Warsaw Falls

Location: Adjacent to Warsaw Village Park; Town of Warsaw; Village of Warsaw; Wyoming County; New York.

Maps: Google Map; Topographic; Interactive map.

GPS Coordinates:

• Warsaw Falls: N 42.73253 / W 78.15238
• Parking along the park road: N 42.73588 / W 78.14094
• Park Entrance: N 42.73550 / W 78.13741
• Downstream Falls: N 42.73283 / W 78.14206
• Erie-Lackawanna RR tunnel: N 42.73271 / W 78.15308

Directions: Take 20A to the village of Warsaw and turn south on Liberty St. After about 2,000 ft, the park entrance will be on your right.

Or use Google Maps.

Parking: Parking is available along the road that loops through the park or in the lot to the north by the lodge.

Judge Elizur Webster purchased this area of the Oatka Creek Valley from the Holland Land company in 1803 and settled where the village is now. At the time, this was a part of Genesee County. Along with agriculture, the salt industry was able to sustain Warsaw for decades. In 1881 the Warsaw Salt Company was established and it dominated the US salt industry for nearly 20 years. The ample salt springs in the Wyoming Valley allowed for companies to use the evaporative process to harvest salt, where water was pumped into underground salt deposits. From there, it dissolved the rock salt into a solution, which they then pumped back to the surface where it was stored in large flats to evaporate into crystals.

The creek was known to early settlers as “Crystal Brook,” because of its clear waters, and the glen was known as “Maple Glen.” As early as the 1860s, we found evidence of the name “Warsaw Falls” used. Several sawmills once operated along Crystal Brook from the settlement of Orangeville (to the west) to the crest of Warsaw Falls at Maple Glen. No information on mills constructed on this creek within or downstream from the glen could be found. Maps from around the turn of the century, show a large section of land around the gorge under the ownership of a W. G. Fargo, which may have been the “Fargo” of Wells Fargo (and also the founder of American Express). I need to do more research to confirm this. The village park at the base of the gorge was formerly the village fairgrounds.

Recently someone seriously injured themselves hiking this gorge. For Christ’s sake be careful and don’t climb or do anything stupid. Read more on Waterfall Hiking Safety.

Rim Trail to the top

Difficulty: Difficult (because of steep muddy terrain and a last stretch that is a climb up loose dirt and gravel).

Distance: Just less than a mile uphill.

Markings: None.

Description: From the park’s western end (the back near the wooded area), follow the mowed trail uphill through the woods and then head left (south) until you reach the gorge rim. Proceed uphill and along the rim until you reach the railroad trestle. A difficult scramble down hill will get you a good look at the creek flowing under the bridge, and downstream is the crest of the tallest falls. There is no way down the gorge from here and it is extremely dangerous. Use caution and do not play around at the crest of the falls.

Creek walk the gorge

Difficulty: Difficult (no trails, a slippery creek walk with small waterfall climbs).

Distance: Less than 0.75 miles one way.

Markings: None.

Description: From the park’s western end (the back near the wooded area), follow the mowed trail uphill and look for a trail that leads into the woods. After a short while it will come to a muddy gully filled with a large utility pipe. Follow this pipe to Stony Creek and head upstream. The creek gets slippery in the autumn and there are no trails. So expect to walk through the water, which may be fast-moving and deep in the spring. There are a few small falls to climb, but nothing major. You must have good shoes and a walking pole as things can get very slippery here. The walk is long and uphill. You reach the end at the base of Warsaw Falls.

Maps: Interactive.