The White Mountains in New Hampshire are renowned for having the best hiking east of the Mississippi River. Treeline in New Hampshire is around 4,000 feet, and there are forty-eight mountains in the state that rise above this level. Most people have heard of Mt. Washington, infamous for the “worst weather in the world” and mountain climbers of all levels train in the Whites for major expeditions.

In addition to the beautiful peaks however, there are a ton of small and large waterfalls throughout the region. During the process of putting together a book about waterfalls in New England, I realized something. These are the nooks and crannies of our beloved forested and rocky landscape. Whereas the spine of the White Mountains provide the grandeur of the sweeping vistas, waterfalls provide an intimate, and often revealing portrait of the northern forest. The rivers and streams are the lifeblood of the land, and one quickly realizes the power that water has in shaping it.

These short loops can be enjoyed by young and old and in most seasons. They are not the “best” waterfalls in New Hampshire, but represent a little tour of the types of waterfalls present in the region. In my journeys to the waterfalls of New England, I quickly realized many benefits to waterfall hiking. First, they’re photogenic. In the spring the water displays its power and in later summer and fall, low water allows the adventurous hiker the opportunity for a closer look as much of the rock may be dry. Also, many waterfalls have swim holes, perfect for hot summer days and many waterfalls are just a short hike, or none at all making it a great option for those with limited time. And best of all, the cloudy or windy or even rainy days, just the days you don’t want to be high on a mountain, often end up being the best days to experience the magic of waterfalls. Let these loops serve as a starting point in exploring the varied falls, cascades, caves, chasms, pools, gorges and many other features that make hiking to waterfalls in New Hampshire enjoyable time and time again.

Appalachia Waterfalls

The Appalachia trailhead on Route 2 is the launching point for many routes in the northern Presidential Range. Tough trails climb up Mt. Madison and Mt. Adams. But not far from the trailhead lie a number of beautiful waterfalls, and an easy 2.6 mile loop can be made to visit a number of these.

From the parking lot head straight and then at the next two junctions stay left on the Valley Way and then the Maple Walk until you hit the Fallsway Trail. All along the trail are beautiful falls and cascades. Just downstream from the trail junction is Gordon Falls. Turnaround and follow the Fallsway Trail up along Snyder Brook, visiting Lower and Upper Salroc Falls and then to Tama Falls. This is about 0.75 miles from the trailhead and a solid 500 feet of climbing.

From Tama Falls, turn around and shortly take a left onto the Valley Way, following this downhill until it meets the Sylvan Way, where you’ll head left. Follow the Sylvan Way a little over 0.5 miles and you’ll get to the quiet and secluded Cold Brook Falls. When you’re ready to head back to the car, follow this down stream and head on the Link Trail back to the parking lot.

Arethusa Waterfalls

Arethusa Falls is one of the most well known waterfalls in New Hampshire, and it’s one of the biggest. At over 150 feet, the 700 foot climb to the base is well worth it. In the spring, the falls are a raging torrent of large sheets tumbling down an almost vertical wall, whereas in the fall and low water you can get right up to the bottom of it. Most of the people who climb to the falls don’t make the minimal extra effort to follow Bemis Brook lower down the mountain along the Bemis Brook Trail, where there are a number of smaller, but incredibly beautiful waterfalls which are more intimate and sculpted than the gigantic falls a few hundred feet above.

This 3.0 mile round-trip partial loop leaves from the parking area in Crawford Notch. Follow the trail into the woods then at the first junction head left along the Bemis Brook Trail. You’ll pass by the Fawn Pool, the staircase Bemis Falls and the beautiful series of 4-10 foot falls that comprise Coliseum Falls. The trail heads steeply from here to a junction with the Arethusa Falls Trail, which, in 1 mile will take you to the base of Arethusa Falls. You can take the Arethusa Falls Trail back to the parking area.

Arethusa Falls is in Crawford Notch State Park. While there, be sure to check out Ripley Falls, just up the road as well as the beautiful AMC Highland Center. Right next to the center is the Willard Trail to the summit of Mt. Willard, which provides an incredible view of the glacially sculpted valley.

Eagle Cascade

This is the longest hike here. At 6.0 miles and 1,500 vertical feet, you earn your reward on this hike. You’ll visit a beautiful winding cascade, a fantastic ridge with rocky outcrops and amazing views, and a deep cold swim hole at the end of a tiring hike. You are way more likely to experience solitude on this hike as well, as the others are located in more popular areas.

From the trailhead on Route 113, follow the Baldface Circle Trail for 2.2 miles before turning left on the Eagle Cascade Link Trail. This trail climbs fairly steeply and in 0.3 miles you’ll reach the plunging Eagle Cascade, which may be a graceful ribbon or a large pouring sheet depending on the stream flow. You’ll cross over the stream and climb steeply again for another half of a mile until you reach the Bicknell Ridge Trail.

