Arethusa Falls Trail

Arethusa Falls on Bemis Brook in Crawford Notch State Park is the tallest waterfall in New Hampshire, a single dramatic plunge of approximately 140 feet over a sheer Conway granite cliff face into a deep plunge pool framed by old-growth hemlock and yellow birch. The trail begins from a parking area on Route 302 in the heart of Crawford Notch and climbs steadily alongside Bemis Brook, passing three subsidiary cascades — Coliseum Falls, Bemis Falls, and Arethusa Cascades — each impressive enough to anchor a shorter hike. The main falls, named for a nymph in Greek mythology, are most spectacular in late May when snowmelt fills Bemis Brook to maximum volume, sending the plunge airborne with mist visible from hundreds of feet away. In drought years late summer flow can be modest. The surrounding hemlock forest is among the finest old-growth hemlock stands in New Hampshire, with trees exceeding four feet in diameter and 200 years of age. The hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive pest threatening hemlock throughout the east, has been detected in southern New Hampshire and represents a looming threat to this ecosystem. A connecting spur to Frankenstein Cliff provides views over Crawford Notch and the historic Maine Central Railroad viaduct below for those seeking a longer outing.