A New Hampshire Waterfall Sampler
By: John Kumiski
Water. A compound unique in all the Universe. Beautiful in any of its natural states. Humans crave the stuff. We drink it, bathe in it, swim in it, float on it, boat on it, ski and snowshoe on it. We want to live next to it. It makes up well more than half of every individual's mass.
One of the many ways to enjoy water involves watching it flow over a big drop. A waterfall! New Hampshire has lots of mountains, so it has lots of waterfalls. Recently Susan and I went on a waterfall viewing day, visiting five between North Conway and Pinkham Notch. It was so much fun we're thinking of having another one, but let's report on what we've already got.
A small section of Diana's Bath
Diana's Bath, near North Conway, was our first stop. With good reason, this place is very popular! We got there at 10 AM on a Wednesday (in August- it's easier to find parking out of peak season) and got lucky- we got the last parking spot. An easy, five-minute walk brought us to the Bath area, a sequence of falls that is simply fantastic. This beautiful spot is a great place to get wet, beat the heat, have a picnic, take some photos, or just hang out. The parking lot holds maybe thirty cars, so get there early and remember to bring cash- this place is a US Forest Service fee area. I'd love to visit it during the wintertime.
Our next stop was Jackson Falls, right off the road on Route 16A near Jackson Village. We parked in the village and walked up, only to find a small (but full anyway) lot on Route 16B, right next to the start of the falls. This is a long and spectacular falls, on the wild and scenic Wildcat River. Because of the bright sun, the white water was impossible to photograph well.
Covered Bridge in Jackson.
Since they are right next to the road, these falls are popular! There were children splashing in the water, and more mature folks sitting and lying on the rocks, relaxing on folding chairs and beach towels, picnicking, etc. It was a beautiful spot with a mellow vibe, with an historic covered bridge and some good food (I hear) nearby.
Glen Ellis Falls.
We tore ourselves away from Jackson and drove north on Route 16. Our next stop was a parking lot at the trailhead for Glen Ellis Falls (US Forest Service fee area). This is one of the most popular waterfalls in the Pinkham Notch area. The trail goes through an underpass, with cars and trucks whizzing by overhead on Route 16. The trail then follows the Ellis River a short distance before descending a series of staircases exhibiting some of the finer trail work this reporter has ever seen, that lead to the base of the 40-foot falls. This one will spray you!
The walk one way takes maybe ten minutes, ten minutes very well spent!
The Appalachian Mountain Club's Pinkham Notch Camp is the undisputed center of hiking in New England. The Appalachian and several other well-known trails converge here, and the Camp offers hikers cold and hot food, showers, bathrooms, information, advice, books and maps, clothing and gifts, and more.
The sign at the parking lot entrance said, "Parking Lot FULL." We drove in anyway and found a spot right away, which perhaps was Divine Intervention. At any rate, we ate lunch at a picnic table outside, bought a couple postcards inside, then hit the Tuckerman Ravine trail.
The Crystal Cascade
Ten minutes up the trail you arrive at a viewpoint for the Crystal Cascade, a 100-foot, two-tiered cascade that was rated 5 out of 5 stars on newenglandwaterfalls.com for being an “outstanding” waterfall (is there any other kind?). It was very cool, well Well WELL worth the walk up the hill.
Our last falls of the day was Thompson Falls, which we found hard to find in that the trailhead location remained a mystery, even after we visited the falls. Siri, my telephone information system, put us in the Wildcat Mountain Ski Area's Parking Lot 3, where my van was the only vehicle. Did we belong there? No one bothered us, so I really don't know. At any rate it was an easy walk through the woods to access the falls, which were, of course, quite lovely.
We wrapped up our waterfall soiree by visiting Trail's End Ice Cream in North Conway. Naturally, I got moose tracks, vanilla ice cream with fudge swirls and tiny peanut butter cups, which was extremely delicious, so good that I'm already looking forward to the end of our next waterfall viewing day.
Have you had a great out experience? Join Global Outdoors and write a review to tell everyone about it! We’re building the home for trusted reviews of outdoor experiences, outfitters, and guides.
