VT
River
Beard Recreation Park
Johnson, Vermont
A very easy-access Johnson river swim with on-site parking, a short path, and a broad Gihon pool beside the covered bridge.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: confirmed / officialCrowd: 3
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Showing 96 of 1,968 guides.
VTTieredBig Falls
North Troy, Vermont
A short walk in North Troy to a high-volume Missisquoi River waterfall and gorge overlook.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 4
VTPlungeBingham Falls
Stowe, Vermont
A popular short-hike waterfall near Stowe with a dramatic gorge and slick rock.
Walk: mediumTrail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 4
VTRiverBolton Potholes
Bolton, Vermont
Brook cascades. Walk-in from the parking area.
Walk: shortTrail: moderateWading / shallowDist: short
VTRiverBristol Falls
Bristol, Vermont
Rocky river pools. Roadside pull-off access—Use the shoulder safely and watch traffic.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: roadside / pull-offNot recommended
VTGorge poolBrockways Mills Gorge
Rockingham, Vermont
Gorge pools. Trail access (5-10 minutes).
Walk: shortTrail: hardParking: trailheadNot recommended
VTCascadeCady Falls Swimming Hole
Morrisville, Vermont
Cascade drop. Trail access (15-25 minutes one way).
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: trailheadNot recommended
VTGorge poolCavendish Gorge
Cavendish, Vermont
Gorge pools. Limited shoulder parking—Arrive early or carpool.
Walk: mediumTrail: moderateParking: confirmed / officialNot recommended
VTGorge poolClarendon Gorge
Clarendon, Vermont
Gorge pools. Roadside pull-off access—Use the shoulder safely and watch traffic.
Walk: mediumTrail: moderateParking: roadside / pull-offNot recommended
VTRiverThe Cornfield Swimming Hole
Brattleboro, Vermont
Rocky river pools. Roadside pull-off access—Use the shoulder safely and watch traffic.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offNot recommended
VTRiverDog River Jacuzzi Natural Area
Berlin, Vermont
Dog River Jacuzzi is a small, unofficial river-pool swim near Berlin with allowed parking at the fire department lot.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: confirmed / officialSwim possible
VTQuarryDorset Quarry
Dorset, Vermont
Quarry water. Check posted parking and respect neighbors.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: confirmed / officialNot recommended
VTGorge poolEast Middlebury Gorge
Middlebury, Vermont
Gorge pools. Roadside pull-off access—Use the shoulder safely and watch traffic.
Walk: shortTrail: moderateParking: roadside / pull-offNot recommended
VTGorge poolHuntington Gorge
Richmond, Vermont
Gorge pools. Roadside pull-off access—Use the shoulder safely and watch traffic.
Walk: shortTrail: moderateParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 4
VTRiverMad River Path, West Greenway
Waitsfield, Vermont
Rocky river pools. Dedicated parking lot.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: trailheadNot recommended
VTRiverRainbow Rock Swimming Hole
Chester, Vermont
Rocky river pools. Roadside pull-off access—Use the shoulder safely and watch traffic.
Trail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offWading / shallowDist: short
VTQuarryRock River Swimming Holes
Newfane, Vermont
Check the Rock River access website for current corridor notes.
Trail: moderateParking: confirmed / officialNot recommendedDist: short
VTRiverSalmon Hole (West River)
Jamaica, Vermont
Rocky river pools. Dedicated parking lot.
Trail: easyParking: confirmed / officialNot recommendedDist: short
VTRiverTrout River Falls
Montgomery, Vermont
Rocky river pools. Roadside pull-off access—Use the shoulder safely and watch traffic.
Trail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 4Wading / shallow
VTRiverTwenty-Foot Hole
Reading, Vermont
Rocky river pools. Roadside pull-off access—Use the shoulder safely and watch traffic.
Trail: moderateParking: roadside / pull-offWading / shallowDist: short
VTLake beachWrightsville Reservoir
Middlesex, Vermont
Lake shoreline. Dedicated parking lot.
