COLD RIVER AREA / [2 PLACES] / (COLA) — swimming hole

BETHEL · Spectacular swimming holes near the Cold River campground in the White Mountain N.F. on the border between ME and NH, but really only accessible from the ME side. See DIRECTIONS below for details. White Mountain N. F. From Bethel (ME), take RT 2 west to Gilead then RT 113 south (very scenic road) to where it crosses over into NH. Then: RATTLESNAKE BROOK [RATT]: This from a visitor, \"Rattlesnake pool is like a swimming pool--it has flat rocks around it, (you don't have to jump from high up to get in)....beautiful pool in the stream that another friend had told me about. It was just breathtaking! The water cascaded down moss covered rocks into this incredibly deep, emerald pool. What a great spot for a dip on a hot, summer day...\" Also this note regarding suits: \"Bathing suits are customary when families are present, optional at other times. At Rattlesnake there is a pool upstream of the cascade into the main pool for the die-hard strip-n-dippers when families are below.\" LAT, LON lat=44.2561, lon=-70.9758 (Source: DeLorme) (Accuracy: Exact) PHOTO Link to Google Map. To get here: From where RT 113 first crosses into NH, go south about 1 mile then east (left) on Stone House Rd. then south (right) on Shell Pond Rd. Park at the gate at the end of the road and hike on the road about .5 mile to a grassy area used as a landing strip. Here, go north on Stonehouse Trail a little more than .5 mile to a wooden footbridge. From here, I will quote directions from an e mail I got in 7/2003: \"Now, if you look to the left on the footbridge, you can't help but notice that there is a pretty waterfall in the distance, which has cut a gorge about 20 feet deep into the rock. What you don't see until you're right next to the falls is that the water under the falls is deep, about seven feet deep. That's one of the holes. There is another hole about seven feet long and three feet deep above and in back of the falls, which is also good for swimming. To access these pools, go past the bridge. You'll see a small side trail to your left. It will curve around over to the falls. You may just satisfy yourself with a dip in the small pool over the falls. But if you cross the stream and walk towards the bridge a bit, you can go down to the big pool under the falls, and that's the real treat. There is, in fact, a third pool to the right of the bridge. It's deeper but less pretty and far less secluded. It is, in fact, in clear view of the bridge. To get to it, take a right side trail just before the bridge down to the gorge edge. The most satisfying, secluded swim is in the previously mentioned two pools.\" Very Confident. Not verified. Updated 7/7/2003. EMERALD POOL [EMER]: \"Gorgeous\" swimming hole in the Charles Brook near the Cold River AMC campground. The pool is quite deep...about 12 feet in the middle. The rocks on both sides provide jumps from 6\" up to about 12 feet. The water can be a touch warmer than other mountain streams because of the small river that feeds it. Follow the AMC trail signs and then the sign Emerald Pool. I received this note regarding suits:\" Bathing suits are customary when families are present, optional at other times. For the die-hard strip-n-dippers, there is a smaller pool above the falls at Emerald that, although not secluded, is traditionally the place to go when families are below. Emerald Pool is subject to heavy summer youth camp use in season, so it can be quite crowded and at such times the upper pool sees a lot more use.\" LAT, LON lat=44.23753, lon=-71.0286 (Source: DeLorme) (Accuracy: Exact) . To get here: Continue south on RT 113 about 1.25 miles past Stone House Rd. and park at the trailhead for the Baldface Circle Trail. (If you get to the Cold River AMC campground, you have gone too far.) Hike this trail to the west about .75 miles and look for a minor gorge with a beautiful swimming hole in Charles Brook. No better directions. Pretty Confident. Not verified. Updated 3/20/2003. Link to Google Map BLUEBERRY RIDGE POOLS [BLUB]: This is another \"set\" of swimming holes on Bickford Brook not far from Rattlesnake Brook and Emerald Pool. The pools are located off the AMC Bickford Brook Trail about 3/4 mile from the trailhead at Route 113. Take the Trail up to the junction of the Blueberry Ridge Trail. Cross the brook then turn left on the path up to the pools (on an unnamed trail). The trail winds around and next to several swimmable pools along the brook. PHOTO LAT, LON lat=44.2673, lon=-71.0047 (Source: Google Maps) (Accuracy: Approximate). To get here, take Route 113 in Maine about 1/4 mile beyond the Cold River Campground. As the road turns north, on the right is a small dirt road that leads to the trailheads. Pretty Confident. Not verified. Updated 01/09/2011. Link to Google Map

swimming hole