Auger Falls is a short hike to a beautiful ravine and waterfall south of Speculator
Auger Falls
0.4 mile (0.8 round-trip/1.2 mile loop)
Wells, Hamilton County
Siamese Ponds Wilderness
Hiking, Snowshoeing
Level of Difficulty: Easy
The Hike to Auger Falls
Auger Falls is a quick hike 0.4 mile hike that leads to a series of waterfalls along the beautiful Sacandaga River. The trail is on public Forest Preserve in the Siamese Ponds Wilderness area. The trailhead parking area is off of NYS Route 30, about 8 miles southeast of Speculator or 2 miles north of the NYS 8/NYS 30 junction.
The trail can be hiked as a loop or as a hike in and back to the waterfall. The trail is flat hike of 0.4 miles each way. Apart from some rocky or muddy patches, the trail is in good condition. An alternate route to the main falls along the river allows hikers to also hike the trail as a loop of about 1.2 miles.
Either way, the trail runs through beautiful mixed forest with interesting, mossy boulder arrangements up to the edge of the rapids. Auger Falls is a beautiful waterfall in a lovely gorge.
From the parking lot, the official trail works south initially before turning left onto a smaller gravel road. The route is poorly marked at first, but follow small yellow markers. Soon the route leads into the woods to the left and onto a dirt path, passing the trail register. From here, the trail begins to descend gradually toward the falls. There is some wetness due to a small stream-crossing early on and the surrounding forest is alive with birdsong.
Soon, huge rock features appear all around the trail. On the left, the trail passes a special pair of conifers whose exposed, braided roots rise out from the surface of one of these boulders. A number of trees along this trail have roots that spread over mossy boulders. The trail also passes a few lush, mossy patches that stand out from the trees of the forest.
Auger Falls is a beautiful Waterfall
A few hundred yards further and the forest opens up as the small, sunny ravine ahead comes into view. After the short 0.4 mile hike in, the sound of the rushing rapids cuts through the woods, and leads hikers onto the cliffs.
There are a number of overlooks along the edge that allow for different perspectives on the long series of stunning waterfalls below. Auger Falls is a series of long and gradual falls, with powerful rapids interspersed with still pools. The cliffs are stable above, but become a bit tricky to navigate below so hikers should be careful in trying to get other glimpses of the falls. For those interested in a longer way out along the water, the trail continues to follow yellow markers, before winding on an unmarked route along the water to loop back to the north side of the parking area.
Click here for a map and directions to Auger Falls.
When You Hike Make Sure to Practice “Leave No Trace” to be Prepared and to Protect the Forest Preserve
Please follow “carry in, carry out” rules for all trash and follow other Leave No Trace principles when hiking in the public Forest Preserve and other wild areas. The seven Leave No Trace principles are: 1) Plan ahead and prepare; 2) Stay on hiking trails and camp at designated areas; 3) Dispose of human waste and trash properly; 4) Leave what you find; 5) Minimize campfires; 6) Respect wildlife; 7) Respect other hikers.
Educated hikers do not damage the environment. Prepared hikers do not need search and rescue unless injured.
Winter Use: Auger Falls is a popular trail for snowshoeing in the winter.
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