Trail: very easyParking: confirmed / officialNot recommendedDist: short
VTPlungeBartlett Falls
Bristol, Vermont
A classic roadside Bristol waterfall and swimming hole with deep water, jump culture, and big summer crowds.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 4
VTCascadeButtermilk Falls
Ludlow, Vermont
Three-tier Falls Brook cascade near Ludlow with short roadside access, cold pools, and slick ledges.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offSwim possible
VTTieredLye Brook Falls
Manchester, Vermont
Swimming is not recommended. Lye Brook Falls is a tall seasonal Manchester waterfall reached by a moderate forest hike in the Green Mountain National Forest.…
Trail: moderateParking: trailheadNot recommendedDist: medium
VTTieredMoss Glen Falls
Stowe, Vermont
A popular Stowe waterfall with a short hike, roadside parking, and a dramatic multi-tier drop.
Trail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 4Not recommended
VTCascadeMoss Glen Falls (Granville)
Granville, Vermont
Moss Glen Falls in Granville Gulf is the roadside-friendly waterfall that many Route 100 drivers stop for, with a short trail and a dramatic mossy drop tucke…
Trail: very easyParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 4Not recommended
VTCascadeMoss Glen Falls (Stowe)
Stowe, Vermont
Moss Glen Falls in Stowe is one of the quickest big-payoff waterfall walks in Vermont, with a short trail, a wide multi-tier drop, and easy pairing with a St…
Trail: easyParking: trailheadNot recommendedDist: short
VTCascadeOld City Falls
Strafford, Vermont
Forest cascade. Dedicated parking lot.
Trail: easyParking: confirmed / officialCrowd: 2Wading / shallow
VTGorge poolSterling Gorge Falls
Stowe, Vermont
A short Stowe interpretive-gorge walk with multiple Sterling Brook cascades, steep edges, and slick rock.
Trail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 3Not recommended
VTCascadeTexas Falls
Hancock, Vermont
Forest cascade. Dedicated parking lot.
Trail: easyParking: confirmed / officialNot recommendedDist: medium
VTTieredThundering Brook Falls
Killington, Vermont
An easy accessible boardwalk walk in Killington to a dramatic waterfall viewing platform.
Trail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 4Not recommended
VTTieredWarren Falls
Warren, Vermont
Roadside Mad River cascade in Warren with cold pools, polished ledges, and heavy summer use.
Trail: moderateParking: roadside / pull-offSwim possibleDist: short
RICascadeShannock Horseshoe Falls
Richmond, Rhode Island
Pawcatuck River rapids at Shannock village in Richmond, at the former horseshoe-dam site. Small Railroad Street parking, fish ladder, experts-only paddling.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 3
RICascadeStepstone Falls
Exeter, Rhode Island
RI's marquee waterfall. Ledge-step cascades on the Falls River in Arcadia; 2.7-mile out-and-back via the Ben Utter Trail.
Walk: longerTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
RITieredPawtucket Falls
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Historic Blackstone River dam and drop at Old Slater Mill in downtown Pawtucket. Anchor of Blackstone River Valley NHP.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: confirmed / officialCrowd: 3
NHRiverLower Ammonoosuc Falls
Bath, New Hampshire
A big classic Wild Ammonoosuc swim-and-scenic stop in Bath near the Bath-Haverhill Covered Bridge.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 4
NHPoolSwiftwater Falls
Bath, New Hampshire
A block-style Wild Ammonoosuc River falls under Bath's historic Swiftwater Covered Bridge, with a big swimming pool.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 3
NHTieredBeaver Brook Falls (Colebrook)
Colebrook, New Hampshire
An 80-ft roadside waterfall at a 7-acre NH state wayside on Route 145 north of Colebrook.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 2
NHCascadeBeecher Cascade
Hart's Location, New Hampshire
A stair-step cascade on Crawford Brook near Crawford Depot in Crawford Notch.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 3
NHCascadeBlack Pool Falls
Lincoln, New Hampshire
A small White Mountains cascade with a brook pool at the base.
Walk: longerTrail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
NHCascadeChampney Falls
Albany, New Hampshire
A ~3.4-mile round-trip Kancamagus waterfall on Champney Brook under Mount Chocorua, from the Champney Falls Trail on NH 112.
