Adams Falls Guide Before Visiting 2026 Updated (Luzerne County, PA)

Adams Falls is a waterfall in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, about 13 miles northwest of Glen Lyon. This guide covers what to check, bring and expect before you go, using visitor ratings, official USGS records and live conditions for this exact location.

At a glance

Location

Luzerne County, PA

Nearest town

Glen Lyon (13 mi)

Visitor rating

★★★★★ 4.8 from 13 reviews

Crowds

Quieter

Coordinates

41.29946, -76.27415

USGS topo

Red Rock quad

Getting there

Adams Falls sits about 13 miles northwest of Glen Lyon in Luzerne County. Google lists the address as Fairmount Township, PA 18656.

Open directions in Google Maps or Apple Maps, or view the map on the Adams Falls listing. Navigation apps sometimes route onto seasonal forest roads, so check road status if you are heading into the mountains.

Most of Pennsylvania's falls are on public land, including state parks, state forests, state game lands and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, though Bushkill Falls is a private attraction with an admission charge. State parks such as Ricketts Glen and Ohiopyle draw large crowds on summer weekends, and parking fills early. The most common hazards are wet rock and steep, uneven trails: the Falls Trail at Ricketts Glen involves many slippery stone steps and is strenuous in any conditions. On the Youghiogheny and Slippery Rock Creek, strong currents and undercut rocks make wading and swimming near falls dangerous. Some smaller falls sit on private property, so look for posted signs.

What to bring

This checklist is tailored to Adams Falls based on what visitors report and the conditions typical of Pennsylvania. For the complete list, see our waterfall hike packing guide.

• Offline map and coordinates. Save 41.29946, -76.27415 and download offline maps; cell service is often weak near waterfalls.
• Shoes with real grip. Rock near falling water stays wet and slick even in dry weather.
• Water and a snack. More than you think you need, even for a short walk.
• A light rain layer. Spray from the falls and quick-moving showers can soak you.
• Headlamp. In case your visit runs later than planned; check sunset time in the conditions panel above.

How to prepare

Timing

Spring is the strongest season across Pennsylvania, from roughly March through May, when snowmelt and rain fill the plateau streams. The glens of Ricketts Glen and the Pocono ravines run at their best then, and the falls can be spectacular after heavy rain at any time of year. Summer flows often decline, though shaded glens remain cool, and July and August bring the heaviest crowds to the Poconos and Ohiopyle. October offers colorful hardwood forests and fewer visitors on weekdays. Winter can freeze the falls into ice formations, but the Falls Trail at Ricketts Glen becomes hazardous and its use in icy conditions is restricted. With 13 reviews, it sees fewer visitors than the region's headline falls, so you may have it to yourself on a weekday.

Safety

Stay behind railings and off wet rock, never climb on the falls, and keep children within arm's reach near the water. Check the weather panel above for flood or storm alerts before you set out; water levels can rise fast after upstream rain. Our waterfall safety guide covers the most common hazards.

Respect the place

Pack out everything you bring, stay on established paths to limit erosion, and leave rocks and plants where they are. See Leave No Trace at waterfalls.

What visitors say

Adams Falls holds a 4.8-star average across 13 Google reviews, and 85% of reviewers give it five stars. That makes it the number 3 waterfall by review count in Luzerne County. Visitors have shared 12 photos.

This small waterfall with two major drops cascades down rocks amid a lush forest in Glen State Park.

See the rating breakdown or read reviews on Google.

History of the area

Adams Falls was entered in the Geographic Names Information System on September 1, 1989, and it appears on the USGS Red Rock 7.5-minute topographic map.

Its neighbors on the map tell the story of the surrounding land: Kitchen Creek Gorge (valley, 0.2 mi), Boston Run (stream, 0.2 mi), Maple Spring Brook (stream, 0.7 mi), and Crooked Creek (stream, 0.8 mi).

Ricketts Glen and the North Branch. The glens on the southern edge of the North Mountain plateau hold Pennsylvania's greatest concentration of falls. In Ricketts Glen State Park, which straddles Luzerne and Sullivan counties, two branches of Kitchen Creek descend through old-growth hemlock forest in a long series of named falls connected by the Falls Trail, a steep, rocky route with dozens of stone steps. The Laporte area of Sullivan County adds more remote falls in state forest land. To the east, Nay Aug Falls in Scranton is an urban gorge falls with observation decks, and Wyoming and Tioga counties add scattered falls in the plateau's deep valleys.

Nearby waterfalls to add to your trip

Summary

Adams Falls about 13 miles northwest of Glen Lyon is rated 4.8 out of 5 by 13 visitors. Check the live forecast and stream gauge above, save the coordinates for offline use, and pack for wet, uneven ground. Ratings, hours and access can change, so confirm conditions with the land manager before you drive out.

See the full Adams Falls listing for the map, photos and nearby landmarks.