Three Falls Woods is an unknown gem located
in the triangle between Sweet Road, NY 173, and Troop K Road in the Town as
well as Village of Manlius. Three Falls Woods is 175 acres of hardwood
forest, a maze of paths, boulders, trees, waterfalls, cliffs and rock
outcroppings. These woods is most easily accessed at the bend of Glencliffe Road in the village of Manlius, however there are other
trailheads along Sweet Road (1/2 mile north of NY 173), and along NY 173
east of Sweet Road. There have been reports of "nasty notes" being
left on cars from the "someone" at the Sweet Road trailhead. This
stems from a dispute from a land owner who wants to develop this gem.
The land is currently privately owned, threatened by
development, but accessible to the public. The portion in the Village of
Manlius is considered a Critical Environmental Area and the portion in the
Town is protected by a covenant, although that is being disputed by a
developer. The land is used as a green space by locals, where you can
go hiking, picnicking, biking, and exploring to name a few activities. Three
distinct waterfalls are formed by two tributaries of Limestone Creek as they
tumble fifty to sixty feet over the edge of the Onondaga Escarpment.
The Three Falls area starts very close to NY 173 near Sweet
Road where the north flowing stream emerges from crossing under the road. At
this point the land drops of steeply forming a series of steps for the water
to cascade over, hence the name Staircase Falls. The other small stream
comes in from the west cascades over a nice staircase section up above then
branches before falling over the escarpment in two places. The Tall Twins is
the name given to the middle falls because of the dividing of the water near
the top and the high vertical drop. The third falls is called "The
Cascades". All the water pours into a small bowl shaped gorge open to
the northeast and surrounded by tall cliffs. On the floor of the bowl the
waters combine and flow gently down slope to merge eventually with Limestone
creek.
This area was once used as
farmland, pastures and light quarrying. This area was also quarried to
supply limestone for the building of the Erie Canal and the making of
quicklime for making hydraulic cement. There are numerous paths or old
cavalry bridle paths that crisscross the now wooded land and many old rock
walls that must have delineated the pastures and property lines remain.
Directions: NY 173 to Glencliffe Road in
Manlius. There is a small parking area at the big bend of the road.
Pictures from Three Falls Woods
