Delphi Falls, a picturesque waterfall park, has undergone a significant transformation over the past few years. We first visited in the fall of 2019 and instantly fell in love with its charm. At that time, the park was quite simple, featuring the original residence at its entrance and a flat gravel path leading to the falls. Today, Delphi Falls is being redesigned into a paradise for waterfall enthusiasts.
History
The park originally opened in 2018 and was partially donated by a retired professor from Syracuse University. The owners, who once lived in this private residence, believed that the beauty of this idyllic location should be shared with everyone. Can you imagine living here? I was amazed that someone would be so generous as to donate such a beautiful property instead of selling it for a substantial amount of money.
Lower Falls
The 65-foot lower falls, which has always been the centerpiece of this beautiful park, is handicap accessible with an ADA-compliant stone dust path, enhancing accessibility for all visitors. This area offers scenic picnic spots equipped with grills and features beautifully manicured landscaping. Additionally, a new bridge connecting the parking lot to the falls trail was dedicated to the Allen Family in October 2023.
The highlight of this waterfall is how close you can get. However, please note that swimming is not permitted. The water flow can decrease during the drier summer months, but it remains quite beautiful.
Rim Trail and Overlooks
Until recently, visitors could only access the Lower Falls. However, with the new updates to the park, a trail now leads to three scenic overlooks and, for the first time, the Upper Falls. This trail is approximately 1/2 mile long and, just an FYI includes LOTS of steps. Fortunately, it is designed in a way that makes the elevation change manageable. Scenic views appear at just the right moments, allowing visitors to pause and catch their breath.
View #1 – Lower Falls
The first overlook is of the Lower Falls from above. This is a perfect birds-eye view of this waterfall.
View #2 – Upper Falls
The view of the Upper Falls is somewhat obscured by the trees and a little further in the distance than the Lower Falls, but still beautiful.
View #3 – Top of Upper Falls
This overlook area is above the falls and more a view of the creek. The best view of the falls is actually from the stairs where you can see a bridal veil of the waterfall as fall straight down over the edge.
Be mindful of the Rim Trail’s ground in spring. During our visit in late May, we noticed many tiny Eastern Red Spotted Newts crossing the trail. So, watch your step!
Visiting Delphi Falls County Park
Dogs are permitted on leash (please remember to clean up after them!)
Hours: The park is open year-round from sunrise to sunset
Address: 2006 Cardner Road, New Woodstock, NY.
Google Map Link
Other Places to Visit in the Area
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This is one of the best zoos in the state. There are so many interactive experiences available throughout the year.
Typically, the lakes of New York State will seasonally turnover, meaning that the different layers within the lakes will mix together. This is not the case with Green Lake, which is a meromictic lake. Meromictic lakes are quite rare, and one of the distinct things that sets Green Lake and Round Lake apart from other lakes in New York State.
Have you had the opportunity to visit Delphi Falls? What did you think of it? What is your favorite waterfall in New York State? We would love to hear from you. Leave us a comment below.