Waterfalls in New Hampshire

Overview of waterfalls in New Hampshire

On the Kancamagus Highway, 15 miles west of Conway, Sabbaday Falls is a series of cascades in a narrow flume, the Forest Service says. An easy walk of about 15 minutes on graded gravel leads there from a paved lot.

Diana's Baths, near North Conway, is a chain of small cascades and pools on Lucy Brook. The Forest Service puts it about three-quarters of a mile each way on the Moat Mountain Trail; Trail Finder lists 1.2 miles round trip.

Arethusa Falls drops about 140 feet on Bemis Brook, by the Appalachian Mountain Club's estimate cited on Wikipedia, though other estimates run from 155 to 176 feet. Wikipedia puts its trail at roughly 1.5 miles each way from US-302, on steep, rocky ground.

Sabbaday charges a fee from spring through fall, and a portion of its trail is closed through April 15, 2027, as it is each winter. Diana's Baths charges year-round. We'll add more New Hampshire hikes with waterfalls as we verify them.

Waterfalls near North Conway and on the Kancamagus Highway

All three falls on this site are in the White Mountains, two of them near Conway and one in Crawford Notch.

• Diana's Baths, near North Conway: small cascades and pools on Lucy Brook. The Forest Service puts the gravel path about three-quarters of a mile each way, and charges a fee year-round.
• Sabbaday Falls, on the Kancamagus Highway 15 miles west of Conway: Trail Finder lists 0.7 mile round trip. A portion of the trail is closed through April 15, 2027.
• Arethusa Falls, in Crawford Notch off US-302: Trail Finder lists a moderate 3-mile out-and-back that climbs steadily for 1.5 miles.

New Hampshire waterfalls without a long hike

Sabbaday Falls and Diana's Baths are the two short walks on this site. The Forest Service rates the Sabbaday walk easy, about 15 minutes on graded gravel from a paved lot. Trail Finder notes some grades over 15%, and its accessible stretch ends before the main viewpoint.

At Diana's Baths, the Forest Service calls the trail section to the Baths ADA accessible, with benches. The rocks and pools themselves are not accessible. Arethusa Falls is the contrast: a steep, rocky trail of about 3 miles round trip.

Which fee or pass applies where

Sabbaday Falls and Diana's Baths take a White Mountain National Forest pass, while Arethusa Falls in Crawford Notch State Park does not.

Sabbaday Falls and Diana's Baths (White Mountain National Forest): both are Forest Service fee sites on the Saco Ranger District. The WMNF passes page accepts a daily pass, WMNF annual passes, Interagency Passes, and Golden Age and Access passes. Keep the pass on your windshield or dash where it can be seen.

Fee seasons differ. The passes page lists Sabbaday Falls Day Use Area as not maintained in winter, with no fee in winter. Diana's Baths Day Use Area is listed as maintained for winter use, with a fee all year. The Forest Service adds that weather sets the closing dates for sites it doesn't maintain in winter.

Prices: Recreation.gov sells the WMNF day pass for $5, valid for one vehicle through 11:59 p.m. on its date. The Forest Service passes page shows no dollar amounts.

Where to buy: the Forest Service sells day passes at self-serve pay stations where a site has one, and online as a Recreation.gov day use pass. Annual passes are sold online, through local vendors and at WMNF offices. Recreation.gov listed November 11 as the last 2026 fee-free day at White Mountain National Forest. Weather sets when Sabbaday's no-fee winter season starts.

Arethusa Falls (Crawford Notch State Park): NH State Parks runs this park, so a WMNF pass doesn't apply. The official Crawford Notch State Park page lists no day-use fee, and Trail Finder lists 'Fees: No' for the Arethusa trail. Outdoor Project's 2021 page says no day-use fee is required and a kiosk asks for donations. We couldn't verify third-party reports of $5 per vehicle, and the NH State Parks fee page doesn't list Crawford Notch.

