Pratt's Falls Park
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Cassie White & Braden Becker
Pratt’s Falls Park is a trail park in the town of Pompey, New York. Located in Onondaga County, it is home not only to a beautifully tall waterfall, but several facilities that offer a wide range of both outdoor and indoor opportunities for prospective hikers, campers, and recreationalists. Some of these include Camp Brockway, archery, and orienteering.
This geological marvel, formed by retreating glaciers, was the site of Onondaga County's first mill operation in 1796 (see History for an elaboration). Perfect for Picnics, Pratt’s Falls is plentiful in other outdoor activities as well, such as hiking. In addition to the wonderful hiking trails, Pratt's Falls is popular as mentioned earlier, for archery as well as orienteering. Mountain Biking, however, is not permitted.[1]
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History
The park originated as a settlement of the Seneca Indian tribe in the 18th century, but was quickly conquered by European settlers in 1796. Their first building – a mill in the heart of what is now Onondaga County – was erected at the crest of the falls, and is remembered by a plaque, still there to this day.
General Info
Pratt's Falls is open year-round, and contains restrooms, trails, archery fields, picnic tables, (community) lodges. It offers ample lot/pullover space throughout the park, after a $1 entry fee per vehicle. Park allows leashed pets, and accommodates the handicapped at the crest of the falls.
Hours:
• April: 8:30 am – 6:30 pm
• May: 8:30 am – 7:30 pm
• June-August: 8:30 am – 8:30 pm
• September: 8:30 am – 7:30 pm
• October: 8:30 am – 6:30 pm
The Waterfall
Pratt’s Falls offers a tremendous array of scenic trails, surrounded by the park’s beloved waterfall. The ribbon cascade falls is characterized by a consistent/medium flow, down 137 feet into a tributary of Limestone Creek. Environmentalists have deduced that the fall’s journey at any given point is about 20 minutes. After years of tourism, it is clear that there is no specific season in which the park is at its best; the falls offers a fulfilling trip all year round, though the waterfall itself is easier to see when the leaves are off the trees in the winter.[2]
The Trails
• Difficulty: Easy
• Composition: Markings, railings, wide dirt/rock/cement pathways
• Recommendations: To see falls, take the trail beginning at adjacent parking lot down the gorge to the viewing platform, at the halfway point to the falls. Keep left on the trail to the platform. It is also suggested not to climb down to the riverbed, due to unstable slopes and past rockslide incidents.
Camp Brockway
Built in 1949, it has become a prime spot to host special events such as wedding reception, birthdays, reunions and others.
Camp Brockway is Pratt’s Falls acclaimed, fully-enclosed lodge and ceremonial facility. Located at the heart of the park, the site comes complete with routed electricity, a stocked kitchen, volleyball squares, horseshoe pitches, and softball fields (equipment not supplied). But don’t exclude the little ones from the trip, kid-friendly with swings and teeter-totters. Brockway is comprised of three separate sites: the Falls Shelter, the Woods Trail shelter, and the Camp’s main location. This location, located at 7757 Pratt’s Falls Road (Manlius, NY – 13104), seats 180 but can accommodate a total of 400, including handicapped. Details at the link above.
Archery
Pratt’s Falls offers two large archery facilities for experts to sharpen their skills and for guests to try something off the beaten path. Located at the park’s main location, both ranges consist of six targets that are 100 yards in length. There is also a 1-mile / 28-target course for those who crave a hunting theme to their marksmanship experience.
Orienteering
The park is also home to a popular Orienteering program, much like the program comprising Green Lakes State Park Recreation, Pratt's Falls holds annual and family events.
Pratt's Program:
Pratt’s Falls’ races are run primarily by local clubs which are subject to their own interpretation of the IOF’s system. Depending on location and season, activities may be on foot or bike. The site is closed during the winter, as expressed below:
Hours:
(JANUARY – MARCH / THANKSGIVING & CHRISTMAS: CLOSED)
• April: 8:30am-6:30pm
• May: 8:30am-7:30pm
• June-August: 8:30am-8:30pm
• September: 8:30am-7:30pm
• October: 8:30am-6:30pm
• November & December: 10am-4pm
Admission: $1 / Vehicle
Donations are requested.
Contact:
7671 Pratt's Falls Road Manlius, NY 13104 (315) 682-5934 pratts@ongov.net
See references page for directions.
Orienteering Events
DADDY-O ORIENTEERING EVENT: Which is held on Father;s Day every year, offers three seperate courses; a short, medium, and long courses which increase in difficulty. Short course: 2.8km Medium course: Long Course
Central New York Orienteering Club
If you are interested in orienteering and would like to learn more or possibly become a member of the Central New York Orienteering don't wait!
Membership Dues for 2010 Individual: $10.00/year Family: $15.00/year
Membership entitles you to our quarterly newsletter, Handrails, voting rights, and a discount on entry fees at club meets.
For more information, or to join the club, contact CNYO's Secretary:
Barb Sleight 6187 Smith Road North Syracuse, NY 13212-2513 315-458-6406
or Join the Listserv to stay up-to-date with informal events.
The usual format is "Score-O" with a dozen or so controls to visit in any order, as many as you want (or can), within about 60-90 minutes (depending on daylight — days are longer in June than April). Most events will use regular orienteering maps, some will use ROGAINE maps (less detail, more like USGS maps), and some may use aerial photos with superimposed contour information. The usual fee is $2 to cover map costs.
There will usually be a reminder note on the CNYO listserver a few days in advance of each event.
Photography
For good photography of the falls, come during minimal wind and leaf coverage. Wide angle lenses are required for complete shots. Also, since peak sunlight creates unwanted shadows along the gorge, shooting before or around sunrise yields the best results.
Quick tips:
• Know all the functions of your camera for maximum preparation and opportunity.
• Experiment with shots before taking the ones that count.
• Check the weather.
• Consider bringing a tripod.
• Explore the function, “bracketing”
• Know the trespassing boundaries, no matter how tempting an angle may be!
For more advice, see NYFalls’ articles: <nyfalls.com/articles.html>
Location
Pratt's Falls is located at:
7671 Pratt's Falls Road Manlius, NY 13104 (315) 682-5934 pratts@ongov.net
Directions
• Take I-81
• Exit 15
• Rt. 20
• Left turn (north) at Pompey
• Park on right, lot across from archery fields
Location/GPS
• Falls: N 42.93116 / W 75.99398
• Entrance: N 42.92713 / W 75.99464
Related Pages
Notes
- ↑ Pratt's Falls Park. Onondaga County Parks. Web. 22 Mar. 2010. <http://www.onondagacountyparks.com/pratts>
- ↑ NYFalls. NYFalls. Pratt's Falls. Matthew Conheady, 2009. Web. 5 Apr. 2010. <http://nyfalls.com/pratts.html>.
