Situated in a gorge just west of Skaneateles Lake, Carpenter Falls tumbles 90 feet in one drop, making this one of the more impressive waterfalls within an hour’s drive from both Syracuse and Ithaca, New York. A wooden boardwalk, which is wheelchair accessible, extends for 1/10 mile to an overlook with a clear, though distant, view of the falls—while a more challenging, 170-step descent leads to a second vista from near the base. With access to the alcove below the falls blocked off, activities in Carpenter Falls Unique Area are limited—but the hike is a worthwhile half-hour jaunt for locals or visitors to central New York’s Finger Lakes area.

The hike

Carpenter Falls State Unique Area is a small park covering a section of the Bear Swamp Creek Gorge, a tributary that empties into Skaneateles Lake, one of the 11 Finger Lakes. The heavily-forest canyon harbors several cascades, the most notable of which can be viewed easily on the short Carpenter Falls Trail.

Plan to park at the small (but rarely crowded) parking area at the junction of Appletree Point and Carver Roads (see Google Maps here). Here the gently-rolling fields yield suddenly to a leafy ravine with steep sides around 100 feet tall. Two trails depart from here to explore the canyon: the longer “red trail”—which connects Carpenter Falls Unique Area to the adjacent Bahar Preserve—and the short Carpenter Falls Trail.

Curious visitors can handle both relatively easily, but most will settle for the latter, which starts as an easy boardwalk treading westward over a minor rivulet and into the lush woodlands—a mix of deciduous and coniferous varieties. The boardwalk is the centerpiece of new renovations completed in 2022 and offers access to those visiting in a wheelchair.

After about 1/10 mile, the boardwalk culminates at a high overlook with a window view through the trees to Carpenter Falls, a free-falling plunge made possible by hard caprock—which has stubbornly refused erosion with more success than the weaker rock layers below. Behind the falls is a large, weathered alcove. The falls give way to a small pool and a series of smaller cascades along Bear Swamp Creek.

Visitors content with this view can return the way they came; others seeking a second view can proceed back along the boardwalk for less than a minute to a junction, where a staircase leads left and down into the canyon. The descent comprises about 170 well-crafted, mostly concrete steps, cutting leftward in segments. Soon the path comes within striking distance of the creek, levels, and finishes at another viewpoint.

The downside of the renovation is that visitors are blocked from proceeding closer to the plunge—but another sliver window through the forest reveals a second look at Carpenter Falls from a distance. Here one can also see the road bridge and tunnel that is perched just above the lip of the falls.

When ready, return the way you came—this time tackling the relentless staircase slowly but surely. Bear left on the boardwalk and walk 1/10 mile back to the parking area.