Barberville Falls facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barberville Falls
The falls in 2012
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Location	The Hamlet of Barberville, in Poestenkill, Rensselaer County, New York
Total height	92 feet
Total width	55 feet

The Barberville Falls is a beautiful waterfall and a special nature area located in Poestenkill, New York. This amazing waterfall sends its water into the Poesten Kill, which is a big creek flowing through Rensselaer County. It's a great place to explore nature!

Discover Barberville Falls

The Poesten Kill creek starts high up on the Rensselaer Plateau. This area collects water from about 35 square miles. That's a lot of land! This means the creek always has plenty of water.

The water flow is strongest in the spring. This is when the winter snow melts and rushes down the creek. Long ago, this powerful water helped run factories in Troy.

What the Falls Look Like

The Barberville Falls are about 90 feet tall and 50 feet wide. That's like a nine-story building! Below the falls, the creek flows through a deep valley. This valley is about 100 feet deep.

The rocks you see at the falls are mostly a type called Rensselaer Greywacke. Above the falls, there are also layers of slate and limestone.

Barberville Falls Preserve

The Barberville Falls Preserve is a large nature area. It covers 138 acres of undeveloped land. The preserve follows the Poesten Kill creek for over half a mile. A smaller stream also flows through the property.

The main attraction is, of course, the Barberville Falls! The preserve shares the falls with private land nearby.

Who Owns the Preserve?

The Nature Conservancy first bought this land in 1967. They are a group that protects important natural places. In 2019, they passed ownership to the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. This group now takes care of the preserve.

Explore the Trails

The Barberville Falls Preserve is open from dawn until dusk. It has three main walking trails for visitors to enjoy. These trails are the Creek Trail, the Falls Trail, and the Ridge Trail.

The Creek Trail

The Creek Trail starts near a small parking area on Plank Road. It's a smooth path marked with gray signs. This trail goes down a hill to the edge of the Poesten Kill creek.

You can walk a short distance both upstream and downstream. The whole trip is about one mile. Remember to stay on the trail, as private property is nearby.

Parking for Falls and Ridge Trails

For the Falls Trail and the Ridge Trail, you'll park at 23 Blue Factory Road. This parking area can hold about 16 cars.

The Falls Trail

The Falls Trail is marked with yellow signs. It starts from the main parking area. After a short walk, the trail goes steeply downhill. This path leads you right to the bottom of the waterfall.

At the bottom, you can see old stone structures. These were part of a mill project that was never finished. This trail is about a quarter-mile round trip.

The Ridge Trail

The Ridge Trail also starts from the main parking area. It's marked with orange diamonds or ribbons. The trail begins a bit rocky but soon joins an old cart path.

This trail makes a loop through the woods. You will cross four small streams that flow into the Poesten Kill. You can usually find stepping stones to cross them without getting wet. The trail eventually reaches the Poesten Kill. You can sometimes catch glimpses of the falls through the trees. The Ridge Trail is about 1.3 miles round trip.

Important Trail Update

The old Falls Trail is now closed. This trail was very steep and slippery. It also made visitors walk on roads without sidewalks. The Rensselaer Plateau Alliance asks everyone to use the new parking and trails for safety.

You can find the most up-to-date information about the trails online. Visit the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance website for details.