Rainbow Falls (Ausable Club) Hike
Waterfall · about 150 ft high | New York
8.5 mi round trip
1,100 ft
Hard
Rainbow Falls (Ausable Club) Hike at a Glance
The Rainbow Falls (Ausable Club) hike via the Lake Road is 8.5 mi round trip with 1,100 ft of elevation gain.
| Falls height | About 150 ft |
|---|---|
| Trail | Lake Road |
| Distance | 8.5 mi round trip |
| Elevation gain | 1,100 ft |
| Difficulty | Hard |
Your time: about 3 h 25 min of moving time at Naismith pace (3 mph plus 1 hour per 2,000 ft climbed); about 4 h 15 min at a relaxed pace. A 160 lb hiker with a daypack burns roughly 1,920 kcal.
Adjust for your pace and breaks →Route line not shown. The 8.5 mi distance and 1,100 ft of gain for this hike are verified (lakeplacid.com), but we don't yet have a trail track we trust, so the map shows only the destination. Carry an official map.
About Rainbow Falls (Ausable Club)
Rainbow Falls (Ausable Club) is a waterfall in New York, about 150 feet high, on land managed by Adirondack Mountain Reserve (private land, public access easement). Its height is from lakeplacid.com.
The Hike
The hike to the falls follows the Lake Road: 8.5 miles round trip with about 1,100 feet of elevation gain, from St. Huberts parking area (AMR). Distance from lakeplacid.com. By the National Park Service difficulty formula (distance against climb) that puts it at Hard.
Before You Go
- Dogs are prohibited on AMR lands. (lakeplacid.com)
- A parking reservation is needed from May 1 to October 31. (lakeplacid.com)
- Walk-in users without a reservation are not permitted. (dec.ny.gov)
- The AMR parking lot is open for entry between 5:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. daily. (dec.ny.gov)
- The rocks by Rainbow Falls can be quite icy. (lakeplacid.com)
- Rock around waterfalls is slick when wet; stay on the trail and back from the edge.
- Check Adirondack Mountain Reserve (private land, public access easement) for current conditions, closures and parking before you go.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the hike to Rainbow Falls (Ausable Club)?
The Lake Road to Rainbow Falls (Ausable Club) is 8.5 miles round trip with about 1,100 feet of elevation gain.
Where does the Rainbow Falls (Ausable Club) hike start?
It starts from St. Huberts parking area (AMR).
How tall is Rainbow Falls (Ausable Club)?
Rainbow Falls (Ausable Club) is about 150 feet high.
Are dogs allowed on the Rainbow Falls (Ausable Club) trail?
Dogs are prohibited on AMR lands.
Safety Information
Current Hazards
- Slippery wet rock near the falls
- Fast, high water after rain or snowmelt
- Check weather before departure
Turn-Around Time
3:00 PM
Plan to reach the falls by this time so you are back before dark.
Essential Gear Checklist
* Critical items - do not hike without these
Emergency Contacts
Emergency / Search & Rescue
911Point Forecast
NWS Point Forecast →In most of the US, backcountry search and rescue is dispatched through 911 — tell the operator you have a hiker emergency and your GPS coordinates.
Downloads
Sources for The Rainbow Falls (Ausable Club) Guide
Where the trail data, elevation and route line on this page come from.
- Verified against
- lakeplacid.com
- Distance
- lakeplacid.com
- Falls height
- lakeplacid.com
- Falls location
- nnywaterfalls.com
Conditions change. Check the land manager for closures, fees and weather before you go.
Nearby Hikes
Other hikes within 30 miles of Rainbow Falls (Ausable Club).