White Mountains waterfall tour

For those of us who truly love mountains, there are numerous delights to explore.  The tall majestic peaks, of course, are the obvious hallmarks of mountainous terrain.  But there are also various wildlife and many varieties of beautiful wildflowers, a particular favorite of mine.  Since high school biology where I was required to collect and identify native species, I have been enamored with native fauna, particularly in mountainous areas.  And where there are mountains, there are also waterfalls and the creeks and streams they feed.

Such was our quest today as we ventured out to visit some of the waterfalls in the White Mountains.  For adventurous hikers, there are large and spectacular falls to be discovered, but we sat out to find the ones which would not require hours of hiking.  And we found some beautiful ones.

The first falls we explored were located along Route 302, which is the main road through White Mountains National Forest and is a spectacular sight-seeing drive with majestic views.  We stopped at a scenic view parking area, and found Silver Cascade, a beautiful long, slender waterfall that was gently cascading down through the mountain pass.  This is not a roaring fall, but rather a babbling, splashing stream that twisted and fell through the rocks.

Our next destination was the small town of Jackson, NH to visit Jackson Falls.  This is a very popular destination for locals, and it was easy to see why.  Many levels of big, flat rocks spread out over a wide area, and in between the rocks, a gentle stream fell and splashed.  Families were there with children scrambling over the rocks and playing in the water.  Other adults brought folding chairs and sat on the rocks reading and listening to the therapeutic sounds.  All of this was surrounded by trees and wildflowers – it looked like the perfect summer getaway.

From Jackson, we headed back up Rt 302 toward Twin Mountains, and we stopped at Flume Cascade.  Like Silver Cascade, Flume Cascade fell down the whole side of the mountain, splashing and babbling as it went.  And in with all of the beautiful water was the sounds of nature and the intoxicating smell of water, damp, rich earth, and delicate wildflowers.  It was indeed a feast for the senses.

As we headed back to our camper, huge flashes of lightning lit up the sky and the rain pounded on our truck.  Once safely inside our camper, we had to convert our dinner plans from cooking on the grill to preparing a meal completely inside our camper.  As much as we camp and cook, this is the first time we’ve ever done this, but it worked out well.  Our steak and chop, green beans, fresh squash and “Aruba” potatoes were delicious and so ends our last full day in New Hampshire.  What an amazing area!