New England Waterfalls

CODDING BROOK CASCADES


Waterville, Vermont



RATING: 1.5 / 5.0 stars (Fair) Codding Brook Cascades, Vermont (see below for larger image and additional photographs)
STATE: Vermont
COUNTY: Lamoille
TOWN: Waterville
PARK: Long Trail State Forest
PRIVATE PROPERTY: No
TYPE: Cascades and slides
HEIGHT: Tallest drop is 8 feet
WATER SOURCE: Codding Brook
WATERSHED SIZE: Small
TRAIL LENGTH: 0.2 mile one-way from upper parking area; add 0.2 mile one-way if hiking from lower parking area
TRAIL DIFFICULTY: Easy side of moderate from either parking area
HIKING TIME: 8 minutes one-way from upper parking area; add 8 minutes one-way if hiking from lower parking area
ALTITUDE GAIN: Up 40 feet from upper parking area; add up 70 feet if hiking from lower parking area
WHEN TO VISIT: May to October
SWIMMING: Not Possible and/or Prohibited
DELORME ATLAS: 2007: Page 52, J-4 (the falls are not marked on the VT atlas)
2015: Page 40, A-1 (the falls are not marked on the NH/VT atlas)
HANDICAP ACCESS: No
DOGS ALLOWED: Yes
COST TO VISIT: Free (as of 2017)
LENS TO BRING: Wide-angle (14-35mm) and/or standard (35-70mm)
ALTERNATE NAMES: None noted
GPS-TRAILHEAD: Lower trailhead: 44.708500, -72.713333
Upper trailhead: 44.707833, -72.710167
GPS-WATERFALL: 44.709833, -72.707833
COMPASS: 305° excluding declination (the falls face southwest)
INCLUDED IN BOOK?: No, the falls are not currently included within the guidebook
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THE FALLS

Coming soon...

TRAIL INFORMATION

If you are parked at the lower parking area, walk 0.2 mile further west along the road until you reach the upper parking area on your left. The Long Trail heads north into the woods from the end of this upper parking area. Follow the obvious and white-blazed trail uphill into the woods. After 0.2 mile, follow a rough spur path on your left for 50 feet over to the brook, where you will see an 8-foot slide just downstream and some tiny cascades upstream. This spur path is right before where the trail starts climbing more steeply than it has to this point. Additional small cascades can be found in a gorge just upstream, but there is no path and views are limited. I personally did not feel that bushwhacking along the gorge was worth it, but perhaps you will?

None of these cascades and slides can be seen from the Long Trail itself. You must follow rough paths or bushwhack over to the brook to see them. The best view of any of the cascades here is from downstream of the 8-foot slide at the end of the cascades.

DIRECTIONS

From the junction of VT 109 and VT 108 in the section of Cambridge known as Jeffersonville, follow VT 109 north for 6.0 miles and turn right onto Codding Hollow Rd. If you are traveling south along VT 109, Codding Hollow Rd will be on your left 8.5 miles beyond the junction of VT 109 and VT 118 in the section of Belvidere known as Belvidere Commons. Follow Codding Hollow Rd west for 2.3 miles (forking right after 0.8 mile and left after 1.3 miles to stay on the road) and you'll reach the lower parking area on your right. The lower parking area is currently marked with a sign for the "Long Trail State Forest: Codding Hollow Trailhead" as of 2017. If you have a low clearance vehicle, this is the place for you to park. If you have a moderate or high clearance vehicle, you can continue 0.2 mile further up the road to an upper parking area on the left.

To get Jeffersonville, take VT 15 east from Burlington or VT 108 north from Stowe.

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

Several great day hikes are possible from this section of the Long Trail. You can hike the Long Trail north to views from Laraway Mountain, or you can hike the Long Trail south to Prospect Rock.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Codding Brook Cascades, Vermont
Codding Brook Cascades, Vermont

Codding Brook Cascades, Vermont
Codding Brook Cascades, Vermont

Codding Brook Cascades, Vermont
sign at the upper parking area in 2017

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

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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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