1-Day New Hampshire Waterfall Itinerary
This itinerary strings together a full day of New Hampshire waterfall stops, with a few swim-friendly river or pool breaks mixed in if you want to cool off between falls.
This page is not turn-by-turn routing or a guaranteed timeline. The map and full guides will help you decide which stops actually fit your day and how ambitious you want the route to be.
Rank 1: 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 2: Glen Ellis Falls — Jackson
Viewing only, not a swim stop
A 64-ft Ellis River plunge in Pinkham Notch, ~0.3 mi RT from the signed lot on NH 16 (Pinkham's Grant, New Hampshire).
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 20 min
Rank 3: Crystal Cascade — Green's Grant
Viewing only, not a swim stop
An 80-ft two-tier waterfall on the Ellis River ~0.3 mi up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail from Pinkham Notch Visitor Center.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 20 min
Rank 4: Arethusa Falls — Hart's Location
Viewing only, not a swim stop
Flagship long plunge in Crawford Notch State Park, reached by a ~3-mile round-trip mountain hike off US 302.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 2-3 hr
Rank 5: Sabbaday Falls — Albany
Viewing only, not a swim stop
A classic Kanc waterfall stop — short walk from the WMNF picnic area to a multi-tier gorge cascade in Albany.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 15 min
Rank 6: Rocky Gorge Scenic Area — Albany
A classic Kancamagus stop where the Swift River cuts a narrow polished gorge — viewing only at the gorge itself.
- Walk
- 10 min
Rank 7: 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 8: 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 9: Flume Gorge — Lincoln
Viewing only, not a swim stop
An iconic ticketed ~2-mile boardwalk loop through Franconia Notch's 800-ft granite gorge, climaxing at Avalanche Falls.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 2 hr
Rank 10: The Basin — Lincoln
Viewing only, not a swim stop
A glacially carved granite pothole on the Pemigewasset River in Franconia Notch. Not a swim spot.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 10 min
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Follow the reading order, compare nearby options, or jump to a guide that matches the kind of day you want.
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