Cascade Mill Ruins - Keuka Outlet Trail

by Matthew Conheady

Title

Cascade Mill Ruins - Keuka Outlet Trail

Artist

Matthew Conheady

Medium

Photograph - Fine Art Photograph

Description

The Keuka Lake Outlet is a natural waterway that drains the waters of Keuka Lake into Seneca Lake crossing over 8 miles and dropping nearly 280 feet along the way. Once spotted with numerous mills, the outlet now caters mostly to recreation and is lined with a gem of a multi-use trail that offers unparalleled access to the outlet waters. It runs along the foundations of mills and factories that the outlet brought power to, and even goes through the remains of one of the 27 locks that once serviced the adjacent Crooked Lake Canal.

Seneca Mill Falls is the most popular stop and is easily the most beautiful setting along the trail. This three-tiered cascade starts as a small dam spillway and then crashes down two large limestone drops into a deep pool. This section of the gorge is lined by giant stone walls, remnants of a large paper mill complex that was once here.

A relatively shorter hike east will get to you to the Cascade Mill Falls complex and the Keuka Lake Visitor Center (which never seems to be open). Although Cascade Mill Falls is about half the size of Seneca Mill Falls, and not one of the prettiest cascades in the region, it makes up for its lack of beauty with its interesting surroundings. The Cascade Mills complex is a series of old mills, factories and oddities that are in an advanced state of decay.

For more information on the waterfalls along the Keuka Outlet Trail, visit: https://nyfalls.com/waterfalls/seneca-cascade-mills/

Uploaded

April 30th, 2020

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