New England Waterfalls

THOREAU FALLS


Lincoln, New Hampshire



RATING: 3.5 / 5.0 stars (Great) Thoreau Falls, New Hampshire (see below for larger image and additional photographs)
STATE: New Hampshire
COUNTY: Grafton
TOWN: Lincoln
PARK: White Mountain National Forest
PRIVATE PROPERTY: No
TYPE: Cascades and slides
HEIGHT: 80-foot total drop
WATER SOURCE: North Fork of the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River
WATERSHED SIZE: Medium
TRAIL LENGTH: 4.8 miles one-way
TRAIL DIFFICULTY: Included within the New England Waterfalls guidebook
HIKING TIME: Included within the New England Waterfalls guidebook
ALTITUDE GAIN: Included within the New England Waterfalls guidebook
WHEN TO VISIT: Included within the New England Waterfalls guidebook
SWIMMING: Poor
DELORME ATLAS: Included within the New England Waterfalls guidebook
HANDICAP ACCESS: No
DOGS ALLOWED: Yes
COST TO VISIT: Yes (a per-vehicle parking fee is charged; bring cash)
LENS TO BRING: Wide-angle (14-35mm) and/or standard (35-70mm)
ALTERNATE NAMES: None noted
GPS-TRAILHEAD: Included within the New England Waterfalls guidebook
GPS-WATERFALL: Included within the New England Waterfalls guidebook
COMPASS: Included within the New England Waterfalls guidebook
INCLUDED IN BOOK?: Yes, the falls are included as a full chapter within the guidebook
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THE FALLS

A trip to Thoreau Falls offers many rewards. The waterfall is long, powerful, and set in a wonderfully remote and pleasing setting. The ledges beside the falls are large and flat, creating a fine lunch or rest spot. There is also an impressive scenic view. If you are like most visitors, you will want to relax for at least an hour here.

The waterfall consists mostly of cascades and slides that combine to make an 80-foot drop; no single drop is greater than 15 feet in height. Decent wading pools lie up and downstream, hidden from most visitors, who are likely to arrive near the top of the falls from the trail. The remoteness of this waterfall makes the wading pools very inviting. If the river water is running low, it is safe to scramble directly alongside the falls to the pools above and below. During high water, some of the river may be spilling onto the ledges; under these conditions, use the developed trail to move up and down the river.

TRAIL INFORMATION

Trail information and directions for this particular waterfall can be found in the latest edition of the guidebook: New England Waterfalls.

DIRECTIONS

Trail information and directions for this particular waterfall can be found in the latest edition of the guidebook: New England Waterfalls.

UPDATES SINCE THE 2ND EDITION

NONE NOTED.

If you know of any updates to this waterfall, or notice any errors either on this website and/or within the New England Waterfalls guidebook, please send me an email at gparsons66@hotmail.com or leave a Facebook comment at the bottom of this page. Updates to all of the waterfalls in the latest edition of the guidebook can always be found here: book updates

OPTIONAL HIKES

None noted.

PHOTOGRAPH GALLERY

PRINTS ARE AVAILABLE!

Professional-quality prints are available for several of the waterfall photographs that are displayed below. Please click here to visit the New England Waterfalls gallery on Pixels.com.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Thoreau Falls, New Hampshire
Thoreau Falls, New Hampshire during fall foliage
PRINTS AVAILABLE!
click here to visit the gallery at Pixels.com

Thoreau Falls, New Hampshire
Thoreau Falls, New Hampshire

Thoreau Falls, New Hampshire
low-water conditions at Thoreau Falls, New Hampshire

Zealand Pond, New Hampshire
you'll pass Zealand Pond on the way to Thoreau Falls

Thoreau Falls, New Hampshire
Thoreau Falls, New Hampshire

Ethan Pond Trail, New Hampshire
you'll walk this section of the attractive Ethan Pond Trail on your way to Thoreau Falls

more views from the Ethan Pond Trail along the way to Thoreau Falls
more views from the Ethan Pond Trail along the way to Thoreau Falls

Thoreau Falls, New Hampshire
views from the top of Thoreau Falls, New Hampshire

AMC Zealand Falls Hut, New Hampshire
the AMC Zealand Falls Hut is only a short detour along the way to Thoreau Falls

inside the AMC Zealand Falls Hut
inside the AMC Zealand Falls Hut

INTERESTED IN VISITING MORE WATERFALLS IN NEW ENGLAND?

