Dutchman Falls & The Haystacks: The Complete Loyalsock Itinerary

Key Takeaways

• Navigation: Reach the Mead Road lot south of Dushore (Google Maps | Apple Maps). GPS: 41.4478, -76.4534. The trailhead is directly behind the restrooms.
• The Itinerary: Don’t just do the 0.6-mile falls trip. Continue 2 more miles west on the Loyalsock Trail to The Haystacks for the best swimming in Sullivan County.
• Descent Warning: The scramble into the Dutchman Falls gorge is steep and rocky; proper hiking boots are non-negotiable.
• Winter Safety: The gorge descent is treacherous in winter. Avoid without microspikes due to severe ice accumulation.

Most guides treat Dutchman Falls as a quick, 30-minute detour. You park, you hike the 0.3 miles down into the gorge, you snap a photo of the 27-foot waterfall, and you leave.

What they fail to mention is that if you stay on that same trail for another two miles, you reach The Haystacks, a series of quartz sandstone mounds rising out of Loyalsock Creek that create some of the best natural swimming holes in Sullivan County. Park once, hit both.

Can You Swim at Dutchman Falls?

You cannot properly swim at Dutchman Falls, the splash pool at the base is shallow and suitable mainly for wading. If you are after a real swimming hole, continue another two miles heading west down the Loyalsock Trail to reach The Haystacks, where the sandstone formations on Loyalsock Creek create deep, walkable natural pools.

Getting There & Where to Park

You are aiming for the eastern terminus parking lot of the 60-mile Loyalsock Trail, located just south of Dushore off Mead Road near the Route 220 intersection.

Drop 41.447797, -76.453414 into your GPS. This will bring you to a large, established gravel lot with bathroom facilities. The trail begins directly behind the restrooms.

Dutchman Falls (0.3 Miles from the Lot)

Follow the yellow blazes of the Loyalsock Trail into the woods. After a brief, flat stretch, look for blue blazes marking the short spur trail down to the water.

Dutchman Falls is actually a multi-tiered system fed by Dutchman Run. The 27-foot main drop gets the photos, but the 7-foot upper cascade and the lower tier emptying into the wading pool are both worth slowing down for.

What to Expect on the Descent

⚠️ Warning: The trail dropping into the gorge to reach the base of Dutchman Falls is steep, rocky, and requires minor scrambling. When wet after rain, it becomes notoriously slippery. Stiff-soled hiking boots are required, this is not a sandal trail.

Continue to The Haystacks (2+ Miles Down the Loyalsock Trail)

Once you climb back out of the Dutchman Falls gorge, do not turn back toward your car. Follow the yellow blazes west on the Loyalsock Trail. The total round-trip from the parking lot to The Haystacks and back is approximately 5.5 to 6 miles.

The Haystacks are massive quartz sandstone mounds sitting directly in Loyalsock Creek, named for their shape. The creek rushes around them, creating fast rapids and carving out several deep pools that are worth the extra miles.

Swimming at The Haystacks

No lifeguards, swim at your own risk. Water shoes are mandatory on the submerged sandstone. Always scout the rapids between the formations before entering the water, as the current runs fast after heavy rainfall.

Photography Tips: Dutchman Falls & The Haystacks

Waterfall Cascade Composition: The multi-tiered Dutchman Falls system offers three separate drops. Shoot the 27-foot main cascade from the base of the gorge using a wide-angle lens (16-35mm) to show the surrounding vegetation and rock walls. Overcast light is superior to direct sun in the narrow gorge.

Lighting Strategy: The gorge creates shadows. Early morning provides the best directional light into the canyon. Bring a circular polarizer to reduce glare off wet rocks and emphasize water flow contrast.

The Haystacks Landscape: The sandstone mounds rising from the creek create dynamic compositional lines. Shoot from creek level looking up at the formations. The moving water around the rocks tells the story of how water carved this unique landscape.

Golden Hour Window: Late afternoon light (after 4 PM) works exceptionally well at The Haystacks as it wraps light around the sandstone formations and creates warm tones in the creek.

Swimming Pool Perspective: If you visit during swimming season, photograph people in the natural pools with the landscape context:it shows both scale and the unique geologic formations.

When to Go

• Spring (April–May): Best waterfall volume at the falls, but the Haystacks pools are too fast and cold for swimming.
• Summer (July–August): Ideal for The Haystacks. Falls are still running. Trails are quiet on weekdays.
• Fall: Excellent foliage, near-empty trails. Both features are accessible.
• Winter: Avoid the gorge descent without microspikes, ice accumulation on the gorge rocks is genuinely dangerous.

If you are building a full day in Sullivan County, Dutchman Falls and The Haystacks cover the morning. Pair it with a drive to World’s End State Park for an afternoon on the Loyalsock Creek overlooks, or check the PA Grand Canyon region guide for more Endless Mountains hiking.