Waterfall Hikes Near Rochester, NY

Rochester sits on the southern shore of Lake Ontario and is bisected by the steep Genesee River gorge within the glaciated Finger Lakes and Niagara Escarpment region, characterized by limestone and shale cliffs, rolling valleys and wooded ravines. Waterfall hikes range from short roadside cascades and flat municipal park walks to moderate canyon scrambles and old-growth forest trails, with a single drive-up option; the concentration of urban-accessible gorges and pronounced vertical relief gives the area an unusually varied set of routes.