The Hike Safe card

New Hampshire Fish and Game may bill a rescued hiker for the rescue. Its voluntary Hike Safe card for 2026 costs $25 per person or $35 per family, for residents and non-residents alike, and lasts through December 31, 2026. Card holders are protected from rescue bills unless they acted recklessly or caused the emergency on purpose. A New Hampshire hunting or fishing license carries the same protection.

Swimming at New Hampshire waterfalls

Sabbaday Falls is the only one of the three where we found a written water rule. Swimming isn't allowed there, the Forest Service says, and forest order R9-22-19-12 restricts entering the water at Sabbaday Falls and Rocky Gorge.

Trail Finder calls Diana's Baths a swimming area, yet our checks turned up no Forest Service swimming rule there, and no source mentions lifeguards. We found no swimming rule for Arethusa Falls either, and reaching its base can be hard in high water.

At all three, expect wet, slick rock near the water and keep children within reach. Our waterfall safety guide covers moving water and slippery rock in more depth.

New Hampshire waterfall closures and conditions (Oct 2026)

On October 29, 2026, the White Mountain National Forest alerts page listed no closure at any of the three New Hampshire falls. Sabbaday's yearly winter trail closure began November 1 and runs through April 15, 2027.

• Sabbaday Falls: seasonal. A portion of the Sabbaday Falls Trail is closed through April 15, 2027, or as otherwise posted. Forest order R9-22-19-24 closes it yearly from November 1 to April 15. We didn't review the order's map, so the exact closed section is unknown. In winter the day-use site isn't maintained and no fee is collected, per the passes page. On October 29, 2026, the White Mountain National Forest alerts page listed no closure for Sabbaday Falls.
• Diana's Baths: open, as far as we can tell (as of Oct 29, 2026). The forest's alerts page listed no closure for Diana's Baths that day. The Forest Service site page (last updated February 19, 2025) lists toilet facilities open and posts no closure. Check for alerts before your trip.
• Arethusa Falls: open, as far as we can tell (as of Oct 29, 2026). The forest's alerts page listed no closure for Arethusa Falls that day. On October 28, 2026, NH State Parks' Crawford Notch page posted no park alerts, only a note that comfort stations may be off during primitive camping season. For current conditions, NH State Parks advises calling Crawford Notch State Park at 603-374-2272. In dry spells the falls can shrink to a trickle.

Planning a White Mountains waterfall trip

Sabbaday Falls and Diana's Baths both draw crowds, per the Forest Service and Trail Finder, so plan for full lots.

• Expect a crowd at Sabbaday Falls. In the Forest Service's words, Sabbaday Falls is one of the most popular locations on the Kancamagus Scenic Byway. Trail Finder warns of heavy crowding in peak seasons and points visitors to midweek trips. A WMNF pass doesn't guarantee a space, Recreation.gov notes, and illegally parked cars may be fined and towed. If the lot is full, try again later in the day.
• Carry water at Sabbaday. The USFS site page says potable water is not available. The same page lists restrooms in the parking lot and also says none are available, so don't rely on finding one.
• Know the Sabbaday walk. The Forest Service rates the walk easy and puts it at about 15 minutes on graded gravel. Trail Finder lists 0.7 mile round trip with some grades over 15%, and says the accessible route stops short of the main waterfall viewpoint. Trail Finder also lists leashed dogs as allowed.
• Winter driving on the Kancamagus. Per Wikipedia, crews plow the Kancamagus Highway in winter and the road stays open, except for short closures during heavy snow clearing. Whether the Sabbaday Falls lot gets plowed is unconfirmed.
• Skip roadside parking at Diana's Baths. The Forest Service prohibits parking along West Side Road. Trail Finder calls Diana's Baths a high-use site and suggests a backup plan for a full lot, so arrive early.
• Cross the tracks at Arethusa. From the trailhead lot on Arethusa Falls Road, just west of US-302, the trail starts across the railroad tracks. NH State Parks allows leashed pets throughout Crawford Notch State Park, except inside the Willey House.

New Hampshire waterfalls FAQ