Crandall Falls

Crandall Falls is located along the Black River in the town of Forestport. Our previous attempt to find the falls was unsuccessful because of lack of reliable directions.  This time, thanks to the detailed description by Northern New York Waterfalls, we had no problem finding it.


Driving along Muthig Road which becomes Roberts Road, we crossed a smal metal bridge with the NYS DEC indicating the Little Black Creek Fishing Access Site.

About 1/4 mile down the road, a sign directed us towards the Black River Public Fishing Stream.  The sign on the post said Jeep Trail Road Private Drive which apparently was an unofficial sign since all the maps we've consulted stated that this was supposed to be Crandall Falls Road. No wonder we missed it the first time around.

We parked our car at a parking spot about 1.2 miles down the narrow jeep trail.  The road was getting even narrower and muddy but we could have driven another 0.2 mile to the other parking lot close to the trail.  We followed the trail on the right side of the parking lot which went down and took us alongside the river to the designated fishing spot.


Although there were DEC markers on a trail that went uphill and to the left, we followed the narrower trail on the right which ran alongside the river.  We assumed that the "Private Property No Trespassing" signs on the left side of the trail did not include the trail itself.  About 200 feet downstream, we saw the waterfall.

It was not a big waterfall.  Although it might not even meet the 15ft vertical drop qualifying criteria to be included in the World Waterfall Database which claimed to be the "webs most authoritive source about waterfalls", it is there because of it's history of recognition.  After all, it is one of only two waterfalls in Oneida county that are registered with the GNIS (Geographic Names Information System) of the US Geological Survey.  The other one is Pixley Falls.

It was a beautiful day for a hike, breezy with low humidity, so we continued to follow the trail.  Another way to get to the falls is to paddle upstream (for about 2 hours) or take some powerboat from the mouth of Kayuta Lake.  As the river turns rocky at some point, anybody going this way would still have to anchor/beach the boat and hike up to the falls.  We had hoped to be able to follow the river downstream to this point. Alas, the trail ended at the edge of a small tributary and unless we cross the river, we could not continue.  Maybe another time, we'll be prepared to wade across (and even take a swim) or find another trail to take us there.