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Hike to Auger Falls

Wells, New York

4.0/5
based on 1 reviews

Description

Added by Shaun O'Neill

Beautiful, always running, waterfall. Various refreshing swimming holes. Family friendly 1.2 mile hike. Wilderness camping available.

Augers Falls is a not so well kept secret in the Wells/Speculator area of the Adirondacks. It's usually not very crowded but the people that go to take it in come from far and wide. It's an easy family friendly hike (and that includes furry family, just keep them on leash) that offers some fantastic spots to take a dip or soak up some sun before making your way to the star attraction.

From the intersection of Rt 8 and Rt 30 in Wells, head north approximately 1.7 miles. A dirt road will break off on the right hand side which essentially is the parking lot. There are normally signs for the parking that point left, but they do tend to go missing. Follow the road to the left as far as it goes and park. You'll see a few unmarked trails heading into the woods, and you'll already be able to hear the water running.

The unmarked trail will follow the river south, giving access to various swimming holes and beach areas, as well as a few unofficial camp sites. The rocks can be slick so make sure to watch your footing if you venture out. Be careful not to get caught in the currents if you do swim, as the closer you get to the falls the more violent they become. Continue on the unmarked trail for about half a mile and you'll come to the main falls where the river makes a hard right.

There are various ledges along the path to check out and make sure you get all the best views and angles of the falls. The rocks along the gorge on either side form some interesting formations, including a couple small caves that any Geocachers may want to explore. Around this area is also where you will start seeing yellow trail markers, leading you away from the falls and back to the parking lot. The trail is simple enough to do in the winter, provided the parking lot is plowed which it often is not. There is a longer hike off of Route 8 following snowmobile trails that will bring you to the east side of the river if you'd like to snowshoe in, but the falls views are not nearly as good.

While I always stay with family in Wells, I cannot lie that the best post adventure nourishment (aka: ice cream) is found north on Rt 30 in Speculator. Lakeside Licks is an all time favorite, and is quite worth the wait even with the summer time lines!

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Features

Camping
Photography
Swimming
Snowshoeing
Hiking
Dog Friendly
Easy Parking
Family Friendly
Forest
River
Scenic
Waterfall
Swimming Hole

Hike to Auger Falls Reviews

The hike is rated as a novice, but there were quite a lot of roots and relatively rough terrain to climb through on the hike. It wasn’t necessarily difficult, but it would have been tough for older hikers or anyone without a significant amount of pep in their step. That said, it was a lot of fun and our whole family was able to make it through. If you’re in the area, I’d recommend checking it out.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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