After a stretch of a few really hot days, we were anxious to get out and enjoy a day of slightly cooler temperatures before the boiling heat rolled back in. It also nestled in the hills of Tully, which is only a 20 minute drive south on Route 81. It did take a another 10 minutes to get to the falls itself, but was a pleasant drive through the town and by several farms on the outskirts. The falls themselves don't have an address so the best way to get here is to type these coordinates, N42 46.820 W76 02.182, into the GPS and it will bring you directly to the parking lot.
The parking lot is spacious enough for a dozen or more cars and we were surprised to see several cars already there. The entrance to the falls trail is directly across the road.
At the entrance the sign to the fall indicates that its a 0.20 miles to the destination. And the sign on the right states that the scenic overlook is 2 miles. We decide to check out the falls first.
The information bulletin provided some fun facts about the area. This was also a great spot to give the kids a quick lesson on how to properly walk with a walking stick. They didn't really need but it was somewhat entertaining for them.
My youngest, 22 month old, didn't care much for the carrier and decided that she was fully capable of walking the entire trail to the falls. And so she did.
The trail comes to the stream that runs from the falls and there is not other way around it. The older kids skipped across a few larger rocks but the youngest needed a short lift. From this point on, the rocks are wet and can be slippery at times. Please use caution because the shale rock trail and wetness could be a nice setup for a nasty fall.
The final ascent to the falls consists of newly constructed stairs, about 75 plus, with some potentially technical stepping style but definitely easier then climbing the shale. Once at the top, the trail leads into a cave-like ledge with the falls overhead. It is definitely a really unique hike. The kids were quick to look for fossils in the rock, as they have learned that this type of rock holds may cool treasures of life many years ago.
After spending some quality time soaking the amazing views from behind the waterfall, we meet a gentlemen that said there is a shortcut to the scenic overlook trail if we continued to the right of the falls. It turned out to be a great adventure as it was steep and the older kids had to scramble up the rocks on their fours. At this point, my youngest went into the carrier. At the trail at the top the falls is narrow with a very steep drop-off. We took a short drink break and one of our water bottles rolled down the hill and rested against another tree. My brave wife came to the rescue and retrieved the bottle.
At the scenic overlook trail, the trail becomes wider but it has a pretty good incline. Its a great place to get a nice cardio workout. The entire way is in the woods which provided a nice shady walk. Once you get to the ridge line, the trail levels off to a flat final ascent.
At the top, the scenic overlook which is also known as the gliders take off spot, provides some great views of Tully to the west. The Labrador Hollow Unique Area is directly below the hill. The unique area is essentially a trail that goes around the pond to observe that wildlife native to the area.
We hung out at the grassy top for about 20 minutes and enjoyed some trail mix and took a few photos.
The descent was uneventful but just like any hiking trip, the downhill walk is very taxing on the hip and knee joints as well as the toes. My recommendation for any hiking trip is to wear comfortable hiking sneakers or boots. If your feet are sensitive and you have have long toenails, your toes will hurt on the way down.
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