A daytrip to “Her Majesty” from New York City.

Kaaterskill Falls is possibly the most beautiful waterfall in New York State. With a two-stage drop totaling 260 feet it turns charmingly to the left as if the viewer at the base of the falls is given only a casual sideways glance by a woman sitting upright in a posture of elegance.

It can also be the most dangerous. Even avoiding the cliffs that are the cause of many fatalities, the steep and narrow 200-step stone staircase twists and turns and is constantly sprayed slippery and wet or icy that a single misstep could cause serious harm.

Fortunately, there are two ways of getting to the falls. The trail from Laurel House just described is short (1.7 miles roundtrip or about 20 minutes going down, longer going up) but involves a steep descent and ascent if one wishes to view the waterfall in its entirety from its base. The other is from Bastion Falls on Route NY-23A. It is longer (2.7 miles roundtrip or about an hour each way) but much safer on a mostly level ground if one contents oneself with just admiring the beauty of the waterfall from below.

But don’t let the dangers of a seductive temptress deter you from visiting. An estimated 100,000 enjoy the waterfall each year without incident making Kaaterskill Falls one of the most popular daytrips in the Catskills from New York City.