A Winter Visit to Arethusa Falls

BACKGROUND:

With a drop of nearly 200-ft Arethusa Falls is regarded by many as the highest single-drop waterfall in New Hampshire.  It was discovered around 1875.  The name comes from the Percy Bysshe Shelley poem describing the story of a nymph named Arethusa who was turned into a fountain to avoid being the love conquest of the river god Alpheus.

One afternoon in late February 2017, a couple of free hours became available to me.  I used this time to do a short hike (about 3 miles, round-trip) to Arethusa Falls via a combination of the Bemis Brook Trail and the Arethusa Falls Trail.

Arethusa Falls is a very popular, and somewhat touristy, destination during the warm-weather months.  However, during the dead of winter when the waterfall is transformed into a wall of ice, it is frequented by daring climbers who come equipped to scale the frozen falls.

When I did my trek to Arethusa Falls in late February, there had been a few consecutive days of unseasonably warm weather which prompted me to visit the falls to see if the warming trend had produced some thawing and subsequent flow of water.

(Click HERE to access a website containing additional information about Arethusa Falls, as well as other waterfalls throughout New England.)

PHOTOS:

Before presenting photos taken during my late February 2017 trek, perhaps it will be helpful to view a map that shows the location of this short hike.

The route for my hike to Arethusa Falls is highlighted in yellow.

(Unfortunately, there was insufficient time to extend this hike by another 2 miles to do a loop involving Frankenstein Cliff.)

You will note that the Bemis Brook Trail was incorporated into my trek.  Some hikers will ignore this side-trip and simply head straight for Arethusa Falls by staying on the Arethusa Falls Trail.  However, I like to include this short ramble along Bemis Brook since it allows you to enjoy a series of smaller cascades that serve as a fitting prelude to the larger and more dramatic Arethusa Falls.

Shown below are photos taken on an unusually warm winter day in late February 2017.  These snapshots include the three named water features along the Bemis Brook Trail, as well as a photo of the more celebrated Arethusa Falls.

Fawn Pool

Coliseum Falls

Bemis Brook Falls

Arethusa Falls

And lastly, while munching on some peanuts, this squirrel gingerly approached me for a handout.  Probably made his day when a few nuts were gently tossed in his direction!

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