Beede Falls

Beede Falls is a waterfall of surprising significance found high up in the Bearcamp River drainage near the saddle of Sandwich Notch. Though the river at this point is not even a mile and a half in length, and is sustained almost entirely by water percolating out of some small swamps and beaver ponds, the character of Beede Falls makes it seem like a much larger river. The falls are formed where the Bearcamp River slides down an angular block of granitic bedrock at about a 50 degree angle, then makes a sheer plunge of about 10 feet over a clamshell ledge into an excellent sand-bottomed swimming hole. Though the volume of the river can increase substantially in the late winter and spring months, the falls are much more frequently placid in nature, almost zen-like even. There are additional falls a short distance both upstream of the main falls, and downstream as well, though neither are as large as the main falls. We have little information on these two other sections of falls, and may have to record at least one (or both) of them as a separate entry when the information is made available.The name Bearcamp Falls has occasionally been used, but Beede Falls is the proper name. The undercut ledge behind the falls is known as Cow's Cave, apparently after a local heifer wandered to the falls and took shelter under the overhang.