Pikes Falls

Take the combined VT 100 and VT 30 into Jamaica and turn west onto Pikes Falls Road, just east of the bridge over Ball Mountain Brook. Follow Pikes Falls Road for 4.7 miles, keeping right at the junction and crossing the bridge at the 2.3 mile mark instead of staying straight. A wide shoulder on the left marks the parking area for the falls, shortly after a clearing and before passing several houses. The trail leads quickly to the top of the falls in about 200 feet, and the bottom shortly after.Pikes Falls is a small but scenic series of cascades along the North Branch of Ball Mountain Brook in Jamaica. The falls consist of three distinct drops which fall for a total of 32 feet. The upper tier is an 11-foot tall cascading fall which splits into three separate segments as it tumbles sideways into a trough in the bedrock. The lower tier starts as a chute which flows immediately from said trough and drops about 5 feet, and then reverts to a sliding cascade which is partially covered by boulders, falling another 16 feet into the large pool at the falls base which serves as a popular swimming hole. Because of how the upper and lower tiers of the falls are oriented, there are no vistas available where both tiers can be seen collectively and clearly (some through-the-trees views may be possible). The basin of the North Branch upstream from Pikes Falls covers an area of about 10 square miles in size, and includes several small ponds as well as Stratton Mountain Lake. The stream generally will flow with at least a moderate volume throughout the year, and following periods of precipitation or snow melt may swell to quite impressive levels (the broad rocky streambed downstream from the falls is testament to this). Please note that while the falls are located on public land, within the Pikes Falls Natural Area, there are numerous private homes all around the falls. Respect No Trespassing or Posted signs where you may encounter them, and don’t stray from the trails in the area when visiting the falls.