Articles Tagged "hiking"

New Hampshire is home to more than 100 waterfalls, enough to keep even the most avid nature lover busy for many years. Our real estate agents are excited to share some of their favorite waterfall hikes in the White Mountains!

Many of New Hampshire's most beautiful waterfalls are easily accessible, mere footsteps away from the highway. Others require some serious trekking. You'll find examples of both on this list, but rest assured that all the waterfalls listed below are accessible to most hikers. 

• Rainbow Falls - 47 Cummings Hill Rd., Plymouth, NH 03264
  Rainbow Falls is the centerpiece of Walter-Newton Natural Area, a picturesque nature preserve in Plymouth. A charming multi-tiered cascade on Glove Hollow Brook, Rainbow Falls has a 25-foot total drop surrounded by serene woodlands. Rainbow Falls is easy to reach via a 1.2-mile out-and-back hike from the trailhead on Cummings Road, just a few minutes from these Plymouth homes for sale.
  
  
• Arethusa Falls - Arethusa Falls Rd., Hart's Location, NH 03812
  Bemis Brook tumbles over a rugged granite rock face to form the 140-foot Arethusa Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls in New Hampshire. Located within Crawford Notch State Park, the falls can be reached via the Arethusa Falls Trail, which departs from a trailhead on U.S. Route 302. It's a 2.8-mile out-and-back hike over moderate terrain, a short drive from many Hart's Location homes for sale. There are also many other great hiking trails in this 5,000-plus-acre park. 
  
  
• Gem Pool - Base Station Rd., Jefferson, NH 03583
  The hike to Gem Pool via the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail gives you great bang for your buck in terms of scenery. Not only do you get to see the Gem Pool itself—a cascading stream that tumbles down a craggy rock face into a crystal-clear pool—but also two additional unnamed falls on the Ammonoosuc River. The falls are accessible via the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trailhead within White Mountain National Forest. Located near these Jefferson homes for sale, this is a spectacular hike but also a bit more strenuous than the other falls on our list. The trail is a 4.4-mile out-and-back that gains about 1,600 feet in elevation.
  
  
• Georgiana Falls - 9-3 Georgiana Falls Rd., Lincoln, NH 03251
  One of New Hampshire's lesser-known waterfalls, Georgiana Falls is accessible from a barely-marked trailhead on Georgiana Falls Road, a stone's throw from these Lincoln homes for sale. This moderate waterfall hike is popular among locals and is two falls in one. Lower Georgiana Falls is easier to reach, requiring just a 1.6-mile out-and-back hike. But Upper Georgiana Falls (also known as Harvard Falls) is the more impressive of the two and adds just one extra mile to the trek. 
  
  
• Glen Ellis Falls - White Mountain Road, Jackson, NH 03846
  Located within the Glen Ellis Scenic Area in White Mountain National Forest, Glen Ellis is the easiest to reach of all the waterfalls on our list. The pathway to this beautiful 70-foot cascade is just 600 feet from the roadside and just minutes from many Jackson homes for sale. Of course, you have options if you're interested in a longer hike. The trailhead to Glen Ellis Falls also serves as an entrance point to the Appalachian Trail, extending all the way from Georgia to Maine!

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If you are looking for a good, relatively easy hike for first timers, kids or just a quick hike with great rewards, Ripley Falls is the trail to try. Located off of Route 302 East just past the Willey House on the right, you can park at the entrance and hike up the road, or drive on up closer to the trail head and park. The sign indicates that Ripley Falls is a 20 minute hike one way and just about a half mile in length. The time frame is fairly conservative for hiking non-stop, but a good gauge. The trail starts out crossing over the Conway Scenic Railroad tracks and then heads into the woods and up the trail. It is a bit rocky in spots, and moderately steep, but still quite manageable. Should you be feeling a bit more adventurous, there are other longer and more difficult trails just a tenth of a mile in, however, Ripley's is well worth the hike. The trails are easily identified, but if ever in doubt just follow the blue tree markers. With all the rain we have had, the trail mid-July was still quite muddy in spots, so be sure and wear an old pair of sneakers if you don't have hiking boots. If it is a warm day, you will want to spend lots of time at the top, dangling your feet in the pools of water, and enjoying the sight and sounds of the spectacular 100 foot waterfall. Be sure and pack a picnic lunch to enjoy. We hiked a bit later in the day, so we chose to reward ourselves with an ice cream cone at the Willey House! Definitely worth the trip!