a.k.a. V.J.

In my corner of upstate New York, there are certain sights that one never has to travel very far to see. A few such entities that come to mind are Dunkin’ Donuts locations, abandoned factories, and all manner of items emblazoned with a Bills logo. Oh, and also waterfalls.

We are very fortunate to have a lot of scenic waterfalls across our region, ranging in scale from the humble speedbump on the Oswego River here in my hometown to that big tourist attraction north of Buffalo that people used to go over in a barrel.

Because there are so many waterfalls within a short drive of my home, I tend to take them for granted. There are many postcard-worthy falls practically in my own backyard that I’ve never visited, but I’m going to try to rectify that this summer. The 2025 waterfall-visiting campaign started today with a visit to Salmon River Falls.

The Salmon River is a shortish east-west river in the northern part of this county that empties into Lake Ontario. As the name suggests, the river is renowned for salmon fishing, aided by a state fishing hatchery in a rustic little hamlet called Altmar. The falls are a few miles upriver from the hatchery. It’s a secluded spot out in the wilderness, but it proved to be worth the trip.

Here are a few shots of the falls and the intensely green wooded trail leading to it…