Best New Hampshire Swimming Holes to Visit
This page brings together New Hampshire swimming holes and a few waterfall stops where swimming is part of the visit, all on one map for easier trip planning.
If you want a swim-first day in New Hampshire, this is a good place to start. Use the list to compare stops, then open each guide for parking, flow, footing, and posted rules. The order is for planning, not a safety ranking.
#1 Lower Falls (Swift River) — Albany
Flagship Kancamagus swim stop with easy access and heavy summer use.
- Swim
- Popular swimming and wading in season
- Walk
- 5 min
#2 Diana's Baths — Conway
Family-friendly cascade complex with short access and big summer demand.
- Swim
- Popular wading and shallow dipping
- Walk
- 10 min
#3 Emerald Pool — Chatham
Short-trail emerald pool with strong visual branding and jump cautions.
- Swim
- Popular swimming and jumping with caution
- Walk
- 10 min
#4 Franconia Falls — Lincoln
Franconia Falls is a Lincoln adventure swim destination known for natural slides, broad river ledge, and high-engagement…
- Swim
- Popular swimming and sliding in season
- Walk
- 2 hr
#5 Jackson Falls — Jackson
Town-adjacent multi-pool cascade with easy family-friendly access.
- Swim
- Popular wading and swimming in season
- Walk
- 5 min
#6 Sculptured Rocks — Groton
Unique carved-rock gorge with niche geology and cold pools.
- Swim
- Popular wading and pocket swimming
- Walk
- 5 min
#7 Swiftwater Falls — Bath
Swiftwater Falls combines a covered-bridge backdrop with layered cascades and a larger downstream pool used for summer…
- Swim
- Popular swimming and ledge sitting
- Walk
- 5 min
#8 Upper Ammonoosuc Falls — Carroll
Upper Ammonoosuc Falls is a polished-rock White Mountains cascade zone with short-access viewpoints and fast-changing flow…
- Swim
- Wading only in low flow; scout carefully
- Walk
- 10 min
#9 Smarts Brook Swimming Hole — Thornton
Smarts Brook Swimming Hole is a Thornton-area brook pool with clear water, a short trail feel, and strong upside as a…
- Swim
- Popular brook swimming and wading in lower flow
- Walk
- 15 min
#10 First Bridge — Conway
First Bridge is a Mount Washington Valley river-access favorite with broad summer use, easy river entry, and classic…
- Swim
- Popular swimming, floating, and wading in season
- Walk
- 5 min