Dunn Falls

Dunn Falls is a 78-foot tiered in Maine, on West Branch Ellis River. The water falls in 2 distinct tiers.

It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.

Plungeworthy rates Dunn Falls 8.6/10 — drop everything. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

Dunn Falls is a powerful, nearly vertical 80-foot drop on the West Branch Ellis River, reached via a loop that also passes Dunn Notch Cascades and, further upstream, a second distinct waterfall called Upper Dunn Falls. The setting is classic Appalachian Trail backcountry — mossy boulders, a mixed hardwood-conifer corridor, and a real sense of remoteness despite being day-trip accessible.

The falls plunge into a substantial pool at the base, cold and deep enough for a real swim, with mist carrying well back from the base in high water.

What sets this apart from the roadside falls in this corner of Maine is the approach: a genuine trail hike with unbridged crossings, best done as a loop combining the Cascade Trail and the AT rather than an out-and-back.

The West Branch Ellis River drains a small area, so the falls run lacy and thin much of the year — best flow is during spring snowmelt and after rain. Expect a much gentler curtain by late summer.