Kent Falls
By Armen Suny · Last verified Oct 2026
LiDAR & 3D terrainBefore you go
Kent Falls is on private land with a hydro dam. It can be seen from the Kent Falls Road bridge area; closer access requires landowner permission or a boat.
Photo Credits (2)
Difficulty
Drive Up
About Kent Falls
Kent Falls is a long slide on the Saranac River below the Kent Falls hydroelectric dam, ending in a ribbon-cascade plunge, between the hamlets of Cadyville and Morrisonville in Clinton County. The land around it is private. The top of the dam and the slide can be seen from the Kent Falls Road bridge on the Cadyville side.
Trail & Hike Details
The Approach
No hiking required. Kent Falls is accessible by vehicle with a roadside viewing area.
What to Expect
A roadside look downstream from the Kent Falls Road bridge at the dam and the upper part of the slide. Closer views need landowner permission or a canoe or kayak on the river.
Accessibility
This waterfall is viewable from a vehicle-accessible area. No hiking is required.
Frequently Asked Questions
🐶 Are Dogs Allowed at Kent Falls?
❌ Dogs are not allowed
Are There Any Fees or Permits Required?
🆖 No fees required
🏊 Is There Swimming at Kent Falls?
❌ Swimming is not allowed
When to Visit
Seasonal Access
The best time to visit is Spring, Summer, and Fall. Winter access may be limited.
Safety Information
Water levels below the hydro dam can change quickly. Stay off the dam and out of the river channel.
Current Water Conditions
These readings come from the USGS gauge on Saranac River, 6.6 miles away, not on Kent Falls's own stream. Use them as a sign of whether the area is running wet or dry.
555 ft³/s
Current discharge — how much water is flowing
About average for this time of year
Based on 110 years of record
3.42 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.
7-Day Flow Outlook
Based on the USGS gauge SARANAC RIVER AT PLATTSBURGH NY (11 km away).
Today
Strong
599 cfs
8/10Tomorrow
Strong
619 cfs
7/10Sat
Strong
588 cfs
8/10Sun
Roaring
616 cfs
6/10Mon
Strong
599 cfs
10/10Tue
Strong
556 cfs
10/10Wed
Strong
573 cfs
10/10Best window: Mon — strong flow, mostly sunny (trip score 10/10).
Best time of year: this gauge typically runs highest from mid March to early June, 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 Cadyville hit peak flow. We only send when conditions are worth the trip — no weekly newsletters, no spam.
Is Kent Falls Frozen?
Updated about 6 hours agoNot frozen highs above freezing lately strong flow slows freezing
Kent Falls is not frozen right now; highs have been above freezing. Yesterday ran 47°F to 36°F.
- Days below freezing
- 0 of the last 14
- Current cold streak
- 0 days
- Freezing days ahead
- 0 of the next 7
- Flow
- 475 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, Seen by LiDAR
Aircraft-mounted lasers measured this ground to within inches. Trees and buildings are digitally stripped away, leaving the bare shape of the land the water has carved.
The bare-earth surface loses about 94 feet through the falls, but gradually, the profile of a cascade rather than a plunge. The ground at the falls is roughly 478 feet above sea level.
The ground changes about 59 feet in the 500 feet above the falls and 37 feet in the 500 feet below. The falls face northeast and catch soft morning light.
Drag to compare. The dot marks the waterfall. The frame is about a mile across.
- Ground elevation
- 478 feet
- Measured by 1-meter lidar
- Drop at the falls
- About 94 feet
- Change in ground height within ~250 feet of the falls
- Faces
- Northeast
- Catches soft morning light.
A slice through the lidar ground surface, from above the falls to downstream (heading northeast).
Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.
Location & Access
Getting There
Kent Falls Road is closed to vehicles at its Saranac River bridge, so it is two dead ends. For the Cadyville side, reach Kent Falls Road from Goddeau Street in Cadyville; the east end is reached from the West Main Street and Sand Road intersection in Morrisonville.
Get Directions on Google MapsParking
A small parking area sits at the Cadyville end of the bridge.
Hours
Elevation
479 feet above sea level
Coordinates
44.703653° N, -73.601805° W
Visitor Tips & Gear
View from the road and bridge area only unless you have landowner permission.
Where to Stay
Holiday Inn Express - Plattsburgh by IHG
Best Western Plus Plattsburgh
Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Plattsburgh
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Plattsburgh
Browse vacation cabins and private rentals nearby
Unique outdoor stays — tents, yurts, and treehouses
Rent a campervan or RV for your waterfall road trip
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Additional Information
Nearby Attractions
Cadyville Falls and Oxbow Falls on the Saranac River, and the city of Plattsburgh to the east.
Cities near Kent Falls
Other waterfalls named Kent Falls
2 other waterfalls share this name across the U.S.
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