You don't have to leave the metro area to see a big waterfall from New York City. The Great Falls of the Passaic in Paterson, New Jersey, sits about 17 miles from Manhattan inside Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, and you can see it from overlooks a short walk from the street. It's the easiest waterfall trip from the city, and it can be done by train and bus.
For a full day, most New Yorkers head northwest. The Pennsylvania side of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, about an hour and a half to two hours by car in light traffic, has Dingmans, Silverthread and Raymondskill Falls within a few miles of each other, and the privately owned Bushkill Falls charges admission for a network of trails past eight falls. North of the city, Awosting Falls and Stony Kill Falls in the Shawangunk Ridge area pair well with a hike at Minnewaska State Park Preserve.
Flow is strongest in spring and after heavy rain. Many of these streams drop to a trickle by late summer, so a wet week in April or May beats a dry weekend in August.
By David F. · Published November 3, 2026 · Distances are straight-line miles from the center of New York City.
Day-Trip Waterfalls at a Glance
| Waterfall | State | Distance | Google rating | Fee | Dogs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bushkill Falls | PA | 59 mi northwest | 4.5 (1,478) | Yes | Leashed |
| Dingmans Falls | PA | 58 mi northwest | 4.8 (619) | Not checked | Not checked |
| Hawk Falls | PA | 87 mi west | 4.6 (375) | Not checked | Not checked |
| Raymondskill Falls | PA | 59 mi northwest | 4.8 (310) | Not checked | Not checked |
| Great Falls | NJ | 17 mi northwest | 4.5 (254) | Not checked | Not checked |
| Awosting Falls | NY | 72 mi north | 4.8 (200) | Not checked | Not checked |
| Marshalls Falls | PA | 64 mi west | 4.1 (118) | Not checked | Not checked |
| Great Falls | CT | 92 mi north | 4.5 (100) | Not checked | Not checked |
| Westfield Falls | CT | 90 mi northeast | 4.2 (94) | Not checked | Not checked |
| Wadsworth Falls | CT | 88 mi northeast | 4.7 (86) | Not checked | Not checked |
| Buttermilk Falls | CT | 83 mi northeast | 4.5 (80) | Not checked | Not checked |
| Stony Kill Falls | NY | 72 mi north | 4.6 (71) | Not checked | Not checked |
| Nay Aug Falls | PA | 97 mi northwest | 4.5 (57) | Not checked | Not checked |
| Silverthread Falls | PA | 58 mi northwest | 4.7 (50) | Not checked | Not checked |
| Shohola Falls | PA | 69 mi northwest | 4.6 (45) | Not checked | Not checked |
"Not checked" means we haven't verified that detail yet, not that the answer is no. Open a waterfall's page for its trail, parking and swimming details where we have them.
