Stony Brook Falls

If you're passing

Is it plungeworthy?

—feet tall

A waterfall on Stony Brook.

Scale12/60

Documentation20/20

Character8/20

The details

Watercourse: Stony Brook
Coordinates: 42.51781, -77.69274

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About Stony Brook Falls

Stony Brook Falls is a waterfall in New York, on Stony Brook.

It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.

Plungeworthy rates Stony Brook Falls 4/10 — if you're passing. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

Three falls stitched together by WPA stonework in a gorge that out-charms its famous Finger Lakes cousins. Straight 2026 status: spring floods hammered the park — the lower half-mile of the gorge trail is open to the first falls, the middle falls shows from an overlook, and the upper trail and swimming pool sit out this season.

Getting there

Trailhead: Stony Brook State Park, NY-36 south of Dansville
Parking: $9/vehicle in season
Road: Paved
Hike: 1 mi round trip (moderate stairs)
Heads up: Rim trails stay open when the gorge is limited; the park office has the current reach.

When to go

Summer for the stream-fed pools (once repaired), fall for color — this year, check first.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: $9/vehicle in season
Dogs: Leashed
Hours: Dawn to dusk
Camping: Campground in the park
Warnings: Respect the flood-closure barriers; the damage is real.

Researched from NY State Parks — Stony Brook · gowaterfalling — Stony Brook falls. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Stony Brook Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.