Are there fees or permits required for Little Falls (historical)?

No, there are no fees required to visit Little Falls (historical).

Is swimming allowed at Little Falls (historical)?

No, swimming is not allowed at Little Falls (historical).

Nearby gauge (Raquette River) · 978 ft³/s · About average

Little Falls (historical)

Q: Are dogs allowed at Little Falls (historical)?

No, dogs are not allowed at Little Falls (historical).

New York

By Armen Suny · Last verified Oct 2026

LiDAR & 3D terrain

Before you go

This is a historical place name for a former waterfall. There is no trail or developed viewpoint, and the falls may no longer be visible.

Photo Credits (5)

Bill Badzo CC BY-SA 2.0 · Flickr

Bill Badzo CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 · Flickr

ricky shore CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 · Flickr

Billy Wilson Photography CC BY-NC 2.0 · Flickr

About Little Falls (historical)

Little Falls (historical) is the name of a former waterfall on the Raquette River in the Town of Parishville, St. Lawrence County, just downstream of the Blake Falls Dam power plant, east of South Colton. The river here is a chain of hydroelectric reservoirs, and the site lies in the channel between the Blake Falls and Rainbow Falls reservoirs. There is no known trail or viewing area for it.

Trail & Hike Details

Frequently Asked Questions

🐶 Are Dogs Allowed at Little Falls (historical)?

❌ Dogs are not allowed

Are There Any Fees or Permits Required?

🆖 No fees required

🏊 Is There Swimming at Little Falls (historical)?

❌ Swimming is not allowed

When to Visit

spring summer fall winter

Seasonal Access

The best time to visit is Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.

Safety Information

Water levels below hydro dams can rise quickly during power releases.

Current Water Conditions

Updated about 1 hour ago Moderate

These readings come from the USGS gauge on Raquette River, 6.2 miles away, not on Little Falls (historical)'s own stream. Use them as a sign of whether the area is running wet or dry.

978 ft³/s

Current discharge — how much water is flowing

About average for this time of year

Very Low Low Normal High Very High

478 809 2.2k 3.3k

Based on 65 years of record

3.78 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.

RAQUETTE RIVER AT SOUTH COLTON NY

USGS 04267500

6.2 miles from waterfall

Drainage: 937 sq mi

Altitude: 882 ft

7-Day Flow Outlook

Based on the USGS gauge RAQUETTE RIVER AT SOUTH COLTON NY (10 km away).

Moderate confidence

Moderate right now

978 cfs

→ Holding steady

Today

Moderate

1017 cfs

6/10

Tomorrow

Moderate

991 cfs

8/10

Sat

Moderate

1028 cfs

6/10

Sun

Moderate

1110 cfs

6/10

Mon

Moderate

955 cfs

9/10

Tue

Moderate

1004 cfs

9/10

Wed

Moderate

859 cfs

9/10

Best window: Mon — moderate flow, partly sunny (trip score 9/10).

Best time of year: this gauge typically runs highest from early 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 Hannawa Falls hit peak flow. We only send when conditions are worth the trip — no weekly newsletters, no spam.

Is Little Falls (historical) Frozen?

Updated about 6 hours ago

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

Little Falls (historical) is not frozen right now; highs have been above freezing. Yesterday ran 42°F to 34°F.

Days below freezing: 0 of the last 14
Current cold streak: 0 days
Freezing days ahead: 0 of the next 7
Flow: 978 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.

Through the falls the surface drops roughly 124 feet over a short, steep run of tiers. Elevation at the pin is about 1,186 feet.

The whole reach is steep: about 181 feet of descent in the 500 feet above the falls and another 72 feet in the 500 feet below. The falls face northwest and stay mostly shaded, with soft, even light all day.

Aerial photo of the same ground around Little Falls (historical) near Hannawa Falls, New York, for comparison with the lidar view

LiDAR bare-earth terrain around Little Falls (historical) near Hannawa Falls, New York, showing about 124 feet of drop, a steep tiered drop, facing northwest

Aerial LiDAR bare earth

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

Ground elevation: 1,186 feet; Measured by 1-meter lidar
Drop at the falls: About 124 feet; Change in ground height within ~250 feet of the falls
Faces: Northwest; Mostly shaded, so the light stays soft and even all day.

Ground profile through the falls

A slice through the lidar ground surface, from above the falls to downstream (heading northwest).

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Location & Access

Getting There

The site is off Blake Road, a dead-end road that leaves Raquette River Road east of the hamlet of South Colton (off NY 56). No marked access to the river channel is documented.

Get Directions on Google Maps