Being the beautiful summer that it is, my family didn't want to waste a free Sunday. We decided that we were going to go out exploring. Like any other family, our first thought was, "Let's go to a gorge!" So we searched around in our travel guides and we found High Falls Gorge.

What is High Falls Gorge?
There is no use pretending High Falls Gorge is something that it isn't: it is a gorge, and nothing but a gorge. So while the ads that proclaim it as A scenic wonder with 700 feet of waterfalls! may be true, don't come here expecting beautiful nature hikes through the Adirondacks, cause you sure won't get them.

The Drive
High Falls Gorge is located just outside of Lake Placid, NY which is a 2.5 hour drive from my cozy abode in Albany, NY. Driving distance may vary from place to place, but remember: this place is in the middle of nowhere. It takes awhile to get there. The trip was pleasant enough, although my headphones started to hurt my ears about two hours through. The scenery was nice, plenty of trees and lakes to look at. From the 1hr mark on, we started passing all these nice little trail signs along the side of the road. But no, we were goin' to the gorge!

What's at High Falls Gorge?
Not much, besides that massive gorge (and the largest pothole in NY!). The entrance/exit to the gorge is strategically placed in the middle of the giftshop, which sells everything from t-shirts to miner's hats to thimbles, all of which boldly proclaim High Falls Gorge. Connected to the stop is the "restaurant" which serves a total of 4 items: grilled cheese, hamburgers, hotdogs, and various salads. So maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but not much. Various juices, sodas, and chips are also for sale.

So how's this gorge?
As I said before, don't expect a hike. You touch about two feet of actual ground, and the rest is wooden boardwalks and stairs. As for the gorge.. it's formed by the Ausable river, it's about as great as any waterfall you've seen. Except this one has dirty water (at the end of the gorge there's this brown clump of scum). We did get to see a rainbow, so that was one highlight. The trip took us about 30 minutes altogether, and that includes walking around, fiddling with the cameras, general site-seeing, taking pictures, and letting Grandma rest a bit.

So when's it open, how much, etc?
The summer season is from May to October, and the winter season is from Mid-November to Mid-April. The winter season is the same thing, except the gorge is frozen and you get to walk around with snow cleats. It is open from (roughly) 9:00-4:30. Hours may change slightly depending on when you go. It costs $6 per person, $3.50 for those aged 4-12, and anything under is a freebie.

What fitness level is required?
The idea of exercise on this is laughable. I can't say I'm in tip-top shape, but my legs were hardly buzzed from walking the paths. There were literally people there dressed in sandals, skirts, and pushing a baby stroller. I was expecting more of a hike, not this. There are steps down to platforms to get the best view, but these are branches off the path, and not required. So yes, the gorge is good for Grandma.

Any gripes?
Somewhat. The place was overflowing with rude tourists. I'm guessing that since this place is so easy for everyone, the tour busses decided to come here. Another gripe: to get a really good view of the gorge, you need to climb down to a viewing platform. However, while we were waiting patiently to let the group of people down their take their time, the next group (of about 10 people!) just kind of barged down there.. pretty rude.

Final Thoughts
I wanted to give the gorge two stars--long drive, no strenuous exercise, scummy water, and the like, except I realized that everyone else didn't think it was so bad. The 'old' people in the family (namely my parents and Grandma) aren't in the best of shape, so this was good for them.

Bottom Line
If you're in the mood for exercise, go somewhere else. But if exercise isn't your thing (or you can't take too much) than High Falls Gorge is a good place to go.

For more information, visit http://www.highfallsgorge.com, or you can call(518) 946-2278.

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