Warren Falls

Warren Falls is the centerpiece Mad River swim in the Green Mountain National Forest, at 3919 VT 100 in Warren, Washington County. A short path drops from the GMNF lot to a stacked run of drops, stone chutes, and deep pools sculpted into bedrock; it is often called the natural waterpark of the Mad River Valley. The pools are cold and deep but flow is the variable to watch: skip a visit if rain has fallen in the last twenty-four hours or if the water looks murky, and check the stream gage Moretown gauge on the Mad River -- local guidance is to stay out when flow is above roughly 300 cubic feet per second or gage height is above 4 feet. There is no lifeguard and no facilities. The GMNF lot is small and fills on hot summer weekends; overflow on VT 100 is actively enforced and tickets are common. Jumping from the rocks is traditional but has produced serious injuries and fatalities over the years -- never jump without first scouting the pool by hand and assume submerged obstacles have shifted since the last visit. From US 2 and I-89 in Waterbury, follow VT 100 south about 14 miles to Warren; the lot is on the west side of VT 100 just north of the Warren village turnoff.