Waterfalls of New Hampshire - Pond Brook Falls

Stratford , Coos County, NH , USA

The lowest drop showing the cascades above

Details:

Like many of the waterfalls of New Hampshire, I first learned of this waterfall by reading Bruce and Doreen Bolnick’s excellent “Waterfalls of the White Mountains”. Any waterfall enthusiast, especially those of us in the northeast should obtain a copy of this fine book. This waterfall is more a series of slides over a wide granite bank than a classical waterfall. To wit, it bears more resemblance to a bobsled run. The upper falls, and the lower falls are short straight drops. What happens in between is a small brook trying to cover a wide bank of granite in a thin layer with dips and slides everywhere. The rocks are stained dark by the organic compounds in the water. The dark rocks tend to reflect more heat. The day I went, the sun was out on a fairly hot August afternoon. It was very warm, except for a cool draft that was moving above the rushing stream. The remoteness of this waterfall, along with the complete lack of development in the Nash Stream Valley made this waterfall a treat. While it’s not vertical or boisterous, it’s one of the cooler falls I’ve been to.

Geology and Bedrock Structure:

The falls drop, dip, and slide over the Long Mountain Granite.

History:

Photography Notes:

This waterfall offers a lot of opportunity to the photographer. Visit the falls on an overcast day and you’ll have dozens and dozens of compositions. Have a tripod, polarizer, and a warming filter. Also, bear in mind that wet granite is slick, so try for a dry overcast day. Focal lengths in the 35-105mm range should suffice.

Directions:

The access is a little less straightforward than some other waterfalls, but you can still drive to within a few hundred yards of the falls. From Groveton, travel east on Route 110 about 2.8 miles to Emerson Road. Follow Emerson Road across the Upper Ammonoosuc River, bearing right at the T intersection. In about a half mile, take a left on Nash Stream Road and drive 4.8 miles, parking just beyond the Pond Brook culvert. A trail leads up the north side of Pond Brook to the falls. A word of caution, watch for the orange painted rocks that occasionally stick up out of the gravel road, one in particular could eat the oil pan of the unwary traveler!