Rainbow Falls
Essex County, New York
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Essex County, New York
- Access status
- Free view from the US 9 bridge; paid chasm trails
- The walk
- Short roadside walk to the bridge
- Ground & access
- Sidewalk-style walking paths on the highway bridge. Traffic is close by. Flow depends on releases from the upstream hydro facility.
Rainbow Falls is the large waterfall at the head of Ausable Chasm on the Ausable River near Keeseville. You can see it free from the US 9 bridge. From the parking lot before the Ausable Chasm welcome center, walk up beside the highway to the bridge, which has walking paths on both sides. Look upstream: Rainbow Falls is between dam gates upstream and a hydro building downstream. Horseshoe Falls is directly below the bridge. Paid admission to Ausable Chasm adds trails inside the chasm.
Plan your visit
Ausable Chasm parking lot by the welcome center on US 9, then the walkway along the US 9 bridge over the chasm, looking upstream to Rainbow Falls
World of Waterfalls describes walking from the parking lot before the welcome center up beside the highway to the bridge. No distance is given.
Sidewalk-style walking paths on the highway bridge. Traffic is close by. Flow depends on releases from the upstream hydro facility.
Where to start
Ausable Chasm parking lot before the welcome center on US 9 between Keeseville and Plattsburgh.
Timing & water
Ausable Chasm lists the trails as open year-round, with hours that change by season. Its home page says the walking trails are open Monday to Friday and closed Saturday and Sunday; arrive by 2pm.
Before you go
The bridge view is free. Ausable Chasm lists Basic Trails Only admission at $19.95 for ages 13 and up, $11.95 for ages 5 to 12, and $12.00 for residents of Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Horseshoe FallsPartial guide: free bridge view; parking for the view not statedEssex County, NY0.1 miNW
- Alice FallsShort path to the base beside a hydro facilityEssex County, NY0.4 miSW
Winooski FallsGuide: city river walk beside the fallsChittenden County, VT14 miE- LaPlatte River FallsPartial guide: short walk to an accessible deck; general parking spot not namedChittenden County, VT16 miSE
- Flume FallsShort path and parking documented; busy highway crossingEssex County, NY22 miSW
- The Flume FallShort Wild Forest path from the Flume trailhead lotEssex County, NY22 miSW
- Five ChutesFranklin County, VT22 miNE
- Lower Stag Brook FallsEssex County, NY23 miSW
- Upper Stag Brook FallsPartial guide: which upper cascade this listing marks is not established; closed during ski seasonEssex County, NY23 miSW