The 3rd edition of the New England Waterfalls guidebook contains 552-pages of detailed information on hundreds of waterfalls throughout all corners of New England. This 3rd edition has been completely updated and it is the first to be printed in FULL COLOR! Click on the image below to explore some sample pages of the guidebook on Amazon.com.



New England Waterfalls guidebook

Over 20,000 copies sold!


also available on...


TIPS FOR VISITING WATERFALLS & SWIMMING HOLES

Here are some tips to help ensure that your trip to New England's waterfalls and swimming holes will be a safe and enjoyable one:
  • DON'T FORGET THE ESSENTIALS - When you visit waterfalls, you should consider bringing all of the following: (a) bug spray; (b) food/snacks; (c) water/sports drinks; (d) camera/smart-phone; (e) guidebook/trail map; (f) daypack/backpack; and (g) hiking shoes, hiking boots or watershoes. A full day hiking packing list can be found here.
  • CONSIDER BUYING WATER SHOES - You won't see too many people using them, but watershoes are fantastic pieces of equipment that can make your trip to waterfalls and swimming holes safer and more enjoyable. Merrill and Keen make some fantastic watershoes (here are some great ones from Merrill: womens / mens).
  • LEAVE NO TRACE - When you visit waterfalls and swimming holes, you'll often see some trash and sometimes you'll even find clothing left behind by others. It's really, really sad, and it irks the heck out of us. Won't you consider carrying out some of trash and clothing left by others when you leave? That would leave the spot more beautiful for the next person. Bring a trash bag and be a hero!
  • PRIVATE PROPERTY - Many waterfalls and swimming holes are located on private property and so we are truly fortunate that many landowners allow us to enjoy them. If you want to ensure that they stay open to the public, please do your best to leave no trace. If you see a sign that says 'Private Property', turn around and find another waterfall to visit or a different place to swim.
  • BRING A DSLR CAMERA AND TRIPOD WITH YOU - If you want to take high-quality photographs of waterfalls, your smart-phone just won't cut it. Get a DSLR camera, a tripod, and learn to master the art of waterfall photography.
  • SCOUT FIRST, SWIM SECOND - Never enter a swimming hole without first scouting it, even if you see somebody else swimming in it. Stop and access the risks based upon the depth of water, the power of the current, evidence of slippery rocks, and other safety factors.
  • CLIFF JUMPING - Cliff jumping is dangerous. Like, seriously dangerous. Understand the risks before you partake in this activity. Many have died from doing this in New England. Here is a list of all known deaths at waterfalls and swimming holes in New England.
  • PLEASE DON'T BUILD ROCK CAIRNS - Please do not build new rock cairns at waterfalls or swimming holes. Cairns are a strong reminder of human presence, and don't we all want to see waterfalls in their natural state and glory? Photographers get particularly annoyed at seeing cairns, so please resist the urge to build them.
  • DON'T RELY ON YOUR GPS TO GET YOU TO THE TRAILHEAD - Waterfalls don't have addresses, so relying on your GPS to get you to a trailhead is great way to get yourself lost. You need a guidebook, a road atlas, and/or a hiking map to visit the vast majority of waterfalls in New England. Also keep in mind that waterfalls are often located in wild areas, where smart-phone map apps and car GPS units may not work at all.
  • WATERFALLS IN SPRING - The best time to visit waterfalls is generally in the spring during the annual snowmelt (which is April to June). However, most waterfalls will often look great for several days after a significant rain storm.
  • HELP KEEP THE ULTRA-SECRET SWIMMING HOLES A SECRET (FOREVER) - If you find some ultra-secret swimming holes, please do your best to keep them a secret. Do not post their locations online or wildly share directions or photos with others. All of the swimming holes that are included in the guidebook and online through this website are the well-known swimming spots. There are many more holes that are much further off the beaten path, but they deserve a chance to stay wild and pristine.
  • DON'T SCRAMBLE UP WATERFALLS - So many people been seriously injured and killed in the waterfalls of New England. Many of these folks got too close to a waterfall and slipped and fell. Don't become a statistic: stay far back from the edge.
  • WEAR TRACTION IF YOU VISIT WATERFALLS IN WINTER - Visiting waterfalls in winter can be rewarding, but there is often a higher element of danger. You may need crampons, snowshoes, and/or some other form of traction (like Microspikes) in order to safely hike to waterfalls in winter.
  • SUPPORT NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT CONSERVE WATERFALLS & SWIMMING HOLES - There are some organizations in New England that work diligently to conserve and maintain waterfalls and swimming holes. Please consider supporting these organizations, either with their trail maintenance projects or with monetary donations. Here are three excellent organizations engaged in this extremely important mission: the Trustees of Reservations, the Vermont River Conservancy and the Nature Conservancy.

