Cascade Brook Falls

Cascade Brook Falls is most easily seen from along Route 26 in Grafton Notch State Park, immediately adjacent to the parking area for the Old Speck Trail and Appalachian Trail, just south of the summit of Grafton Notch. Look due south to see the falls tumbling down the side of the valley. Approaching the base of the falls on foot should involve a bushwhack of about one-tenth of a mile in length, but how difficult it may be is not clear.Cascade Brook Falls tumbles down the side of the valley in the heart of Grafton Notch State Park, not far from where the Appalachian Trail crosses Route 26 near the summit of the notch. The falls tumble down the mountainside in at least two distinct steps, falling for perhaps 150 vertical feet – but possibly more. Only a portion of the falls can be seen from any given location - either from along Highway 26, or from the base of the falls, but there doesn't appear to be any vista that offers a full view of the entire falls. Because Cascade Brook has such a small drainage area – covering just one-third of a square mile – the falls don’t flow with much regularity or consistency without periods of prolonged precipitation or snow melt to replenish the stream. We were fortunate to visit the area in 2005 following heavy rain that fell from the remnant of a tropical storm passing up the eastern seaboard, which swole the brook to a healthy volume. In 2008 when passing through at the same time of year, the stream was flowing with just a trickle of water, and the falls were effectively invisible when viewed from the road.