Hi there!
So Upper Falls is one of the 3 main Letchworth State Park waterfalls.
These are the waterfalls that you can see flowing directly under a bridge.
It is not difficult to get to Upper Falls.
To keep it simple, basically you will arrive at Letchworth State Park (preferably one of the entrances in the south) and you will just look for signs that say Upper Falls, and that’s where you’ll go to find the parking lot for Upper Falls!
From that parking lot, it’s just a short walk of maybe a minute or 2, and you will see Upper Falls directly in front of you!
But, in case you want to do a little bit more at Letchworth State Park, like walk further along the Genesee River or explore some regional history, then below will give you some walking options of trails you may want to take to get to Upper Falls instead!
Well, there is really only one trail – the Letchworth Gorge Trail – but it’s more a matter of which sections you want to walk!
A bit more about of different ways to hike the Letchworth Gorge Trail to Upper Falls!
🌳
So…
There are many entrances to Letchworth State Park.
If you enter any of them, you will be able to find your way to Upper Falls (and any of the other waterfalls).
But the waterfalls are located in the southern area of Letchworth State Park. The 2 southern entrances are named the Portageville entrance and the Castille entrance.
Below will take you through the parking lots as you’ll find them in order when you’re entering from the Portageville entrance, which is the very southern entrance of the state park. You can find this on google maps as Letchworth State Park / Portageville entrance.
If you’re entering from the Castille entrance (or any of the other entrances), you’ll find them in reverse!
Explore the map.
And then with any of these options, you can also walk them in the opposite direction since they are all out-and-back trails.
This is a New York state park, and there is an entrance fee. You can expect the Letchworth State Park entry fee to be around $10. Check current fees.
If you have the annual state park pass (Empire Pass), you can use that for Letchworth State Park for free entry. If you are staying at any New York state park campground (not just Letchworth), your camping permit will allow you to get you in to Letchworth State Park for free as well.
Where to park for hiking to Upper Falls in Letchworth State Park
1. Parking near Genesee Arch Bridge trailhead
How much you will walk: Maybe 20-30 minutes to walk to the main Upper Falls overlook and back
As I write this, I don’t see this trailhead parking lot marked on google maps.
But when you are driving in through the very southern Portageville entrance, the parking lot will be just past the Genesee Arch Bridge (google maps) on the right. If you are driving from elsewhere, then it will be the parking lot you see just before the bridge.
You will see the bridge very prominently no matter which direction you come from. This is the Letchworth State Park railroad bridge or the Letchworth State Park train bridge.
This is where you’ll go if you want to get a closer look at the bridge.
Then once you’ve walked around the bridge, you can take the trail of stairs to Upper Falls.
Hiking to Upper Falls from the arch bridge trailhead means that you will be descending stairs. This will lead you to a walk along the Genesee River, and you’ll be able to see water flowing down the river, including along the top of Upper Falls.
Getting to Upper Falls will feel easier than going back since the way back you’ll be climbing up the stairs!
And then, you don’t have to park here in order to see the bridge up close. You can park elsewhere, and then once you get to the main Upper Falls overlook, you can keep walking and it will take you to this area. You can make standing under the bridge as your “destination” and then turn around and head back to where you came from.
2. The main parking lot for Upper Falls
How much you will walk: It’s a couple minutes walk to Upper Falls.
This is the obvious parking lot! You will follow signs for Upper Falls. The main parking lot for Upper Falls and Middle Falls are in the same area.
When you are coming from the very southern Portageville entrance, the road to the Upper Falls parking will be on the right. When you are coming from elsewhere, it will be on the left.
Once you drive into the parking lot, there are 2 main areas. The parking lot off to the right as you’re facing the river is closer to Upper Falls. You can also keep driving to find a parking lot off to the left which is closer to Middle Falls. You’ll probably want to go to both waterfalls, so it really doesn’t matter much where you park.
Although there is a picnic area near Upper Falls if you’re looking for a picnic spot. (You’ll see it when enter the parking lot.)
The benefit of having your picnic at Upper Falls?! You are there longer, which means you have a better chance of seeing a train pass along the bridge above Upper Falls!
3. Parking at Letchworth Museum
How much you will walk: You may end up walking an hour or more… longer if you spend time reading more!
This becomes a little further from Upper Falls, but you can make it a hike that connects to Upper Falls.
The Letchworth museum area is worthy for exploring some of the area’s history, both natural and human, so I will include it as an option to make a part of your Letchworth State Park experience! The museum is free. (Donations welcome but no obligation for that.)
The state park is named after a guy named William Pryor Letchworth.
As the story goes, he was very interested in preserving both nature and Native American history. He played a large role in allowing future generations (like now!) to be able to experience this nature around what’s now Letchworth State Park, and to also learn about the Native American history of New York.
First you can head to Letchworth Museum. There is a parking lot on both sides of the museum.
After you’ve spent time there, you can then take the Iroquois Clan Trail that’s located right next to the museum. (This is to the right of the bathroom building – you’ll see it when you’re there.)
This is a trail of stairs that will lead to the Council Grounds and the memorial of a woman named Mary Jemison.
She is notable for being a white person who made her mark living as a part of the Native American community. She had children who were half Native American.
It is said that there are now thousands of descendants of Mary Jemison… including my dad’s sister’s husband! (So my non-blood related uncle.)
If you don’t want to walk the stairs to the Council Grounds, it’s also possible to drive directly to it too. But of course walking through a forest to get there is better. 😜
Then once you’ve explored the old log buildings on the Council Grounds, you’ll walk back the same trail you came on. Then, you can continue walking towards the Glen Iris Inn (there is food and lodging here), and then past it.
In front of the Glen Iris Inn, you’ll see an overlook for Middle Falls which will give you a higher vantage point of those waterfalls. From here you’ll also see the Letchworth Gorge Trail, and that’s the trail you’ll follow to get to Upper Falls.
So you’ll look for the walking path (you’ll cross a road) and continue your walk to Upper Falls. You’ll first pass by Middle Falls, and then you’ll continue your leisurely stroll along the gorge trail that follows the river, and then you’ll make it to Upper Falls!
👆 Middle Falls. Hiking to Upper Falls from Letchworth Museum (or Letchworth Museum to Upper Falls!) means that you will pass by Middle Falls.
And then from here if you can continue on the trail onwards to the bridge (as mentioned as the first parking option above), or you can head back!
PLUS…
There are many more parking areas located along the Letchworth Gorge Trail.
Throughout Letchworth State Park, there are many areas that you can park to start the Letchworth Gorge Trail… from which you can start your hike to Upper Falls!
The Gorge Trail of Letchworth State Park is around 7 miles one way.
You can also make it a hike along the Gorge Trail from Upper Falls to Middle Falls to Lower Falls… and back! That would be about a 2 mile hike one way, so around 4 miles round trip.
👆 Lower Falls in the distance there. Hike to Upper Falls from Lower Falls… Or hike from Upper Falls to Lower Falls! You’ll be hiking along the Letchworth Gorge Trail.
And that’s a bit about the Letchworth Gorge Trail that leads to Upper Falls!
More for your Western NY road trip:
- Letchworth State Park waterfalls
- Things to do in Niagara Falls NY
- Best state parks in Western New York
- Places to visit in Western New York (for views!)
- Lake Ontario lighthouses
- Lake Ontario campgrounds
- Things to do in Buffalo (for views!)
HAPPY HIKING TO UPPER FALLS OF LETCHWORTH STATE PARK!
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