Basford Falls

The waterfalls of the South Branch of the Grass River are located east of the town of Degrasse in the northwestern part of the Adirondacks. From the junction of Routes 17 and 27 in Degrasse, drive north on Route 27 for just half of a mile, then turn right onto Tooley Pond Road. Continue down Tooley Pond Road for 1.4 miles and park on the right side of the road where a small laminated sign tacked to a tree (poorly) marks the Basford Falls Trail. The trail climbs a small knoll and then descends to the river next to the falls in about one-third of a mile.The Grass River is one of the most well-endowed waterways in the western Adirondacks, sporting at least 15 named waterfalls along its various branches – though most of them not terribly large. The South Branch specifically harbors eight named waterfalls, and four of them are quite significant. Basford Falls is the second-to-last waterfall found along the South Branch of the Grass River, and is surprisingly impressive despite its rather diminutive size. The falls slide a total of 18 feet down smooth bedrock ledges, over a linear run of about 90 feet. Visually the falls appear to be split into two sections, the upper section being about double the height of the lower, but the ledges on the far side of the falls run continuously without the small pause seen adjacent to where the trail to the falls terminates. The South Branch of the Grass River drains from a basin which covers approximately 132 square miles upstream from Basford Falls, originating in many lakes, marshes, and wetland areas. The volume of the river will be good at any time of year, but the falls may actually be more scenic during periods of lower flow due to its smaller size.