Lower Falls

From Ithaca, drive south on Route 13 / 34 / 96 and then bear right (west) onto Route 327 (Enfield Falls Road) shortly before the junction where Routes 13 and 96 split. Continue just one-eighth of a mile along Route 327 to the lower entrance to Robert H. Treman State Park on the left. Follow the park road for two-thirds of a mile to the large parking area at the lower end of Enfield Glen. Follow the wide, easy trail to the swimming area at the foot of Lower Falls in about one-eighth of a mile.The Lower Falls of Enfield Glen is one of the most strikingly scenic waterfalls found in the Finger Lakes area, but has unfortunately been encroached by man-made “enhancements” just enough to keep it from truly being a photographer’s playground. The falls spill 38 feet into a large pool, veiling outward in a bulging formation that stretches to as much as 75 feet across at its base – over double the width of its crest. The pool at the base of the falls doubles as the official swimming area at Robert H. Treman State Park, complete with a diving board and concrete patio on the right side of the falls. During the summer season, a temporary dam is installed below the pool, which raises its level by about 3-4 feet, and in following submerges the bottom 3-4 feet of the falls (when we measured it in May of 2018 we put it at 34 feet with the dam in place). Enfield Creek drains from a basin covering approximately 27 square miles, and by all accounts seems to retain at least a modest flow of water during all but the most extreme periods of drought. At flood stage – especially when the remnants of Tropical Depressions pass through - the volume of the creek can swell to truly impressive levels.