Cohoes Falls
Albany County, New York
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- 89 ft (27 m)
- Location
- Albany County, New York
- Access status
- Viewing parks beside the falls; seasonal opening
- The walk
- Short paved walk to the viewing areas
- Ground & access
- Paved walkways with gentle slopes. The lower viewing areas in Falls View Park are reached only by stairs.
Cohoes Falls is a 65-foot, roughly 600-foot-wide waterfall on the Mohawk River in Cohoes. Two parks built and maintained by Brookfield Renewable give views from the west side of the river. Falls View Park on North Mohawk Street crosses a footbridge over a diversion channel to a landscaped viewing area. Overlook Park, off Cataract Street, has a small viewing platform. Chain-link fences block parts of the view; binoculars help. NYFalls reported Falls View Park closed for repairs in fall 2020 without an announced reopening, so check before relying on it.
Plan your visit
Falls View Park on North Mohawk Street or Overlook Park off Cataract Street, Cohoes, viewing areas on the west side of the Mohawk River
NYFalls gives time rather than distance: about 15 minutes to an hour. Both parks have paved walkways.
Paved walkways with gentle slopes. The lower viewing areas in Falls View Park are reached only by stairs.
Where to start
About 30 spaces across from the Falls View Park entrance on North Mohawk Street, plus a few roadside spaces just south. More roadside parking on School and Cataract Streets near Overlook Park.
Timing & water
NYFalls says the privately owned parks are open in daylight hours from May through October, at the owner’s discretion. Flow is wider and stronger in early spring; hydro diversion reduces the width at other times.
Before you go
Free.
Visitor informationMore waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Piscawen FallsPartial guide: public city park; walking route to the falls not describedRensselaer County, NY3.6 miSE
Poesten Kill FallsPartial guide: views only; the city prohibits access into the gorge, and park overlook rules are not publishedRensselaer County, NY4.9 miS- Swatling FallsPartial guide: short trail in a housing development; manager and parking status not statedSaratoga County, NY5.4 miN
- Upper Burden FallsPartial guide: informal urban trail; which falls carries the name Upper Burden Falls is not settledRensselaer County, NY5.7 miS
- Smart's CascadeRensselaer County, NY5.7 miS
- Lower Burden FallsPartial guide: preserve trail past several Wynantskill falls; which drop is Lower Burden Falls is not statedRensselaer County, NY5.7 miS
- Corning Cascade FallsRensselaer County, NY5.8 miS
Lower Burden FallsRensselaer County, NY5.8 miS
Upper Burden Falls26 ft (8 m) · Rensselaer County, NY5.9 miS