Location: North eastern Yates County, Ridge Road, 4.1 miles east of Dresden. From the intersection of Routes 14 and 54, follow Route 54 west for 1.9 miles to Ridge Road (Yates County Route 9) and turn left (south). Follow Ridge Road for 1.2 miles to the bottom of the hill and turn right (west) onto Outlet Road, just before crossing the bridge over the Keuka Lake Outlet. At 0.5 miles from Ridge Road park in the parking area on the left (southeast) side of Outlet Road. This is the Seneca Mill parking area, an access point for the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail.

     The Keuka Lake Outlet Trail is a six mile long trail that follows an abandoned railroad bed from the Village of Penn Yan to the Village of Dresden, alongside the Keuka Lake Outlet. The trail drops nearly 300 feet in elevation.

     From the Seneca Mill parking area, follow the trail westwards (upstream) for a distance of approximately 0.3 of a mile. Here you will encounter the ruins of the Seneca Paper Mill, built in 1884. The mill produced sugar bags, heavy wrapping paper and book paper.


     Seneca Mill Falls is located next to the ruins of the mill. The falls consists of two distinct leaps separated by a break that varies in length. The first leap of this 70 foot wide waterfall is mainly a vertical drop of 10 feet. The southern end of the second leap is a very steep cascade, while the sections of the northern end are nearly vertical, almost merging with the first drop. The falls has a total height of 22 feet.

     A dam was built just upstream of the falls to supply water to the mill. The spillway for the dam is 7 feet high. In the late 1880’s electricity was produced at the mill and used to light the streets of Penn Yan 2.4 miles to the west.

Copyright © 2007 by Scott A. Ensminger.
This information may not be reproduced without written permission.

---

    You can send me e-mail at:falzguy@verizon.net

---

Return to Waterfalls You Can Visit In Yates County

Return to Waterfall Listing By County

Return to Home Page of WNYWS