Are there fees or permits required for Eagle Falls?

No, there are no fees required to visit Eagle Falls.

Is swimming allowed at Eagle Falls?

No, swimming is not allowed at Eagle Falls.

Nearby gauge (Beaver River) · 559 ft³/s · About average

Eagle Falls

Q: Are dogs allowed at Eagle Falls?

No, dogs are not allowed at Eagle Falls.

New York • 12 ft

By Armen Suny · Last verified Oct 2026

3D terrain

Also For 6 other waterfalls also named Eagle Falls, see below

Photo Credits (5)

Billy Wilson Photography CC BY-NC 2.0 · Flickr

Jim Liestman CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 · Flickr

Ken Lund CC BY-SA 2.0 · Flickr

rverc CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 · Flickr

Jim Liestman CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 · Flickr

Difficulty

Easy

Trail Type

Out And Back

About Eagle Falls

Eagle Falls is a 12-foot slide on the Beaver River in the Town of Watson, Lewis County, east of Croghan, in the chain of hydroelectric developments along the river. The water slides into an abrupt left turn and over a cascade, then runs into several hundred feet of rapids popular with whitewater kayakers. It is about two miles upriver of Scenic Overlook Falls.

The Setting

Eagle Falls sits at 1,375 feet in the foothills of New York. The falls drop 12 feet.

Height: 12 feet

Trail & Hike Details

Trail Description

From the small parking area, wooden stairs lead down and under the penstock. Turn right and walk upstream a few minutes on a dirt path to the river just below the falls.

What to Expect

The falls drop a gentle 12 feet.

Accessibility

The trail is short and relatively flat, but the surface may be uneven. Contact the managing agency for accessibility details.

Frequently Asked Questions

🐶 Are Dogs Allowed at Eagle Falls?

❌ Dogs are not allowed

Are There Any Fees or Permits Required?

🆖 No fees required

🏊 Is There Swimming at Eagle Falls?

❌ Swimming is not allowed

When to Visit

spring summer fall

Seasonal Access

The best time to visit is Spring, Summer, and Fall. Winter access may be limited.

Safety Information

River flow is controlled by upstream dams and can rise quickly. Stay off wet rock near the falls.

Current Water Conditions

Updated about 2 hours ago Strong

These readings come from the USGS gauge on Beaver River, 10.3 miles away, not on Eagle Falls's own stream. Use them as a sign of whether the area is running wet or dry.

559 ft³/s

Current discharge — how much water is flowing

About average for this time of year

Very Low Low Normal High Very High

293 412 760 908

Based on 96 years of record

2.82 ft

Water depth at gauge

7-Day Discharge Trend

What does this mean for your visit?

Flow is about average for this time of year.

About This Gauge

This gauge is on a nearby waterway and may not reflect exact conditions at the falls.

BEAVER RIVER AT CROGHAN NY

USGS 04258000

10.3 miles from waterfall

Drainage: 291 sq mi

Altitude: 806 ft

7-Day Flow Outlook

Based on the USGS gauge BEAVER RIVER AT CROGHAN NY (17 km away).

Moderate confidence

Strong right now

559 cfs

→ Holding steady

Today

Roaring

604 cfs

6/10

Tomorrow

Roaring

583 cfs

6/10

Sat

Roaring

565 cfs

6/10

Sun

Roaring

609 cfs

6/10

Mon

Strong

572 cfs

9/10

Tue

Strong

558 cfs

10/10

Wed

Strong

552 cfs

10/10

Best window: Tue — strong flow, mostly sunny (trip score 10/10).

Best time of year: this gauge typically runs highest from late March to early May, peaking in April.

How we calculate this

This is a transparent outlook, not a precise forecast. We take the waterfall's current flow strength (how it ranks against its historical normal for today, from the nearest USGS stream gauge), carry that ranking forward along the gauge's seasonal curve, and nudge it for forecast rain. Confidence is highest for the next day or two and falls further out. Always check official conditions and your own judgment before visiting — high flows can be dangerous.

Know when to go.

Get a free email alert when waterfalls near Castorland hit peak flow. We only send when conditions are worth the trip — no weekly newsletters, no spam.

Is Eagle Falls Frozen?

Updated about 6 hours ago

Not frozen highs above freezing lately north-facing, shaded strong flow slows freezing

Eagle Falls is not frozen right now; highs have been above freezing. Yesterday ran 46°F to 32°F.

Days below freezing: 0 of the last 14
Current cold streak: 0 days
Freezing days ahead: 0 of the next 7
Flow: 575 ft³/s

Winter safety. Frozen falls are the one waterfall trip with a documented injury pattern: falling ice, and ice-glazed rock and trail. Wear microspikes, keep well back from the base and from overhangs, and never walk out on ice over moving water.

Estimate from Open-Meteo daily temperatures at the falls, the LiDAR-measured facing direction, and the nearest stream gauge. It is a likelihood, not a report from the trail. See every frozen waterfall in New York.

Weather Forecast

The Terrain Around Eagle Falls

High-resolution lidar hasn't been flown here yet, so this is the aerial view of the ground around the falls. Open the 3D view to tilt and spin the landscape.

Aerial view of the ground around Eagle Falls near Castorland, New York

The dot marks the waterfall. The frame is about a mile across.

Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Location & Access

Getting There

From Croghan take Belfort Road to Belfort, continue on Effley Falls Road, then go straight onto Hogsback Road where Effley Falls Road turns left. Turn left on Soft Maple Road, then left onto the unpaved Beaver River Road (marked by an Adsit Trail sign and a dead-end sign). Pass the Soft Maple hydro plant and cross the bridge, continue about 1.7 miles to a dirt road on the left that runs beside a penstock, and follow it to a small parking area on the right.

Get Directions on Google Maps