Any regular readers of this site will know that I’m always on the lookout for beautiful waterfalls, so I was excited to finally have a chance to visit Rexford Falls in Central New York.
Rexford Falls is located just a short distance outside of Sherburne in Oneida County, NY. It is the focal point of a small park with little signage, so there’s nothing really to indicate what a fun spot this is from the road aside from a small blue historic marker that denotes the restoration of the footbridge two decades ago.
However, if you love visiting beautiful waterfalls, this is a spot you won’t want to miss.
Parking for Rexford Falls
There are two spots to park for Rexford Falls.
The first, and the one I recommend, can be found along Route 80, approximately 1.5 miles east of Main Street in Sherburne.
There is an unmarked (Aside from the aforementioned blue marker) one-way road that forms a loop here and can accommodate a good number of cars parked alongside it.
This spot can be found at the following coordinates: 42.679694, -75.471750. You can also use the address of the house across the street, which is 3229 NY-80, Sherburne, NY 13460.
The second option cuts out a bit of hiking, though you’ll miss the great view looking down on the waterfall from the footbridge over Mad Brook.
For this second parking area, look for a small pull-off along the aptly named Rexford Falls Road at approximately the following coordinates: 42.678472, -75.473167.
[Click here for information on how to use the coordinates in this article to find your destination.]
Hiking to Rexford Falls
If you parked in the first listed spot, you’ll want to look for the small footbridge over the creek.
The bridge is only a few feet from the parking area, but there isn’t an official path, so the walk to it isn’t handicap accessible. Interestingly, this short, metal bridge also has a turnstile on either end to keep out anything but people, which is something I don’t think I’ve ever seen before.
This bridge is located high above the crest of Rexford Falls and, from the top, the waterfall doesn’t look overly impressive. So, I highly recommend hiking down to the waterfalls base.
To do this, turn right on the far side of the bridge and start hiking along the obvious but unmarked trail with the chainlink fence to your right.
After about 200 yards, look for a trail that doubles back and heads downhill toward the creek. While it’s a bit narrow, this is an obvious trail without much peril. I tell you this not so that you aren’t careful, but to note that you don’t have to make a sketchy descent to the base of the waterfall like you might be tempted to do before the “official” trail.
You’ll also know that you’re in the right spot if you see a small wooden ladder that has been set up to help with the final descent to Mad Brook. Conversely, if you get to a small side creek or private property signs, you’ve gone too far.
Note that if you park along the Rexford Falls Road, you’ll want to head into the woods towards the creek, and then walk downhill you reach this side trail.
Once at creek level, you’ll want to follow Mad Brook upstream for two hundred yards to reach the base of the waterfall. If water levels are low like they were during my visit, this isn’t overly difficult, and you might even be able to keep your feet dry.
On the other hand, if water levels are high, this might be a challenging or even dangerous hike, especially since the wet rocks here are quite slippery. Make sure to use your best judgement when hiking to this waterfall.
Eventually, you’ll reach the base of Rexford Falls, which is impressive to see in person.
I’ve seen several listings for this waterfall saying that it’s 70-75 feet in height. Unless they are counting something that can’t be seen from the base, this is definitely incorrect. My best guess is that it’s somewhere around 35 feet tall (an estimate that’s backed up by elevation maps).
Impressive, but not quite as much as what some sites lead you to believe. (My guess is they are taking the height from the bridge to the base of the waterfall, which is likely around 70 feet.)
Regardless of the height, Rexford Falls is impressive spot with towering cliffs surrounding the waterfall, and even with low water levels, I really enjoyed this spot.
While I’m sure it gets crowded in the warmer months of the year, if you visit a bit out of regular hours, this is a beautiful and peaceful spot that not overly difficult to get to.
So, if you find yourself in and around Sherborne, NY, I definitely recommend taking a few minutes to visit Rexford Falls.
Looking for more places to visit nearby? Check out the Northeast Classic Car Museum, Root Glen, and the best breweries near Cooperstown.
