| County: |
Lewis |
| Town: |
Croghan |
| USGS Map: |
Remington
Corners |
| Waterway: |
Oswegatchie
River West Branch |
| Latitude: |
N
44.003453o |
| Longitude: |
W
75.27119o
|
| Drop: |
~50' |
|
This is actually a very impressive waterfall and it is not even indicated on USGS topographical maps.
It is also necessary to note that this is one of several High
Falls in the area. There are two others in Lewis County, one
just a few miles away on the Beaver River, also in the town of
Croghan. The other is on the Deer
River in Copenhagen, due west of this one on the western edge
of the county. There is another High
Falls on the Oswegatchie River. This one is on the main
channel in the St. Lawrence County town of Fine in a fairly remote
section of the Adirondacks. In addition, there are at least
four other falls named High Falls throughout northern New
York. This waterfall is the only High Falls that we know of
that is technically unnamed. All of the others are
officially named High Falls.
To access this site, take the Belfort Road from the village of
Croghan to the hamlet of Belfort. Then follow the Long Pond
Road and turn left when you come to the Bisha Road. Go to the
end of this road and you will find a parking lot with a NYS DEC
sign noting that it is the West Branch Oswegatchie Fishing Access
Site, lot 11960.
Note that the area you will be hiking is private land and
posted, but it is a Conservation Easement Public Recreation
Area. Public access is allowed along the river. Go
past the gate past the parking lot into an area known as Long
Level and bear left. Follow the
yellow Public Fishing Foot Path signs that mark the trail.
At about 0.7 of a mile down the trail you will pass the Shingle
Mill Falls. Continue a little less than a quarter mile
downstream and you will come to High Falls.
This waterfall plunges about 50' into a pool. The river
then takes another drop and then a series of rapids as it
continues its route downstream. If we were promoting retail
shopping, we would call this one a "best buy"! It
is a bit of a walk in. The hike will take you close to 30
minutes over almost a mile of moderate to above hiking, but it is
well worth the trip. The upper part of this waterfall is a
free-fall that is very pretty. As you stand on the top of
the ridge across from it, you will feel the spray, even though you
are a couple of hundred feet away. You are outside of the
Adirondack Park limits at this point, so you aren't even in the
wilds of northern New York but beauty knows no boundaries.
You are still in a fairly remote setting. There are no
railings or fences so take care. You are on the edge of a
fairly deep drop. This is a site that is there to be
enjoyed. Remember to carry out whatever you carry in.
The West Branch of the Oswegatchie joins the main channel a few
miles downstream, just west of the hamlet of Talcville in the town
of Edwards. This then flows to the St. Lawrence River in
Ogdensburg.
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