short hikes/waterfalls in Ma/NH

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giggy

giggy

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Hikin' the scree on Shasta....
Over the last 8 to 10 years, I have focused most of my time in the presidential or franconia ranges and I haven't really explored some of the other areas - this spring/summer, planning on taking son (will be 1 in april) - and my wife is getting back into hiking - so looking for nice suggestions for short hikes for car-camping weekends.

2 to 3 miles - 5 miles tops.

- MA/NH would best and waterfalls might be a nice to see

thanks
 
The 100 Waterfalls in the Whites book is really a great resource. I use it to plan my yearly Waterfall Hikes weekend with my non-hiking friends. The best waterfall hike IMHO is Arethusa Falls. I think it somewhere around 3-5 miles RT, can't remember and absolutely gorgeous. Give it a try. It is near Crawford Notch.

sli74
 
Waterfalls in NH

Hey Giggy....
Bridal Veil Falls in Franconia is a nice hike.
Nancy Pond has some nice waterviews.
 
100 Waterfalls in the Whites

That is an excellent book I've put to similar use. One suggestion on the Arethusa Falls/Frankenstein Cliffs loop (which I too think is great): the book suggests clockwise (Falls then Cliffs) but I much prefer the reverse - that has you do the only steep stretches uphill and early, saves the Falls for the latter part and gives the group an easy walk back to the parking lot.
 
Very Easy/Season Opener

Smarts Brook in Thornton is very easy from the trailhead to the small cascade and pool. About 2 miles in and out. You could also loop around via Smarts Brook, Yellowjacket, and Pine Flat. Yellowjacket and Pine Flat aren't in the AMC guide, but they're there (ski trails). There's a map at the kiosk in the parking lot. The loop is about three miles, also very easy. Just keep a hold of the one year old on Pine Flat. There's a steep gorge just along side the trail.

Fletcher's Cascade and Cascade Brook in Waterville are also nearby. Cascade Brook trail is little tough to find now, but pretty for an easy hike.

Of course, there's the ever popular Welch-Dickey loop also in Thornton/Waterville. I wouldn't want to hike a baby over the ledges, but a quick trip to the first overlook on Welch is well worth it.

You can car camp at Campton, Waterville or Russell Pond (very pretty) or any of the private campgrounds nearby.

I hope the family enjoys the experience!
 
Tannery Falls

My favorite in Massachusetts is Tannery Falls, near Savoy State Park and campground. Not at all crowded. Two waterfalls come together into a single stream. You can bounce along the stream to all kinds of great swimming pools. Very few people, if any, so you might even consider enjoying the place au naturale. There is a link to the falls in the website mentioned just above.

As for your other criteria, car-camping, this area is perfect. The campground has great facilities (including showers), a lake, a short hike with a nice view right from the campground, and so on. We did a few trips there with the kids when they were little. It is set in an old apple orchard. There are lots of birds. The coolest thing about the campground was the change of moths every night as different species hatched. Quite a collection. One must be conscious of bears.
 
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I will second Whitelief's suggestion of Tannery Falls and Savoy Mt. SP. We just recently hiked to the falls from the park,and it may be a bit much for kids,but the footing is easy,much of it is road. There are lots of other trails around the park as well as a small beach.
Savoy is one of the few state parks that have cabin rental also,although a weekly rental may be required for summer.
 
I haven't been yet, but I've heard Bash Bish Falls in Mass is spectacular. In fact, while looking through my binoculars on a Catskill peak (don't recall which one) a woman who was also there told me that you can see the part of the falls from there. Couldn't see much more than a glint of light reflecting off the water, but cool nonetheless.
 
Start at "The Basin" pulloff on Franconia Notch Parkway. Start by viewing the Basin, this large pothole is interesting in itself. Then take Basin-Cascades trail up to Rocky Glen Falls. On the way you'll also pass Kinsman Falls as well as dozens of other cascades as the trail follows the stream up.

If Rocky Glen Falls would be too far for wife and son then Kinsman is a great destination on it's own.

Its a good one...some pics here

Enjoy :)
 
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Waterfalls

hey Giggy,

here are some of my favorite waterfalls in NH/MA that are a distance from the road:

(1) Arethusa Falls (Crawford Notch, NH) ~ about 3 miles round trip hike in Crawford Notch. One of the top 5 waterfalls in New England IMO.

(2) Tannery Falls (Northwestern, MA) ~ only about 0.8 miles round trip, but much exploration can be done in immediate vicinity (i.e. other waterfalls and hiking down/up stream). One of the top 5 waterfalls in New England IMO.

