Who doesn’t love walking beside flowing water? The sounds of water sliding down a brook or over a waterfall are some of the most soothing in nature. New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest has no shortage of water features; lakes, ponds, brooks, cascades, and waterfalls abound here. One short half-mile stretch of trail lets you hike past two small waterfalls on the way to the state’s highest.

The half-mile Bemis Brook Trail provides an alternate parallel route to the more direct Arethusa Falls Trail and runs closer alongside Bemis Brook.
John Best/All Trails
Bemis Brook Trail passes three named features, Fawn Pool, Coliseum Falls, and Bemis Brook Falls. These carry Bemis Brook down the eastern slope of Crawford Notch.
Jim Doty/All Trails
Rachel Antonucci/All Trails

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As with any waterfall, the best time to visit this trail is in late spring as the deep snowpack is melting off or after a significant storm.
Praveena Narayanan/All Trails
Hikers can continue on past the upper end of Bemis Brook for another mile to spectacular Arethusa Falls. At 200 feet high, this is the tallest waterfall in the state.
Ankur Patel/All Trails
In winter, this route provides a spectacular setting for hiking and to witness the falls in their frozen slumber.
Max Bouchard/All Trails

Access to Bemis Brook Trail is via the Arethusa Falls trailhead at the end of Arethusa Falls Rd. in Crawford Notch State Park.

New Hampshire has plenty of hikes for those who enjoy hiking to waterfalls. Here are eight hikes that lead to some of the state’s best waterfalls, one to check out in winter, or trek into the Sandwich Range Wilderness to a secluded waterfall.

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Featured Addresses
Arethusa Falls Trailhead Parking, Arethusa Falls Rd, Hart's Location, NH 03812, USA