Shelving Rock Falls Trail

Shelving Rock Falls is a short 0.8-mile out-and-back from Lot #1 on Shelving Rock Road. A dirt path follows Shelving Rock Brook to the top of a broad, tiered cascade. Allow about 45 minutes for the walk and a pause at the falls. This is the compact waterfall outing; the longer Shelving Rock Mountain summit hike is a separate trail.

The signed footpath begins after a short walk back along Shelving Rock Road from Lot #1, near the brook crossing. It's easy to miss the entry among the several lots and trail junctions, so look for the falls sign before following another path. Use the designated parking areas; roadside parking is not allowed. The access road is unpaved and narrow in places, so take it slowly.

The route is mostly dirt and stays close to the brook. Early on, it crosses a short stretch of rounded cobbles that can look like part of the streambed; high water may cover it. The upper approach is short and generally easy, but the ground is irregular rather than a smooth path. The mapped walk ends at the crest, where the brook spreads over dark rock shelves and drops in several tiers into the wooded channel.

A separate continuation descends about another tenth of a mile to the creek below the main drop. It uses steep natural rock steps, with no easy level path to the bottom; wet stone makes the descent especially slick. The extra scramble is optional, and the view from the top is a worthwhile stopping point on its own. Keep pets under control around the water and other hikers.

The falls were part of George Knapp's early-1900s estate. Knapp, who founded Union Carbide, used a private powerhouse on the brook; a concrete abutment near the crest is thought to be a remnant of that dam. The mansion burned in 1917, and the land later became part of the Lake George Wild Forest. The brook continues from the falls to Lake George, but the shoreline extension is a separate, unmeasured walk.

From the crest, look for the concrete abutment beside the cascade and the smaller drops continuing down the channel. For a photo that shows why this is more than a single plunge, frame the stepped brook together with the wooded banks. Don't climb onto wet ledges for a closer angle; the rocks are slick and the lower descent is much rougher than the short approach.