Built in 1852, the New York Waterfall House & Retreat Center, the main house on the 50 acre country estate, overlooks the Western Castills' beautiful Schoharie Valley, reputedly the most fertile valley east of the Mississippi.  Featuring a Dance Hall, a Great Hall, five guest bedrooms, owner's quarters, wrap around porches, and a vintage German-style bar with an adjoining gaming room (with a pool table and 1920s regulation shuffleboard); the 7000 square foot Inn is filled with period antiques and mementos that will carry you back to a more gracious era.

THE MAGIC OF THE WATERFALLS

Although Panther Creek splashes over numerous waterfalls as it makes its way down the valley, the most spectular is Kenhuragara (Panther) Falls -- located just behind the house.  Coursing between two outcroppings in a deep ravine, the waterfall crashes down 100 feet over mossy rock shelves into a small hidden pool, which then empties at the bottom into a deep, glass like swimming hole.  The effect is transporting. After a swim, you can stretch your towels on large flat stones warmed by the sun and impressed with fossils of shells and sea creatures more than 380 million years old. 

Alternatively, following trails through 25 acres of private woodland adjacent to the Inn will bring you to  Little Falls.  A 15 minute walk from the house through an enchanted forest, Little Falls are perfect for morning meditations or afternoon swimming with the dragonflies and hummingbirds. 

The Activities

We can arrange for massages, body treatments, pilates, dance classes, or private yoga instruction.  We also have a limited schedule of yoga classes at the house during the week, which you are welcome to join if you come for a short stay.

If you want to go exploring on a rainy day, you can head to the nearby town of Cobleskill to visit the underground waterfall of Howe's Caverns, spend a few hours at the Iroquois Museum, or catch a first run movie at the Park Theatrer for $3.50. Of course, you can just stay home, curl up by the fire in the great hall with a good book from our eclectic library, and listen to the water falling all around you.

Aside from events going on in the house and the immediate surroundings,  there are an endless array of outdoor adventures in the area:  hiking trails, camping sites, mountain bike trails, whitewater rafting/kayaking, and ski resorts, (the closest of which is Plattekill Mountain). We will also be happy to connect you with local mountain biking, hiking or fishing guides

The Surroundings

With  an abundance of crystal water running down the mountains into its rivers, lakes, and picturesque creeks, the extraordinary natural beauty of the Schoharie Valley is one of the best kept secrets of New York. Home to the actual "last stand of the Mohicans" the valley has a rich history  of local lore, Revolutionary War tales, and Native American legends.  

Just minutes from the house is both Vroman's Nose, a steep escarpment you can climb for a spectacular view of the valley; and Looking Glass Pond, a beautiful fishing hole and highly suggested for a long afternoon walk through forests, fields and old graveyards.

If antiquing is your thing, the area is an antique bargain-hunter’s paradise. The local shops offer a cornucopia od early Americana, turn of the century china and flatware, depression-era glass, etc..

For local flowers and produce, try Barber's Farmers Market or Shaul's Market. For organic local meat, Sap Bush Hollow is only 4 miles away ... and you can always pick your own fruit when it is in season at farms along route 30.  View the Surroundings

THE Waterfall House - AN ENCHANTING COUNTRY RETREAT 2.5 hours from THE George Washington Bridge