Rensselaer Land Trust
Waterfalls of Rensselaer County
The RLT has identified 55 waterfalls in Rensselaer County, with the assistance of area naturalists Steve Young and Russell Dunn. We have mapped these waterfalls in our GIS along with other unique geological features. The five waterfalls featured here are those which were visited on the 2000 R-TLC waterfalls outing.





1 Mattison Hollow lower waterfalls Berlin
2 Davis Cascade falls, Mattison Hollow Berlin
3 Black River upper waterfalls Berlin
4 Black River east branch waterfalls Berlin
5 Black River west branch waterfalls Berlin
6 Black River lower waterfalls Berlin
7 Eagle Mills falls in Poesten Kill Brunswick
8 Fred's Falls (Cropseyville) Brunswick
9 Buttermilk Falls on Poesten Kill Brunswick
10 Dearstyne Road falls Brunswick
11 upper waterfalls on Mill Brook East Greenbush
12 lower waterfalls on Mill Brook East Greenbush
13 disappearing waterfalls (Slide Mountain) Grafton
14 Indian Creek ravine including waterfalls Grafton
15 Bernie Pond Brook waterfalls Grafton
16 Bonesteel Creek falls Grafton
17 falls in Walloomsac River at Columbia Mill Hoosick
18 waterfalls on Walloomsac River at North Hoosick Hoosick
19 Hoosick Falls cataracts in Hoosic River Hoosick
20 Tsatsawassa Creek waterfalls Nassau
21 East Nassau falls Nassau
22 waterfalls near Nassau Lake Nassau
23 waterfalls in Rensselaer Technology Park North Greenbush
24 Little Hoosic River gorge and waterfalls at Petersburgh Petersburgh
25 Factory Hollow falls Pittstown
26 Barberville Falls Poestenkill
27 Mill Creek Falls Rensselaer
28 waterfalls on Wynants Kill near Burden Lake Sand Lake
29 Schaghticoke clay gorge & waterfalls Schaghtcioke
30 Lower Buttermilk Falls, Tomhannock Creek Schaghticoke
31 Hoosic River waterfalls & upper gorge, Schaghticoke Schaghticoke
32 Deep Kill upper gorge/waterfalls Schaghticoke
33 lower waterfalls on Paensic Kill near Speigletown Schaghticoke
34 Hidden Falls on Tomhannock Creek Schaghticoke
35 upper falls on Paensic Kill near Speigletown Schaghticoke
36 middle falls on Paensic Kill near Speigletown Schaghticoke
37 Upper Buttermilk Falls, Tomhannock Creek Schaghticoke
38 Moordener Kill upper waterfalls Schodack
39 Vierda Kill falls Schodack
40 small waterfalls on Vlockie Kill Schodack
41 cascade at Schodack Town Park Schodack
42 Moordener Kill lower waterfalls Schodack
43 upper (high) falls on Vlockie Kill Schodack
44 Muitzes Kill falls Schodack
45 high falls on south branch of Papscanee Creek Schodack
46 Oakwood Cemetery waterfalls near Garden Way Troy
47 Burden Falls (upper) Troy
48 Burden Falls (lower) Troy
49 lower waterfalls in Devil's Kitchen Troy
50 falls on Paensic Kill near Northern Drive Troy
51 upper waterfalls in Devil's Kitchen Troy
52 Oakwood Cemetery waterfalls at Crematorium Troy
53 waterfalls below bridge at Burden Pond outlet Troy
54 Oakwood Cemetery upper waterfalls Troy
55 Piscawen Kill falls in Frear Park Troy
56 Poesten Kill high falls Troy





Lower Black River Falls

The Black River has two sets of falls located within the Capital District Wildlife Management Area in the town of Berlin. The lowermost falls drops over one large slab of graywacke rock. It is located at the site of a late 19th Century sawmill, of which some ruins still remain, including foundations and a sliceway The detailed map from our book, Natural Areas of Rensselaer County, New York shows an outline of this site. The 1876 Beer's Atlas of Rensselaer County shows this mill under the ownership of a "G. Holcombe."




Hoags Corners Falls and Wynants Kill Falls

Hoag's Corners Falls is found on the Tsatsawassa Creek in the Town of Nassau. A large complex of mills was built downstream from this falls in the 19th Century, as explained in Phil Lord's book, Mills on the Tsatsawassa. The mill at this site dated from the late 1700s. The falls is located on private property, so the permission of the owner is required for a visit.

Just north of Burden Lake on the Wynants Kill (County Road 51) is the Wynants Kill Falls. Flowing over a shale ledge and continuing under the highway, this falls is an easily accessible but often unnoticed pleasure. You will notive that this is another old mill site. If you park along the roadside to visit this falls, be careful not to block travelled lanes.


Barberville Falls and Fred's Falls

Barberville Falls is one of the best known waterfalls in Rensselaer County. On the Poesten Kill in the hamlet of Barberville, it is part of a preserve owned by The Nature Conservancy. Also providing power for an early mill, this falls marks the descent of the stream from the Rensselaer Plateau. The 92 foot tall scenic falls spills over several levels of rough ledges en route to the bottom.

Fred's Falls, down at the bottom of a very deep gorge, is found on the Quacken Kill,in the Town of Brunswick and hamlet of Cropseyville. Fred's Falls is adjacent to a mill which still stands; some of the original mill works remain in the building. This is a popular swimming hole; however, it is on private property so again, visitors should get the owner's permission prior to a visit or a swim. The R-TLC wonders, who was Fred, anyway?

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