The best hidden gem waterfalls in New York are Allen Falls, Rensselaerville Falls, Upper Falls and 7 more. Highly rated falls that few people review: 4.6 stars or better from 75 or fewer Google reviews.
See every waterfall on the New York waterfalls page or the New York waterfall map, or browse by town: Potsdam, Middleburgh, Castile, Keeseville, Rock Hill, Lake Pleasant.
How we picked: We took the 32 publicly accessible New York waterfalls rated 4.6 stars or higher on Google by between 5 and 75 reviewers, then ranked them by a weighted rating that gives more credit to ratings backed by more reviews.
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1. Allen Falls
Allen Falls near Potsdam takes the top spot, rated 5.0 out of 5 from 12 reviews.
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Visitors rate it 5.0 stars across 12 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 10 photos of it on Google Maps. Older records also call it Allen's Falls and Allens Falls. The nearest town is Potsdam, about 6.5 miles to the west. The nearest other named waterfall is Hannawa Falls, about 6.8 miles to the southwest.
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2. Rensselaerville Falls
Rensselaerville Falls, near Middleburgh, is next up, rated 4.9 out of 5 from 70 reviews.
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Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 70 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 362 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Middleburgh, about 11 miles to the northwest. The nearest other named waterfall is Dickinson Falls, about 8.7 miles to the east.
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3. Upper Falls
Upper Falls, near Castile, is next up, rated 4.9 out of 5 from 32 reviews.
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Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 32 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 143 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Castile, about 3.5 miles to the north. The nearest other named waterfall is Middle Falls, about 0.4 miles to the northeast.
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4. Alice Falls
Alice Falls near Keeseville rounds out this stretch of the list, rated 5.0 out of 5 from 5 reviews.
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Visitors rate it 5.0 stars across 5 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 12 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Keeseville, about 1.2 miles to the southwest. The nearest other named waterfall is Rainbow Falls, about 0.4 miles to the northeast.
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5. High Falls
High Falls near Rock Hill is worth the drive, rated 5.0 out of 5 from 5 reviews.
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Visitors rate it 5.0 stars across 5 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 6 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Rock Hill, about 5.6 miles to the northeast. The nearest other named waterfall is Denton Falls, about 1.2 miles to the northeast.
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6. Austin Falls
Head to Austin Falls near Lake Pleasant, rated 4.9 out of 5 from 11 reviews.
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Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 11 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 35 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Lake Pleasant, about 7.0 miles to the west. The nearest other named waterfall is Christine Falls, about 1.7 miles to the northwest.
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7. Glen Falls
Glen Falls near Cairo is another strong option, rated 4.9 out of 5 from 9 reviews.
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Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 9 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 25 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Cairo, about 3.4 miles to the northeast. The nearest other named waterfall is Kaaterskill Falls, about 4.6 miles to the southwest.
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8. High Falls
Head to High Falls near Malone, rated 4.9 out of 5 from 9 reviews.
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Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 9 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 17 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Malone, about 11 miles to the northwest. The nearest other named waterfall is High Falls, about 14.4 miles to the north.
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9. Auger Falls
Head to Auger Falls near Lake Pleasant, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 69 reviews.
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Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 69 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 362 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Lake Pleasant, about 8.3 miles to the west. The nearest other named waterfall is Austin Falls, about 2.9 miles to the northwest.
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10. Middle Falls
Middle Falls near Castile is another strong option, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 62 reviews.
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Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 62 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 371 photos of it on Google Maps. Older records also call it Ska-ga-dee. The nearest town is Castile, about 3.2 miles to the north. The nearest other named waterfall is Upper Falls, about 0.4 miles to the southwest.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best hidden gem waterfall in New York?
Allen Falls tops our 2026 list. Visitors rate it 5.0 stars across 12 Google reviews. It is near Potsdam in St. Lawrence County.
How many hidden gem waterfalls are in New York?
32 of the 221 waterfalls we track in New York qualify. This page ranks the top 10; every waterfall in the state is on the New York waterfalls page.
How was this list made?
We took the 32 publicly accessible New York waterfalls rated 4.6 stars or higher on Google by between 5 and 75 reviewers, then ranked them by a weighted rating that gives more credit to ratings backed by more reviews.
Which counties are they in?
The 10 on this list are in St. Lawrence County, Albany County, Livingston County, Clinton County, Sullivan County, and Hamilton County and others.
More New York Waterfalls by Type
- 10 Best Historic Waterfalls in New York 2026
- 10 Best Small Waterfalls in New York 2026
- 9 Best Waterfall Hiking Locations in New York
- 10 Most Beautiful Waterfalls in New York
- 5 Most Visited Waterfalls in New York
- 5 Must-See Waterfalls in New York
Or browse every type on the hidden gem waterfalls by state page and the waterfall types hub.