Moss Glen Falls

Take Route 100 north out of Stowe village. After about 3 miles turn right on Randolph Road, then another right onto Moss Glen Falls Road. Just before the road makes a sharp right to cross Moss Glen Brook is a large gravel parking area marking the trail to the falls. The trail heads off along the creek in obvious fashion and leads to the base of the falls in an easy 5-minutes of walking. Just before the falls come into view the trail makes a steep climb up the hill hiding the falls in its alcove - views from above are achieved from the top of this climb. To view the falls from the base, walk to the brook and follow the bank upstream. It may be necessary to get wet and the pool below the falls may be more than knee deep depending on how much water is currently flowing in the creek.Though not of considerable volume, Moss Glen Falls is one of the most significant waterfalls in Vermont. Moss Glen Brook makes a stark transition from meandering through a grassy meadow to accelerating through a narrow gorge and then plunges over the first of four distinct tiers which make up Moss Glen Falls. The initial drop plunges a sheer 33 feet, after which the creek zooms down an incline and veils out into a broad sheet then drops into a broad lace-like free fall, about 60 feet in all, at the head of a narrow shaded alcove. Two more cascading drops which total 15 feet follow the main fall. During high flow periods the free-falling portion of the largest part of the falls shoots out from the cliff far enough that it effectively "swallows up" the next small cascade below, becoming a single horsetail of 77 feet. In addition to the two main tiers, there are two more tiers in the tight and jagged gorge upstream. At the head of the formation, a 5 foot cascade gathers briefly in a shallow pool before sliding down a 12 foot angled fan into a deep pool. From here, the waters of Moss Glen Brook move over a rocky ledge before dropping over the main falls. The falls were formerly the site of a hydroelectric facility - we're not sure of the dates of operation - and evidence of the former facility can be seen at the pinch point of the narrows just below the falls. Some evidence of the ten-foot wooden dam which stood can be found in the form of a few square holes in the rock wall on the left side of the river, and a curious narrow band of chiseled stair-steps can be found on the opposite wall. No evidence of the penstock which formerly ran down the hill from the valley above the falls is to be seen - the falls have effectively reverted entirely to their natural and untouched state.