Walk: longerTrail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 4
NHCascadeLittle Niagara Falls
Barnstead, New Hampshire
A small waterfall with informal access in Barnstead in the Lakes Region foothills.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 3
NHCascadeRainbow Falls (Plymouth)
Plymouth, New Hampshire
A small cascade on a Newfound-drainage brook in Plymouth, reached by a longer local trail.
Walk: longerTrail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
NHCascadeThirteen Falls
Lincoln, New Hampshire
A remote cascade complex on Franconia Brook deep in the Pemigewasset Wilderness.
Walk: longerTrail: very hardParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
NHCascadeThompson Falls
Pinkham's Grant, New Hampshire
A multi-drop Thompson Brook cascade reached on a ~1.2 mi out-and-back from Wildcat Ski Area.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 3
NHCascadeUpper Flume Cascade
Lincoln, New Hampshire
An upper reference point on the Flume Brook corridor at the south end of Franconia Notch in Lincoln.
Walk: mediumTrail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
NHCascadeDiana's Baths
Conway, New Hampshire
A ~1.2 mi RT granite cascade-and-pool system on Lucy Brook in Conway, from the WMNF lot on West Side Road.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 4
NHCascadeGlen Ellis Falls
Pinkham's Grant, New Hampshire
A 64-ft Ellis River plunge in Pinkham Notch, ~0.3 mi RT from the signed lot on NH 16.
Walk: mediumTrail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 4
NHPoolLower Falls (Albany)
Albany, New Hampshire
The iconic Swift River ledge-and-pool swim stop on the Kancamagus Highway in Albany.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 4
NHCascadeArethusa Falls
Hart's Location, New Hampshire
Flagship long plunge in Crawford Notch State Park, reached by a ~3-mile round-trip mountain hike off US 302.
Walk: longerTrail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 4
NHCascadeSabbaday Falls
Albany, New Hampshire
A classic Kanc waterfall stop — short walk from the WMNF picnic area to a multi-tier gorge cascade in Albany.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 2
NHCascadeProfile Falls
Bristol, New Hampshire
A 40-ft curtain drop on the Smith River in Bristol — short flat trail to a USACE recreation area.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
NHPoolFranconia Falls
Lincoln, New Hampshire
A ~6.5 mi RT Pemi Wilderness hike to a natural granite-slide-and-pool system from Lincoln Woods on the Kancamagus.
Walk: longerTrail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
NHTieredThe Basin
Lincoln, New Hampshire
A glacially carved granite pothole on the Pemigewasset River in Franconia Notch. Not a swim spot.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
NHGorge poolSculptured Rocks
Groton, New Hampshire
A short carved-granite Cockermouth River gorge in Groton, a NH State Parks natural area.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offSwim possible
NHRiverEmerald Pool
Chatham, New Hampshire
A famous green plunge pool on Charles Brook at the foot of the Baldface Circle Trail in Chatham.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 4
NHTieredFlume Gorge
Lincoln, New Hampshire
An iconic ticketed ~2-mile boardwalk loop through Franconia Notch's 800-ft granite gorge, climaxing at Avalanche Falls.
Walk: longerTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 4
NHCascadeUpper Ammonoosuc Falls
Carroll, New Hampshire
A polished-bedrock Ammonoosuc River cascade-and-potholes zone off Base Road in the town of Carroll.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 3
NHCascadeSilver Cascade and Flume Cascade
Hart's Location, New Hampshire
Twin roadside cascades off US 302 on the east wall of Crawford Notch in Hart's Location.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offNot recommended
NHCascadeCrystal Cascade
Green's Grant, New Hampshire
An 80-ft two-tier waterfall on the Ellis River ~0.3 mi up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail from Pinkham Notch Visitor Center.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 4
NHTieredRipley Falls
Hart's Location, New Hampshire
A tall fan-shaped waterfall on Avalanche Brook in Crawford Notch SP — ~0.6 mi up the Ethan Pond Trail.
