Lower Plotter Kill Falls
Schenectady County, New York
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- 39 ft (12 m)
- Location
- Schenectady County, New York
- Access status
- Partial guide: view from near the top edge only; base route not described
- The walk
- About 0.5 miles to the yellow access trail, then a steep descent and a stream crossing
- Ground & access
- Rooty, rocky rim trail, a steep descent and a stream crossing that will wet your feet. The cliff edges are unstable; people have been seriously hurt or killed near the falls.
Lower Plotter Kill Falls is a 40-foot waterfall in the Plotter Kill Preserve, Rotterdam. From the Mariaville Road lot, go straight at the first split onto the Red Trail. About 0.4 miles in you pass the top of Upper Falls; a tenth of a mile further, a yellow-blazed trail drops steeply about 80 feet to the creek. Cross the creek, which is only possible when water is low. A few steps downstream from the bottom of that hill is a view near the edge of Lower Falls. No described route reaches the base of Lower Falls.
Plan your visit
Plotter Kill Preserve lot on Mariaville Road (Route 159), Red Trail along the rim, yellow access trail down to Plotter Kill below Upper Falls, then a few steps downstream to the top of Lower Falls
Uncovering New York reaches the top of Upper Falls about 0.4 miles from the lot and the yellow access trail another tenth of a mile on. No distance is given for the descent.
Rooty, rocky rim trail, a steep descent and a stream crossing that will wet your feet. The cliff edges are unstable; people have been seriously hurt or killed near the falls.
Where to start
Preserve parking area on Mariaville Road (Route 159), about 2 miles after turning onto Route 159 from Putnam Road. The town lists a second lot on Coplon Road.
Timing & water
Do not cross the creek in high water; another waterfall lies just downstream.
Before you go
No fee is mentioned.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Rynex Kill FallsPartial guide: view of the top only from the Red Trail; base route not described39 ft (12 m) · Schenectady County, NY0.1 miN
Upper Plotter Kill FallsCounty preserve overlook; steep marked path to the base59 ft (18 m) · Schenectady County, NY0.2 miSW- Sergeant FallsSchenectady County, NY0.9 miNE
- Jacob's Ladder FallsPartial guide: preserve trail to a nearby cascade; the last part follows the stream bed and the name's extent is unclearSchenectady County, NY1.5 miNE
- First Falls7 ft (2 m) · Saratoga County, NY7.0 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, NY7.1 miSW
- Second Falls10 ft (3 m) · Saratoga County, NY7.1 miNE
- Third Falls3 ft (1 m) · Saratoga County, NY7.3 miNE
- Buttermilk Falls33 ft (10 m) · Albany County, NY8.7 miS