Located in Monroe County, New York, High Falls is a waterfall. The nearest town is Rochester, about 800 m away (High Falls lies NNE of town).
The High Falls or Upper Falls is a waterfall on the Genesee River in the city of Rochester, New York. They are one of three waterfalls within the city; the Middle and Lower Falls are about 2 miles (3.2 km) downstream. The High Falls area was the site of much of Rochester's early industrial development, where industry was powered by falling water. Brown's Race diverts water from above the falls and was used to feed various flour mills and industries; today the water is used to produce hydroelectric power. The High Falls may be viewed from the Pont De Rennes bridge, a pedestrian bridge that spans the Genesee River a few hundred feet from the base of the falls. The High Falls were the site of the final jump of "The Yankee Leaper" Sam Patch who died after jumping off of the High Falls in 1829. An abstract representation of the High Falls was used on the logo of Rochester New York FC as a...From the Wikipedia article “High Falls (Rochester, New York)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At High Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:32 AM | 56° NE | 8:54 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 23m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:40 AM | 122° ESE | 4:39 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 59m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:09 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 21m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 32m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 5:15 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 40m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:28 PM | 15h 22m |
| July | 5:11 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:23 PM | 15h 04m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 58m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 44m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:22 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 01m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From High Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:52 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:56 AM – 4:36 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:59 AM – 3:39 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:12 PM – 3:02 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:00 PM – 1:50 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:04 PM – 11:44 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 9:39 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.45 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 69% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (86%). August is the warmest month and February the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 52 | 52 | 61 | 67 | 74 | 84 | 85 | 87 | 84 | 76 | 68 | 58 |
| Low °F | 4 | -5 | 0 | 20 | 34 | 41 | 50 | 55 | 48 | 37 | 22 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 3.2 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this waterfall
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- A 3-stop ND filter lets you use slow shutter speeds even when the light is bright.
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of High Falls, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
WaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph High Falls?
What time is golden hour at High Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at High Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from High Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at High Falls?
How far is High Falls from Rochester?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.