Here, high up on the side of the Baldface mountain range you’ll get sweeping views to the south and east. This is a fantastic place for a lunch. When ready, follow the Bicknell Ridge Trail back down to the junction with the Baldface Circle Trail and head right. In just over half a mile, you’ll want to turn left onto the short spur to the Emerald Pool, a deep aqua colored swim hole surrounded by 10-20 foot vertical rock walls.

Follow the spur back to the main trail and then head back to the car. Route 113 goes through Evans Notch from which a number of great hiking trails leave. There are a bunch of waterfalls near here too including Brickett Falls, Bickford Slides and the Rattlesnake Flume and Pool, which is just over the border in Maine.

Flume Gorge / Flume Pool Loop

One of the most popular tourist attractions in the White Mountains, the Flume Gorge / Flume Pool Loop is still well worth the visit. It also costs money, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to enjoy it. Since it does get crowded, I’d recommend visiting right when they open in the morning as well as on a weekday.

The Flume Gorge lies in Franconia Notch. Surrounded by the Kinsman Range and the Canon Cliffs on the West, and the rugged treeless Franconia Range on the east. The power of water to shape the land, in both its wet and frozen form, are blatantly obvious on this short hike.

There is no “right” way to do this, other than making sure you do the full loop. However there are multiple short excursions and diversions along the way, and this is one place where the kids will have fun too. You’ll start behind the visitor center. If you go counterclockwise, you’ll take a covered bridge over the Pemigewasset River, pass by Table Rock and then head right into the Flume Gorge. Here a wooden walkway takes you through an extremely narrow canyon with huge vertical walls. At the top of the gorge you’ll see Avalanche Falls, which turns 90 degrees in its plunge to the floor below.

On your way you’ll also see Liberty Gorge Cascade, cross over a gorgeous covered bridge and gaze down upon the sculpted pool before returning to the visitor center and your car. Keep in mind that this is just one option in Franconia Notch, where you’ll want to spend as much time as you can visiting the incredible waterfalls, hiking trails, and treeless peaks.

Lost River Gorge

Like the Flume Gorge above, this is another hike where you’ll need to pay. I had never visited it because of that, and when I finally did I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. This hike is less about the waterfalls than it is about boulders and caves and the power of the river. It’s a one-way boardwalk and is perfect for even young children, yet people of all ages will have a great time exploring the different geologic features. So this one is highly recommended for the family!

The trail leaves from behind the visitor center and the path is obvious. You’ll hike down through the woods before getting on the boardwalk and heading back upstream. You’ll pass through features such as the Cave of Odin and Paradise Falls, and you’ll get views of some tall peaks in the distance.

Note that just up Route 112 from the Lost River is Kinsman Notch where you can stop at the beautiful Beaver Brook Pond and hike a few hundred yards up the Beaver Brook Trail toward Mt. Moosilauke to see some beautiful cascades down Beaver Brook.

Need to Know

Information

The Flume Gorge and the Lost River Gorge require an entrance fee and are only open to the public during certain hours. Check with their websites for specific up-to-date information. The waterfalls will be most dramatic in the spring and during the snowmelt, but I find visiting in the fall is wonderful as well since you’ll get the beautiful foliage and the lower water flow allows you to explore and get much closer to the waterfalls. Some trails in the White Mountains also require a daily or annual parking pass.

Getting There

The Appalachia waterfalls hike leaves from a trailhead on Route 2 just west of the town of Gorham. The Eagle Cascades are located off of Route 113 near Evans Notch and the Arethusa Fall trailhead leaves from Route 302 in Crawford Notch. The Flume Gorge is in Franconia Notch off of Route 3 and the Lost River Gorge is on Route 112 near Kinsman notch.

Maps

There are numerous maps of the White Mountains so I’d suggest checking a few out. If you plan on doing any amount of hiking in the White Mountains, be sure to pick up the AMC White Mountain Guide, which contains information and maps for almost all the hikes in the region.

Books

For more waterfall hikes, check out my book, a FalconGuide titled Hiking Waterfalls in New England as well as Waterfalls of the White Mountains: 30 Hikes to 100 Waterfalls by Bruce, Doreen and Daniel Bolnick. If you are in Lincoln, NH, stop by the Mountain Wanderer store owned and operated by Steve Smith. This store has all the maps and books you could ever want and Steve knows more than anyone about hiking in the White Mountains.

Editor's Note: This article by contributor Eli Burakian originally appeared in Issue 22 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.