County, falls in the High Peaks around Lake Placid and Elizabethtown are wilder, often reached by forest trails along mountain brooks or found in rocky gorges cut by the Ausable and Boquet rivers. Hamilton and Franklin counties add falls deep in the lake country around Tupper Lake and Lake Pleasant.

Nearby waterfalls to add to your trip

Summary

Greenwood Falls about 16 miles southeast of Gouverneur is a documented waterfall in the federal gazetteer. Check the live forecast and stream gauge above, save the coordinates for offline use, and pack for wet, uneven ground. Ratings, hours and access can change, so confirm conditions with the land manager before you drive out.

See the full Greenwood Falls listing for the map, photos and nearby landmarks.