Chutes and Ladders

Actually, Falls and Bridges

One of our recent guests is a photographer.  As a token of appreciation, he sent us a wonderful collection of note cards with photos he took during his visit. Several of the shots are of waterfalls. When I sent him a thank you email, he replied that there is a book – New England Waterfalls – and a website that highlights the falls in the region.

That got me to thinking – we should let others know about waterfalls near the farm.  Most of them are in the higher Green Mountains (Vermont) and White Mountains (New Hampshire), which are a bit of a drive and with the help of a gps tracker you will reach there in a few hours.  The website rates the falls – zero to five stars.  The driving times don’t include hiking times, but the website does.  Some are easily accessible, others require lengthy hikes.

Vermont five star falls:

• Bingham Falls, Stowe (76 miles, 90 minute drive)
• Falls of Lana, Salisbury (60 miles, 90 minute drive)
• Moss Glen Falls, Granville (52 miles, 70 minute drive)
• Moss Glen Falls, Stowe (74 miles, 85 minute drive)

Vermont four-and-a-half star falls:

• Bartlett Falls, Bristol (73 miles, 110 minute drive)
• Bolton Potholes, Bolton (83 miles, 85 minute drive)
• Hamilton Falls, Jamaica (69 miles, 90 minute drive)
• Lye Brook Falls, Manchester (81 miles, 100 minute drive)
• Old City Falls, Strafford (31 miles, 55 minute drive)

Windsor County, VT falls:

• Buttermilk Falls, Ludlow (47 miles, 60 minute drive) – 4 stars
• Cascade Falls, Weathersfield (28 miles, 40 minute drive) – 3 stars
• Cavendish Gorge, Cavendish (38 miles, 50 minute drive) – 2 stars
• Quechee Gorge, Hartford (9 miles, 15 minute drive) – 2 stars
• Twenty Foot Hole, Reading (29 miles, 50 minute drive) – 1.5 stars

And across the Connecticut River in New Hampshire (and less than two hours away)…

New Hampshire five star falls:

• Flume Gorge, Lincoln (69 miles, 90 minute drive)
• Falling Waters Trail, Franconia (94 miles, 90 minute drive)
• Ripley Falls, Harts Location (107 miles, 110 minute drive)
• Sabbaday Falls, Waterville Valley (85 miles, 120 minute drive)
• Silver Cascade, Harts Location (104 miles, 110 minute drive)

New Hampshire four-and-a-half star falls:

• Beaver Brook Cascades, Woodstock (60 miles, 80 minute drive)
• Beede Falls, Sandwich (70 miles, 110 minute drive)
• Bridal Veil Falls, Franconia (61 miles, 85 minute drive)

Grafton County, NH falls:

• Agassiz Basin, Woodstock (63 miles, 85 minute drive) – 2.5 stars
• Beecher and Pearl Cascades (104 miles, 110 minute drive) – 3.5 stars
• Campton Falls, Campton (57 miles, 85 minute drive) – 3.5 stars
• Franconia Falls, Lincoln (70 miles, 100 minute drive) – 4 stars
• Georgiana Falls, Lincoln (100 miles, 100 minute drive) – 2.5 stars
• Livermore Falls, Campton (53 miles, 80 minute drive) – 2.5 stars
• Paradise Falls, Woodstock (59 miles, 80 minute drive) – 3.5 stars
• Rainbow Falls, Plymouth (52 miles, 80 minute drive) – 3.5 stars
• Sculptured Rocks, Groton (45 miles, 80 minute drive) – 2.5 stars
• Stepped Falls, Ellsworth (53 miles, 90 minute drive) – 2.5 stars
• Swiftwater Falls, Bath (52 miles, 65 minute drive) – 4 stars
• Thirteen Falls, Franconia (90 miles, 90 minute drive) – 4 stars

After looking at waterfalls, I got to thinking about another popular feature in New England – covered bridges. Sure enough, there is a website for that, too – Coveredbridgemap.com. It lists over 100 covered bridges in Vermont, and over 60 in New Hampshire.  Some in Vermont, I know, were destroyed by Hurricane Irene.

Here are a handful of notable covered bridges that are pretty close to the farm.

• Quechee (destroyed by Irene, rebuilt) – 15 minutes away
  
  

• Taftsville (also destroyed by Irene and rebuilt) – 20 minutes away
  
  

• Willard in North Hartland – 20 minutes away
• Packard Hill in West Lebanon – 25 minutes away
• Middle/Union Street in Woodstock – 30 minutes away
• Union Village in Thetford – 30 minutes away
• Howe in Randolph – 30 minutes away

So, all you waterfall and covered bridge fans out there – bring your camera, hiking boots and GPS – and come visit!

Todd