Photography Guide to Dry Run Falls (Pennsylvania)

Dry Run Falls has been on my list of places to visit for a while, and recently I was finally able to make it there. It is within the Loyalsock State Forest in Hillsgrove Township, Sullivan County. Sullivan County is filled with waterfalls, although many of them are somewhat hidden in State Gamelands and State Forests without road or easy trail access. Dry Run Falls, on the other hand, is quite easy to access, even if it is remote.

It’s not the tallest or most powerful waterfall, but it is quite picturesque. It’s best to visit after a recent rain or during spring, because the flow of water can be pretty low at times (after all, it is called “Dry Run”). I enjoyed my spring visit, but I’m also hoping to make it back sometime in the fall to take advantage of the autumn colors.

→ See More of The Best Places to Photograph in Pennsylvania

Getting to Dry Run Falls

There is a small parking area and a picnic table just a short distance from the falls. You can easily see the falls from the road and the parking lot. The approximate GPS coordinates of the parking area are: 41.430329, -76.670472

Although this is a remote area, it is a paved road and not hard to find if you know where you are going. It’s very close to Worlds End State Park. Just down the road from Dry Run Falls you’ll see signs for the High Knob Overlook, which provides a great view of the surrounding forest.

→ Related reading: 10 Tips for Fabulous Waterfall Photography

Photographing Dry Run Falls

The parking area is near the top of the falls, although thankfully far enough that it won’t be in your photos. To get the best vantage point for photos you’ll need to get down to the water level. There is a short, steep path that leads down. Although it is steep, it’s nothing dangerous as long as you are careful.

If you’re not able to make your way to the water level it is still possible to photograph the falls. The shot below was taken from the top, just above the path that leads to the water level. It’s not as good of a view, but still ok.

And the photo below was taken a little closer to the parking area.

All photos in this post were processed with the Landscape Legend Lightroom Presets. Learn more about how Landscape Legend can help you to save time and process your photos more effectively.

Recommendations

Dry Run Falls can be photographed very quickly since it is so close to the road. Because of that, and because there are many other points of interest in the area, I would recommend combining a trip to Dry Run Falls along with some other stops. The day I went to Dry Run Falls I had been to Ricketts Glen State Park and Sullivan Falls earlier in the day. In the future I’ll probably go to Worlds End State Park and combine it with a trip to Dry Run Falls.

I’d also recommend the following gear:

Wide Angle Lens – If you are going down to the water level you will probably need a wide angle lens to get the falls and surrounding landscape in the shot. The first two photos on this page were taken with a Canon 16-35mm f/4. You can also see our Reviews of the Best Wide Angle Lenses for Canon DSLRs and Reviews of the Best Wide Angle Lenses for Nikon DSLRs.

Standard Zoom or Telephoto Lens – A wide angle lens will probably be too wide from the area above the water level. The last two photos shown above were taken with a Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens. Something in the 50 – 100mm range will be ideal. You don’t need anything longer than 100mm unless you want to capture small details. See our Reviews of the Best Standard Zoom Lenses for Canon DSLRs and Reviews of the Best Standard Zoom Lenses for Nikon DSLRs. And also our Reviews of the Best Telephoto Lenses for Canon DSLRs and Reviews of the Best Telephoto Lenses for Nikon DSLRs.

Tripod – Any time you’re photographing waterfalls a tripod is highly recommended.

Polarizer – A polarizer is essential for reducing glare from the water and wet rocks.

In the Area

Please see our guides for other points of interest within driving distance of Dry Run Falls:

• Ricketts Glen State Park
• Sullivan Falls and Big Run Falls