Jacob's Ladder Falls
Schenectady County, New York
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Schenectady County, New York
- Access status
- Partial guide: preserve trail to a nearby cascade; the last part follows the stream bed and the name's extent is unclear
- The walk
- About 2 miles for the loop
- Ground & access
- Woods trails with a descent to the creek, blowdowns, and stream-bed walking with crossings on wet rock.
Jacob's Ladder Falls is a cascade with many small rock steps on the Plotter Kill in the Plotter Kill Preserve west of Schenectady. From the Lower Gregg Road trailhead, follow the trail to the North Rim and pick up the red trail. Turn downstream, descend and cross the Plotter Kill to a junction where a yellow trail heads off; follow the yellow trail a few minutes to a cascade where it ends. Jacob's Ladder Falls is just above, reached by walking up the stream bed, which is only practical at low water. A second yellow trail leads back up to the North Rim. The extent of the name is unclear: some hikers apply it to the whole series of five or six small cascades. The route description dates from 2012.
Plan your visit
Plotter Kill Preserve trailhead on Lower Gregg Road, North Rim red trail and yellow spur to the lower cascades, then up the stream bed to Jacob's Ladder Falls
The 2012 No Rocking Chair for Me account gives about two miles for the whole loop from the Lower Gregg Road trailhead. No separate distance to the falls is given.
Woods trails with a descent to the creek, blowdowns, and stream-bed walking with crossings on wet rock.
Where to start
Lower Gregg Road trailhead, room for 4 to 5 cars.
Timing & water
The stream-bed section is only practical at low water.
Before you go
No fee or reservation is mentioned.
Visitor informationMore waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Sergeant FallsSchenectady County, NY0.6 miSW
- Rynex Kill FallsPartial guide: view of the top only from the Red Trail; base route not described39 ft (12 m) · Schenectady County, NY1.4 miSW
Lower Plotter Kill FallsPartial guide: view from near the top edge only; base route not described39 ft (12 m) · Schenectady County, NY1.5 miSW
Upper Plotter Kill FallsCounty preserve overlook; steep marked path to the base59 ft (18 m) · Schenectady County, NY1.7 miSW- First Falls7 ft (2 m) · Saratoga County, NY5.5 miNE
- Second Falls10 ft (3 m) · Saratoga County, NY5.7 miNE
- Third Falls3 ft (1 m) · Saratoga County, NY5.8 miNE
- Bozen KIll FallsPartial guide: preserve trail documented; this listing is probably the Christman Sanctuary falls, but no source ties it to this location49 ft (15 m) · Schenectady County, NY8.4 miSW
- French Hollow FallsTown trail system to a pedestrian bridge viewpointAlbany County, NY9.5 miS