Best Waterfall Hikes in Vermont
These Vermont waterfall hikes combine a scenic finish after real trail time, from shorter woods walks to longer hike-in falls.
Use this page to compare options, then open each guide for trail notes, footing, parking, and seasonal flow. Use it to narrow the field first, then decide based on the details in each guide.
Rank 1: Lye Brook Falls — Manchester
Viewing only, not a swim stop
Tall seasonal cascade reached by a moderate Manchester forest hike — flow drops sharply by mid-summer.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- About an hour to the falls for most hikers, and roughly the same back
Rank 2: Hamilton Falls — Jamaica
Vermont waterfall near Jamaica. Open the trip guide for access; flow varies with season.
Rank 3: Moss Glen Falls (Stowe) — Stowe
Viewing only, not a swim stop
Moss Glen Falls in Stowe is one of the quickest big-payoff waterfall walks in Vermont, with a short trail, a wide multi-tier…
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- About twenty minutes round-trip from the lot to the falls overlook
Rank 4: Bingham Falls — Stowe
A popular short-hike waterfall near Stowe with a dramatic gorge and slick rock.
- Can you swim?
- Conditional swim or wade access. Check flow and signage
- Walk
- 15-25 min
Rank 5: Texas Falls — Hancock
Viewing only, not a swim stop
Forest cascade. Dedicated parking lot.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- Thirty to fifty minutes round-trip on the Texas Falls Nature Trail, or five minutes to the falls viewpoint from the lot
Rank 6: Thundering Brook Falls — Killington
Viewing only, not a swim stop
An easy accessible boardwalk walk in Killington to a dramatic waterfall viewing platform.
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- Thirty to forty-five minutes round-trip on the accessible boardwalk loop to the viewing platform
Rank 7: Falls of Lana — Salisbury
A short walk near Lake Dunmore to a layered Sucker Brook cascade and classic Vermont waterfall view.
- Can you swim?
- Conditional swim or wade access. Check flow and signage
- Walk
- 10-20 min
Rank 8: Abbey Pond Cascades — Ripton
Viewing only, not a swim stop
A short Green Mountain National Forest walk to a rocky cascade on the Abbey Pond Trail, with slippery footing and stronger…
- Can you swim?
- No swimming. View only
- Walk
- 25-40 min
Rank 9: Big Falls — Troy
A short walk in North Troy to a high-volume Missisquoi River waterfall and gorge overlook (North Troy, Vermont).
- Can you swim?
- Conditional swim or wade access. Check flow and signage
- Walk
- 3-10 min
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