(3) Bash Bish Falls (Southwestern MA) ~ only about 1-mile or so round trip, so it's not much of a hike. Another top 5 waterfall in New England IMO.

(4) Bridal Veil Falls (Western White Mtn's, NH) ~ about 5 miles round trip. A very pleasureable hike, but it's a bit of a scramble at the end to get close to the falls. One of the top 5 waterfalls in the White Mountains, IMO.

(5) March Cataract & Money Brook Falls (Greylock Reservation, Western MA) ~ Two waterfalls, each requiring 1.5-mile-ish round trip hikes. Within 30 minutes of Tannery Falls (above).

(6) Waterville Cascades (Waterville Valley area, NH) ~ 3.4-mile round trip hike to the most underappreciated waterfall in the white mountains. A personal favorite.

(7) Welton Falls (near Cardigan State Park, NH) ~ 2.4 mile hike from Cardigan Lodge; lots of fun playing in the river & falls are small but impressive.

PM me if you need directions to any of these.

- Greg
 
Hey Giggy, my daughter will turn 1 in August, so we'll be looking at similar areas. Think also about backcountry ponds. Shoal Pond and Thoreau Falls might be a bit farther, but it's really flat for most of it and something I've done on rainy days (when you knew there wouldn't be a view anyway). Three Ponds in Plymouth has a nice loop. You see a nice pond, and there is a nice stream on teh way out. Most anything on and around Cardigan is nice, especially some of the lower trails.

If you felt like travelling that far, there's Unknown Pond in the Kilkenny.
 
DaveSunRa said:
In Royalston Mass (rt 32) easy drive from Boston.
Great family hiking

http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/362_royalston_falls.cfm

Also Tully Lake Campground is wonderful for tenting. It's right
on a 18 mile hiking network.

http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/30_tully_lake_campground.cfm
Click to expand...
I'll second this suggestion. Great campground, walk-in sites only, right on the shores of Tully Lake. There's a 4 mile rolling loop trail around the lake, the 18-mile Tully Trail (with a 3-sided shelter at the northern crossing of Rt. 32), and 3 waterfalls within a dayhike from the campground. I live about 5 miles from the place, so if you need other beta feel free to PM me.
 
Small Mountains with Big Views (but not for small children)

The following are small Mt's with big views, are all around 3 mile round trip, and in AMC Guide. I rattled off this list before re-reading your original post and see you have a one-year old. None of these are appropriate for small children. They have great views because they have way big ledges. These all involve 3-4 mile hikes that would be appropriate for occasions when you and your wife who is getting back into hiking can get away by yourselves for 3-4 hours. There’s any number of paperback books out there we bought when our kids were growing up that list hikes for children in CT, MA, and NH.

1. Avalon or Mt Willard at Crawford Notch - Mt Willard is less distance, both feature awesome views of Crawford Notch.
2. Mount Pemigiwasett (formerly Indian head) - Trail head is at Flume Visitor Ctr - This little beauty features fine views of Franconia Ridge, Cannon, Kinsmans, and west end of Sandwich range. This is nice too because you can also visit Flume Gorge.
3. Boulder Loop Trail near covered bridge at West Side Road. Gigantic rock ledges feature grand views of Chocura and others in Sandwich Range.
4. Mt Hedge Hog off Kanc - ditto above
5. Mt Potash - Off kanc - ditto above
6. Welch Dickey – near Waterville Valley
 
I'll second Three Ponds Loop, some interesting beaver activity in that area, as well as adding a vote for Greeley Ponds off the Kanc, beautiful spot in Mad River Notch. Great views of ledges above and two scenic ponds, one crossing of the North Fork(?) could be tricky at high water.
 
As mentioned earlier Roylston Falls in Roylston, Ma but also in Roylston are Spirit Falls (upper and lower) and Doanne's Falls. The 1st two are located on the eastern part of the Tully Trail and Doanne's is just a short (but steep) side trip off of the Tulley Trail and just up the road from the campground. North of Royalston Falls along Falls Brook are some interesting rock formations and a rock arch. Head north on the M&M at the foot bridge.

Not on a trail but a very short bushwack is Wilson Falls in Fitzwilliam, NH it is a 25 foot fall that is about 150ft down stream at the intersection of rt. 119 west and Holman Rd. Only a handful of locals know about it.

On Monadnock, Mossy Brook Trail goes by Mossy Falls. It is more a green, moss covered cascade but still a nice crowdless trail on the mountain.
 
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