Pixley Falls State Park – Boonville, NY

Pixley Falls is located in a beautiful state park of the same name. This park is not particularly large, but it is perfect for taking in the Falls, which can be seen from multiple vantage points, and offer visitors a fantastic but relatively short hike into nature to see a gorgeous cascading waterfall.

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On our first trip, we visited in the winter, and we were able to get an amazing view of this waterfall in all of its wintery magnificence. We returned in the springtime when the ice melted, and it was breathtaking.

The Falls

Pixley Falls is 50 feet tall waterfall but what really makes it a spectacular waterfall is the fact that it is almost as wide as it is tall. The waterfall can be viewed from above near the picnic area, or visitors can take the 0.7-mile trail to the base of the falls. The full falls are definitely worth the visit and if you arrive early in the day, you can have the place to yourself.

Pixley Falls is the place to visit on a hot day. While swimming is prohibited, there is nothing that says you can’t enjoy the spray from the waterfall. This has become a popular park recently, so please remember to be respectful of other visitors, who are also trying to enjoy the park. When we visited midday on a warm spring day and while the parking lots were packed, we didn’t have any trouble visiting the falls. There is plenty of room for everyone to spread out and enjoy the beautiful waterfall.

FYI: New York State Parks Department will shut down the park if to new visitor arrivals if the park reaches capacity. If you want to enjoy the falls, arrive early.

Winter at Pixley Falls

Wintertime here is unbelievable, with the waterfall freezing into a massive frozen ice formation. We get to see a lot of winter waterfalls, but this one has definitely become one of our favorites. The water has frozen at different rates that create distinctly unique formations throughout the falls. In one area, we could even see snowflake crystals forming.

More Waterfalls

One of the things we really couldn’t appreciate about Pixley Falls State Park on our winter visit was the other small waterfalls in the park. That was a different story in the spring. There are some smaller falls in the park that are lovely but might not appear at first glance as awe-inspiring due to being overshadowed by the larger waterfall.

Hiking

Visitors can choose to hike either of the two trails in the park, the Nature Trail, which takes guests to the waterfall, or the Black River Canal Trail. These trails traverse mature woods and cross a number of bridges and scenic areas.

The snow gets pretty deep here in the wintertime, making this destination a great place to break out those snowshoes or cross-country skis. I really enjoyed our winter hike here. The forest is a good mixture of evergreens and hardwoods that really look lovely in the snow. Pixley Falls State Park makes getting into the great outdoors something to look forward to.

Picnicking

There are a lot of places to picnic at Pixley Falls State Park complete with picnic tables and grills. There is a picnic pavilion that can be rented through the Parks Department. If you are willing to take a hike with all your picnic equipment, there is an amazing spot right in front of the waterfall that has a picnic table and grill. Please note that this is a carry-in/carry-out park.

Just an FYI- There is literally zero cell service at the park.

Dogs are allowed (up to two) and must be leashed at all times. Visitors must provide proof of rabies vaccine, If you visit with your dog, please be respectful of other visitors and clean up after your pet.

Getting to Pixley Falls State Park

Address: 11430 State Route 46, Boonville, NY 13309

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