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Great Falls of the Housatonic
Canaan, Connecticut
50-ft dam-controlled Housatonic falls at Falls Village. Spectacular after spring releases; no swim/jump.
Swim access
Water condition
At a glance
Crowd level
Moderate
Walk time
5 min
Trail difficulty
2 / 5 Easy to moderate
Parking ease
Difficult
Dog policy
Check posted rules
Access type
Trail access
Overview
A 50-ft dam-controlled plunge on the Housatonic at the Falls Village Recreation Area. Best during spring water releases; late summer often runs to a trickle. Jumping and swimming are explicitly prohibited.
- Also known as
- Canaan Falls, Housatonic Falls, Falls Village Falls
- County
- Litchfield
- Region
- Litchfield Hills
- Water type
- Waterfall
- Waterfall type
- Cascade
Know before you go
Editorial tags
RiverFlagshipDam releaseLitchfield hillsNo swim allowedRoadside easy
Good for
Waterfall viewingPhotographyPaddling kayakFishing trout
Land ownership
Public
Watch for
River current
Cliff jumping illegal
Slick granite
Cold water shock
Rescue access limited
No lifeguard
Conditions
Conditions snapshot
Check posted signs and official updates before entering.
Getting there
Arrival points
Parking + Trailhead + Attraction
41.96281, -73.37134
Parking: Pull-off · Difficult · Trailhead: 0.1 mi · 5 min · 2 / 5 Easy to moderate · Rock surface · Attraction: Waterfall · Cascade · Swim viewing only
Arrival directions
From US-7 in Falls Village take Water Street to the FirstLight parking near the dam. Short walk to the overlook and ledges.
0.1 miRockPull-off625 ft50 ft gain
Parking notes: Small FirstLight lot near the dam; fills on spring release weekends. Has experienced temporary closures when overcrowded.
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