Information
Landmark: Cohoes FallsCity: Albany
Country: USA New York
Continent: North America
Cohoes Falls, Albany, USA New York, North America
Overview
Cohoes Falls crashes down along the Mohawk River, right where Cohoes meets Waterford in New York, sending a mist that catches the sunlight.Known for its sheer size, roaring power, and deep roots in history, it’s often called the “Niagara of the East.” Second only to Niagara Falls, this waterfall stands as one of New York’s great natural wonders, a place where the spray hangs in the air and the region’s story runs deep.Cohoes Falls spans roughly 1,000 feet across-about the length of three football fields-and its wide curtain of water thunders over the rocks below.The falls plunge about 90 feet (28 meters), sending a rush of white water crashing down in a spray that grabs your eye.On average, about 34,000 cubic feet of water rush over the falls every second, but in spring thaw or after pounding rains, that torrent can swell to nearly 90,000-sending up a roaring wall of mist you can feel on your skin.Over the past two million years, glaciers carved these falls, their slow, grinding ice shaping the rock during the Ice Age.Glaciers once moved and melted through this land, carving the Mohawk River valley and leaving jagged rock formations around the falls.Even now, the river’s force carves at the rock, its rushing water wearing new lines into the falls.The Mohawk Nation, part of the Iroquois Confederacy, first made their home around Cohoes Falls, where the roar of the water was a constant in daily life.The Mohawk people named the falls “Ga-ha-oose,” meaning “the place of the falling canoe,” a nod to the peril of steering a boat through its roaring, churning waters.European explorers first recorded the roar of the falls in the mid-1600s.By the early 1800s, Cohoes Falls powered the factories that sprang up along its roaring edge, driving the area’s industrial growth.In 1831, engineers built a dam and canal to capture the roar of the falls, driving the rise of bustling textile mills and busy factories.Fed by water rushing from the falls, Harmony Mills rose to become one of the nation’s biggest cotton textile producers.That boom turned Cohoes into a bustling mill town, the roar of the falls driving its machines.Falls View Park was built so visitors can take in Cohoes Falls up close-hear the roar, feel the mist-while staying safe and comfortable.It features a 192-foot pedestrian bridge that stretches over the Mohawk River, where you can pause to watch sunlight glitter on the water.Smooth, wheelchair-friendly trails lead to sturdy viewing platforms where you can feel the breeze on your face.There’s a picnic area and an amphitheater with space for 80, where the sound of voices carries during community gatherings and outdoor classes.Platforms built for anglers who fish for fun, with space to drop a line and feel the breeze off the water.The park opens each year on May 1 and closes on November 1, with hours running from 7:00 in the morning until 7:30 at night, when the sky starts to turn gold.Overlook Park sits just downstream from the hydroelectric plants, offering sweeping views of the river and a few quiet picnic tables, welcoming visitors in every season.Accessibility and safety come first-ramps and smooth paths make the upper levels of Falls View Park easy to reach for visitors with mobility challenges.Stay on the marked trails-wet rocks near the falls slick underfoot, and the rushing currents can turn deadly in seconds.The best time to go is in spring or early summer, when snowmelt swells the river and the falls roar so loud you can feel the mist on your face.In autumn, crisp air and bursts of red and gold leaves make the falls and surrounding park feel even more breathtaking.In photography, the soft glow of early morning or the warm light near sunset gives you the best natural illumination for capturing the falls and the rugged hills around them.Around the falls, the air hums with life-herons stalk the shallows, and native Mohawk River fish dart through the cold, rippling water.The park system strives to give people room to explore while protecting the land, keeping trails clear of fallen branches and teaching visitors how to care for the ecosystem.Cohoes Falls blends towering rock ledges and thundering water with a deep, storied past.From the days of the first indigenous settlements to the roar of factory machines in America’s industrial age, it helped shape the region’s growth.Today, visitors can watch a roaring, mist-shrouded waterfall, join in on outdoor adventures, and wander through parks that honor this iconic New York landmark.
