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.
Rank 1: Lower Falls (Swift River) — Albany
The iconic Swift River ledge-and-pool swim stop on the Kancamagus Highway in Albany.
- Can you swim?
- Conditional swim or wade access. Check flow and signage
- Walk
- 10-15 min one way
Rank 2: Diana's Baths — Conway
A ~1.2 mi RT granite cascade-and-pool system on Lucy Brook in Conway, from the WMNF lot on West Side Road.
- Can you swim?
- Conditional swim or wade access. Check flow and signage
- Walk
- 10 min
Rank 3: Emerald Pool — Chatham
A famous green plunge pool on Charles Brook at the foot of the Baldface Circle Trail in Chatham.
- Can you swim?
- Conditional swim or wade access. Check flow and signage
- Walk
- 10 min
Rank 4: Franconia Falls — Lincoln
A ~6.5 mi RT Pemi Wilderness hike to a natural granite-slide-and-pool system from Lincoln Woods on the Kancamagus.
- Can you swim?
- Conditional swim or wade access. Check flow and signage
- Walk
- 2 hr
Rank 5: Jackson Falls — Jackson
An iconic series of Wildcat Brook ledges and pools right through Jackson village on NH 16B.
- Can you swim?
- Swimming allowed when posted rules and staffing say it is open
- Walk
- 10-15 min one way
Rank 6: Sculptured Rocks — Groton
A short carved-granite Cockermouth River gorge in Groton, a NH State Parks natural area.
- Can you swim?
- Swimming allowed when posted rules and staffing say it is open
- Walk
- 10-15 min one way
Rank 7: Swiftwater Falls — Bath
A block-style Wild Ammonoosuc River falls under Bath's historic Swiftwater Covered Bridge, with a big swimming pool.
- Can you swim?
- Swimming allowed when posted rules and staffing say it is open
- Walk
- 5-10 min one way
Rank 8: Upper Ammonoosuc Falls — Carroll
Viewing only, not a swim stop
A polished-bedrock Ammonoosuc River cascade-and-potholes zone off Base Road in the town of Carroll.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 10 min
Rank 9: Smarts Brook Swimming Hole — Thornton
A clear brook pool about a mile up the Smarts Brook Trail from NH 49 in Thornton.
- Can you swim?
- Swimming allowed when posted rules and staffing say it is open
- Walk
- 15 min
Rank 10: First Bridge — Conway
The classic Saco River swim and tubing stop at the first bridge on West Side Road in Conway.
- Can you swim?
- Swimming allowed when posted rules and staffing say it is open
- Walk
- 5-10 min one way
Keep planning
Choose what to explore next
Follow the reading order, compare nearby options, or jump to a guide that matches the kind of day you want.
More guides in New Hampshire
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