Waterfall hikes are some of the most photographed and most family-friendly trails in any state — the destination delivers a clear visual reward, and many are short enough to do before lunch. We pulled every Vermont trail in our database whose name explicitly references falls, cascade, chute, or plunge, then ranked them by accessibility so the easiest and shortest waterfall hikes surface first. The result is ten hikes that pay off without punishing the people you're hiking with.
Vermont is dominated by the Green Mountains running its length — the Long Trail (272 miles, the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the US) crosses the state from Massachusetts to Canada. June-October is the high-country window; mud season (April-May) is widely discouraged for trail use; foliage in late September is iconic. Waterfalls run hardest in spring snowmelt and after sustained rain — the same windows when trail surfaces are slipperiest.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 7,954 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in Vermont — but the data has limits worth being honest about. We identify waterfall hikes by scanning trail names for terms like "falls," "cascade," "chute," and "plunge." That misses unnamed seasonal cascades and trails whose primary feature is a waterfall not mentioned in the route name. Treat the list as a confident sample, not a complete catalog.
The Ranking
Ranked from #1 to #10. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. Angel Falls Extention Trail
Angel Falls Extention Trail near Jamaica in Windham County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #1 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Angel Falls Extention Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Arnold Falls Dam Portage
Arnold Falls Dam Portage near Saint Johnsbury in Caledonia County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #2 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Arnold Falls Dam Portage trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Basin Cascades Trail
Basin Cascades Trail near Lincoln in Grafton County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #3 slot for accessibility. Expect ground surface on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Basin Cascades Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Bellows Falls Riverfront Trail
Bellows Falls Riverfront Trail near North Walpole in Windham County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #4 slot for accessibility. Expect grass surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in Vermont, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bellows Falls Riverfront Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Bellows Falls Riverfront Trail
Bellows Falls Riverfront Trail near North Walpole in Windham County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #5 slot for accessibility. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bellows Falls Riverfront Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Bellows Falls Riverfront Trail
Bellows Falls Riverfront Trail near North Walpole in Windham County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #6 slot for accessibility. Expect gravel surface on a forgiving grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. A gravel-and-dirt tread holds up well after rain, though loose surface on descents calls for trekking poles or careful footing. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bellows Falls Riverfront Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Bittersweet Falls Trail
Bittersweet Falls Trail near Middlebury in Addison County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #7 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bittersweet Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Bottom of Upper Falls Trail
Bottom of Upper Falls Trail near Mont Vernon in Hillsborough County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #8 slot for accessibility. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bottom of Upper Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Bridesmaids Falls Trail
Bridesmaids Falls Trail near Franconia in Grafton County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #9 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. Compared to similar trails in Vermont, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bridesmaids Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Buttermilk Falls Road
Buttermilk Falls Road near Mount Holly in Windsor County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #10 slot for accessibility. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Buttermilk Falls Road trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your Vermont trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for Vermont. June-October is the high-country window; mud season (April-May) is widely discouraged for trail use; foliage in late September is iconic. Black bears, rapidly changing weather on exposed ridges, and ice in shoulder seasons.
Always cross-reference the official land-manager page before driving out — closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal road access can change quickly. Our trail pages link directly back to the OpenStreetMap source so you can see the tags we're working from.
If you're new to hiking generally, our beginner's guide covers footwear, layering, and the day-pack basics. For safety planning on bigger objectives, the ten essentials guide is worth twenty minutes of reading.
More Vermont hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our Vermont coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in Vermont — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Steepest trails in Vermont — Hikes with the most elevation gain in the state.
- Best beginner hikes in Vermont — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Most challenging hikes in Vermont — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in Vermont — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in Vermont — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in Vermont — Short, easy trails sized for kids and grandparents.
Rankings like this are starting points, not verdicts. Trail conditions change, new routes get tagged, and what was the toughest trail in Vermont last year might not be next year. We refresh these articles when the underlying data shifts meaningfully.
Got a correction, a route we missed, or a question? Drop us a note via the contact page. We read every email and we'd rather hear it from you than miss it.
