| County: |
St. Lawrence |
| Town: |
Clare |
| USGS Map: |
Tooley Pond |
| Waterway: |
Grasse River South Branch |
| Latitude: |
N 44.28863o |
| Longitude: |
W 74.95970o |
| Drop: |
~ 10' |
|
Copper Rock Falls is one of eight waterfalls on the South Branch
of the Grasse River which are fairly easy to access from the
Tooley Pond Road. This road, which has significant lengths
that are unpaved, connects CR 27 in the hamlet of Degrasse to NYSR
3 near Cranberry Lake. Like many of the falls on this road,
it is on DEC maintained state land, accessible to the public.
This particular falls is 8.9 miles from the Degrasse end.
As you proceed from the Degrasse end toward Cranberry Lake, you
will cross a bridge. Don't be fooled. This is the Grasse
River and the access to Copper Rock Falls is on your left.
Of the falls on this road, it is the only one on that side of the
road.
Copper Rock Falls is on NYS DEC land. It is a moderate 5
minute walk in on a trail that is not terribly well maintained.
As the trail reaches the river's edge, you will see rapids.
You are almost there.
One look at these falls and it is obvious how it got its name.
The rocks in its path have large spots of copper coloring.
The water drops in three distinct steps. That of course, is
if you are there in summer or fall. A trip there in May
brings a totally different view. If you are early enough,
parts of the trail might actually be under water and the river
here is close to twice as wide as other times of the year.
When the Grasse River is helping Mother Nature rid the Adirondacks
of the winter snow, the river at this point is high enough that
you won't even see the rocks that are present during the rest of
the year. There is an island at this point in the
river. During spring run-off, the volume
of water flowing through makes the smaller falls on the back side
much more prominent. Some of these pictures were
taken in early May.
The Grasse River flows into the St. Lawrence River in Massena,
in St. Lawrence County.
Note: Depending upon which map or sign you are using,
this river is referred to as both Grasse and Grass.
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