HELPFUL LINKS

Here are some helpful links to help you explore and enjoy more waterfalls and hikes throughout New England:
  • Waterfalls of Connecticut = link
  • Waterfalls of Maine = link
  • Waterfalls of Massachusetts = link
  • Waterfalls of New Hampshire = link
  • Waterfalls of Rhode Island = link
  • Waterfalls of Vermont = link
  • Best Waterfalls in New England = link
  • Best Swimming Holes in New England = link
  • Top 25 Day Hikes in New England = link
  • Top 25 Family-Friendly Day Hikes in New England = link
  • Waterfalls Near Boston, Massachusetts = link
  • Waterfalls Near Lincoln, New Hampshire = link
  • Waterfalls Near North Conway, New Hampshire = link
  • Waterfalls Near Stowe, Vermont = link
  • Waterfall Photography Tips = link

OTHER WATERFALL GUIDEBOOKS

In addition to the New England Waterfalls guidebook, there are several other guidebooks that can help you find waterfalls and swimming holes in this region:
  • Connecticut Waterfalls (1st Edition: 2014) = link
  • Hiking Waterfalls in New England: A Guide to the Region's Best Waterfall Hikes (2nd Edition: 2022) = link
  • Hiking Waterfalls Maine: A Guide to the State's Best Waterfall Hikes (1st Edition: 2020) = link
  • Vermont Waterfalls (1st Edition: 2015) = link
  • Waterfalls of the White Mountains: 30 Hikes to 100 Waterfalls (3rd Edition: 2019) = link

WATERFALLS ON FACEBOOK

Join the growing communities of waterfall aficionados on Facebook! You can share your photographs, follow the adventures of other waterfall hunters, and find new places to explore:

  • Request to join the "New England Waterfalls" community > link
  • Request to join the "New Hampshire Waterfalls" community > link
  • Request to join the "Northeastern Waterfalls" community > link
  • Request to join the "Vermont Waterfalls" community > link
  • Request to join the "Waterfalls of the United States" community > link

And if you'd like to follow the New England Waterfalls page on Facebook, click here.

ASK A QUESTION / LEAVE A COMMENT / PROVIDE AN UPDATE:

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Waterfalls, swimming holes, and hiking can be extremely dangerous. Hundreds of people have been injured or killed in the waterfalls and swimming holes of New England over the years. Never swim in strong water currents. Don't jump into a swimming hole without scouting it first. Do not climb up or along the side of waterfalls. Be wary of slippery rocks. Never swim in pools above waterfalls. Use of this website and all of its information is at your own risk! Newenglandwaterfalls.com will not be held liable for your actions. Be safe out there - and always use common sense!

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