Walk: longerTrail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
NHTieredJackson Falls
Jackson, New Hampshire
An iconic series of Wildcat Brook ledges and pools right through Jackson village on NH 16B.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 4
NHCascadeNancy Cascades
Hart's Location, New Hampshire
A dramatic series of falls on Nancy Brook, ~4.8 mi RT via the Nancy Pond Trail off US 302.
Walk: longerTrail: hardParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
NHTieredRocky Gorge Scenic Area
Albany, New Hampshire
A classic Kancamagus stop where the Swift River cuts a narrow polished gorge — viewing only at the gorge itself.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
MATieredRace Brook Falls - Lower Falls
Sheffield, Massachusetts
Lower tier of Race Brook Falls, ~0.5 mi from the Route 41 trailhead in Mount Everett State Reservation, Sheffield. Viewing and photos, not a swim.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
MATieredSanderson Brook Falls
Chester, Massachusetts
~80-foot tiered falls in Chester-Blandford State Forest. ~1-mile walk in on the gated Sanderson Brook Road off Route 20.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
MACascadeUmpachene Falls
New Marlborough, Massachusetts
Town-owned falls park in New Marlborough with a river-pool swim above the tiered cascade. Day-use hours; non-resident fee in summer.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: confirmed / officialCrowd: 3
MAPondWalden Pond
Concord, Massachusetts
DCR state reservation on Thoreau's Concord kettle pond. Paid parking, seasonal lifeguards, daily attendance cap — go early on hot weekends.
Walk: longerTrail: very easyParking: confirmed / officialCrowd: 3
MAPlungeBash Bish Falls
Great Barrington area, Massachusetts
State's signature twin waterfall on the MA / NY line in Mount Washington. DCR Bash Bish Falls State Park; no swimming, no cliff jumping.
Walk: mediumTrail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
MACascadeDoane's Falls
Royalston, Massachusetts
Trustees' Doane's Falls in Royalston: dramatic drops on Lawrence Brook. Swimming prohibited — viewing only.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
MATieredRace Brook Falls
Sheffield, Massachusetts
Multi-tiered Race Brook cascade in Mount Everett Reservation, Sheffield. Route 41 trailhead; ~0.5 mi to lower falls, ~2 mi to the AT junction.
Walk: longerTrail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
MACascadeChapel Falls
Ashfield, Massachusetts
Short Trustees trail in Ashfield to a tiered hemlock-shaded cascade. Half-mile round trip; no swim.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
MACascadeGlendale Falls
Middlefield, Massachusetts
~160-ft multi-tier cascade on Glendale Brook in Middlefield. Trustees reservation, ~7-car lot on Clark Wright Road.
Walk: mediumTrail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
MACascadeWahconah Falls
Dalton, Massachusetts
DCR day-use park in Dalton with a strong single-drop cascade. Short walk from the lot to the overlook and base pool — viewing first.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: confirmed / officialCrowd: 3
MACascadeTannery Falls
Savoy, Massachusetts
~50-foot ribbon drop on Ross Brook in Savoy Mountain State Forest. Short steep trail from Tannery Road; paired with Parker Brook Falls.
Walk: mediumTrail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
MACascadeRoyalston Falls
Royalston, Massachusetts
45-ft plunge on Falls Brook in Trustees' Royalston Falls Reservation. Reached via the Tully Trail / New England Trail.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
MAPondPuffers Pond
Amherst, Massachusetts
Puffers Pond is an unofficial Amherst swim pond with North and South Beach access, no lifeguards, and seasonal town water-quality testing.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: confirmed / officialCrowd: 3
CTPondBurr Pond State Park
Torrington, Connecticut
Burr Pond State Park has a seasonal Connecticut pond swim beach with lifeguards, picnic areas, paddling, and a 2.5-mile shoreline loop.
Walk: longerTrail: easyParking: confirmed / officialCrowd: 4
CTTieredRoaring Brook Falls
Cheshire, Connecticut
CT's tallest single-drop waterfall: an 80-ft traprock horsetail at the end of Roaring Brook Road in Cheshire.
