Glen Falls (Cairo, NY)

Location: Near the hamlet of Round Top; town of Cairo; Greene County; New York

Maps: Google Map; Topographic; Interactive map.

GPS Coordinates:

• Bridal Veil Falls: N 42.25466 / W 74.02677
• Glen Falls: N 42.25474 / W 74.02709
• Ice Box Falls: N 42.25634 / W 74.03176

Directions:  From Catskill:

1. Take NY-23A W for 6 miles.
2. Make a slight right onto Mountain Turnpike Rd and follow for 1.3 miles.
3. Turn right onto NY-32 (north) and follow it for 1.4 miles.
4. Turn left onto Hearts Content Rd and continue for 3.1 miles.
5. Turn left onto Winter Clove Rd and continue down that winding road for 0.5 miles.

Use Google Maps.

Parking: Park at the lot opposite the Glen Falls House, or if you plan on patronizing the inn or restaurant, park there if spots are available.

Number of falls: 3

Size/Types: There are 3 sizable waterfalls on the property:

• Bridal Veil Falls: A 25 ft tall waterfall on Kiskatom Brook, adjacent to Glen Falls, this is a narrow, 25 ft tall waterfall, resembling the long flowing veil of a bride.
• Glen Falls: Adjacent to Bridal Veil Falls, 25 ft tall waterfall with a wide and rounded profile. It has some overhangs that cause water to freefall into the shallow pool below. When dry, the irregular face of the falls can be seen. On a tributary to Kiskatom Brook.
• Ice Box Falls: Found on the property west of the other 2 falls, on Dutcher Creek, this waterfall is a multi-tiered cascade in a shadowy U-shaped gorge. It’s about 35 ft in height total.

Best time to visit: Year round, with winter being a great time to check out Icebox Falls. If you are staying at the Inn, summer may be a good time.

Flow: Moderate. All of them may get pretty dry by late summer. Glen Falls will dry up first. If Glen Falls is flowing, Ice Box is probably around the same level of flow.

Waterway: Kiskatom Brook and Dutcher Creek. Kiskatom starts just south of here at North Mountain just over the town line in Catskill. Dutcher Creek’s source is the north face of Stopper Point. They both flow north past the resort and meet just north of the Glen Falls House. Kiskatom then turns southeast, traveling 8.5 miles to Kaaterskill Creek in Asbury. From there, Kaaterskill Creek heads North to Catskill Creek at Jefferson Heights. Catskill Creek takes a short journey through the village of Catskill and empties into the Hudson, which travels south to NYC and empties into the Atlantic Ocean.

Time: About 45 minutes.

Seasons/Hours: Daylight hours, year-round.

Admission: Free.  Although these falls are generally accessible to the public through the Round Top Mountain Biking Association, and many do climb down to the falls, they are on the resort property and while the owners seem chill, any frolicking off trail or into the gorge may be a privilege of resort guests only. Check with them if you are unsure.

Handicap Accessibility: Depending on foliage, view Bridal Veil Falls and Glen Falls from the observation platform only.

Pets: Unknown policy.

Accommodations: The Glen Falls House is an Inn, Restaurant, and Tavern. They have a ton of accommodations for patrons. For visitors, there are just views and trails. If you need a restroom, head north into the village of Cairo.

The property surrounding the historic Glen Falls House resort in the town of Cairo features 3 waterfalls in close proximity, two of which can be seen simultaneously from the same vantage point. Kistatom Brook and a small tributary to it, pour down into the same small gorge adjacent to the Glen Falls House and Winter Clove Road. Both are about 25 ft in height, with Glen Falls being the larger and wider of the two. There is, and has been confusion about the names of each waterfall, with modern photos and even vintage postcards mislabeling the two, often depicting Bridal Veil Falls as Glen Falls. It’s easy to remember: Bridal Veil Falls is long and thin, like the elegant dress accessory. Still, referring to either or both as simply “Glen Falls” in the plural sense is what people often do. The falls, which are about 45° from each other in the glen below the resort can be seen from various angles, as well as from the gorge below via a steep grade down (there are ropes). They are pretty easy to see from various angles around the creek and most people just hike down to get a better view of one, the other, or both at the same time.

A short trail leading northwest takes you to the larger Ice Box Falls, which is on Countryman Kill. The trail is well-marked and easy to follow. At 35 ft in height this falls has cut a deep and narrow series of U-shapes into the rock. It’s usually enveloped in shade, which is probably why it retains ice a lot longer than its surroundings. For a time, ice was harvested from the falls and plunge pool below, and shipped around the local area and even downstate, via the Hudson, prior to electric refrigeration.

While these 3 falls are on the privately owned property of the Glen Falls House, the trails leading past them are open to the public thanks to the Inn and the Round Top Mountain Biking Association, who maintains the trails. Just try not to interfere with parking/business of the resort or put yourself in any risky situations which may cause them to resent such generosities.

The Glen Falls House was built in 1881 by the Ernst family as a farmhouse. The Sulger family converted it to a hotel in the 1940s, adding amenities such as a pool, tavern, tennis and shuffleboard courts, and expanding the number of rooms for guests. The property continues to serve guests into the 21st century and in 2017 was acquired by new owners who have been working to modernize and revitalize it.

Elvis

There is a larger than life Elvis statue on the property.