Walk: mediumTrail: moderateParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
CTCascadeKent Falls
Kent, Connecticut
Signature Housatonic Valley cascade in Kent Falls State Park. Paved ADA path to the base, stairway trail up the tiers.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: confirmed / officialCrowd: 4
CTCascadeEnders Falls
Granby, Connecticut
Five-tier cascade in Enders State Forest, Granby. Popular (and unofficial) swim pools — cliff jumping is extremely dangerous.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 4
CTCascadeYantic Falls
Norwich, Connecticut
Historic ~40 ft drop on the Yantic River at Uncas Leap Heritage Park; gorge, mill ruins, and overhead footbridge.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
CTCascadeGreat Falls of the Housatonic
Canaan, Connecticut
50-ft dam-controlled Housatonic falls at Falls Village. Spectacular after spring releases; no swim/jump.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
CTCascadeWadsworth Big Falls
Middlefield, Connecticut
Alternate entry for the ~30 ft Coginchaug horsetail in Wadsworth Falls State Park. Swimming prohibited.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
CTCascadeChapman Falls
East Haddam, Connecticut
60 ft stair-step cascade on Eight Mile River in Devil's Hopyard State Park. Short viewing path from the picnic lot.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: confirmed / officialCrowd: 4
CTCascadeButtermilk Falls
Plymouth, Connecticut
55–60 ft tiered Hancock Brook cascade in Plymouth's Buttermilk Falls Preserve. Short Mattatuck Trail walk from Lane Hill Road.
Walk: mediumTrail: easyParking: trailheadCrowd: 3
MELake beachEcho Lake Beach (Acadia NP)
Mount Desert, Maine
Acadia NP's freshwater swim beach on the southwest side of Mount Desert Island. Seasonal lifeguard, park fee.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: roadside / pull-offSwim possible
MEQuarryThe Ledges
MILLINOCKET, Maine
Flooded granite quarry near Millinocket, Maine. Cold deep water with rough, unmanaged entry.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: roadside / pull-offSwim possible
MEPondTumbledown Pond (mountain)
Weld, Maine
Alpine-feeling mountain pond on the saddle of Tumbledown Mountain in Weld, Maine. Strenuous hike-in cold swim.
Walk: shortTrail: hardParking: roadside / pull-offCrowd: 3
MEBlockRumford Falls
Rumford, Maine
A major Androscoggin River waterfall through downtown Rumford, Oxford County, Maine.
Walk: shortTrail: very easyParking: roadside / pull-offNot recommended
MEPunchbowlScrew Auger Falls (Gulf Hagas)
T7 R9 NWP, Maine
Gulf Hagas Screw Auger Falls: slot-canyon chute on the West Branch Pleasant River in T7 R9 NWP, Piscataquis County.
Walk: shortTrail: hardParking: roadside / pull-offWading / shallow
METieredSwift River Falls
Roxbury, Maine
Tiered drop on the Swift River in Roxbury, Maine. Roadside scenic stop along the Route 17 corridor.
Walk: shortTrail: moderateParking: roadside / pull-offNot recommended
MEPlungeMoxie Falls
Moxie Gore, Maine
A roughly 90-foot single-drop waterfall on Moxie Stream in Moxie Gore near The Forks, Somerset County, Maine.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: trailheadNot recommended
MEMulti StepGulf Hagas
Bowdoin College Grant East, Maine
Maine's classic slate gorge on the West Branch Pleasant River in the KI Jo-Mary country. 8-mile AT-linked loop.
Walk: shortTrail: hardParking: roadside / pull-offNot recommended
MEPunchbowlRattlesnake Pool
Lovell, Maine
A deep clear plunge pool below Rattlesnake Flume in Lovell, Oxford County, Maine, near Evans Notch.
Walk: shortTrail: moderateParking: roadside / pull-offSwim possible
MEMulti StepStep Falls
Newry, Maine
Multi-tiered cascade and ledge pools on Wight Brook in Newry, Maine. Short walk from a preserve lot off Route 26.
Walk: shortTrail: easyParking: roadside / pull-offSwim possible