Cascade Falls
Worth a detour
Is it plungeworthy?
A horsetail on Falls Brook.
The details
- Type
- Horsetail
- Watercourse
- Falls Brook
- Coordinates
- 42.7153, -72.24623
About Cascade Falls
Cascade Falls is a 45-foot horsetail in Massachusetts, on Falls Brook.
It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.
Plungeworthy rates Cascade Falls 6.9/10 — worth a detour. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
First, a correction: this waterfall appears in some databases — including the one behind this site — as 'Cascade Falls,' but it is Royalston Falls, the Trustees of Reservations property on Falls Brook in Royalston. The coordinates and the 45-foot height match the Trustees' figures exactly; no separate 'Cascade Falls' exists on this brook. Its one genuine historical alias is Forbes Falls, after an 1840s landowner.
The falls itself is worth the confusion: 45 feet into the head of a deep glacial gorge, the centerpiece of a 217-acre preserve the Trustees have held since 1951, with the 22-mile Tully Trail and the New England National Scenic Trail both passing through.
It's the wildest-feeling of the three Royalston-area waterfalls (Doane's Falls and Spirit Falls are its neighbors), with an open-sided backpacker shelter near the falls for NET through-hikers.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- New England Trail access, small dirt lot on MA-32 (Athol-Richmond Road), about 385 Athol-Richmond Road, Royalston
- Parking
- Small dirt lot, free; not plowed in winter
- Road
- MA-32 — paved (the alternate Falls Road access is unmaintained and needs 4WD; use MA-32)
- Hike
- 1.9 mi round trip (Strenuous and often very slippery — the Trustees advise against bringing kids under 6)
- Heads up
- The trail descends a forested valley past pools and smaller cascades before reaching the gorge.
When to go
Spring for full flow, early summer for the gorge at its greenest. The descent is genuinely hazardous in ice — treat this as a three-season hike unless equipped.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- Free
- Dogs
- Leashed
- Hours
- Sunrise to sunset
- Camping
- NET shelter near the falls for through-hikers
- Warnings
- Slippery footing throughout the gorge descent.
Researched from The Trustees — Royalston Falls · New England Trail — Royalston Falls · Wikipedia — Royalston Falls. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Cascade Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Planning a visit? We want your photo.
Cascade Falls doesn't have a photo yet. If you make the trip, send one to hello@plungeworthy.com and we'll publish it here with credit to you.
Before you go
The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.
Common questions
How tall is Cascade Falls?
Cascade Falls drops about 45 feet, in Massachusetts.
Where is Cascade Falls?
Cascade Falls is a waterfall in Massachusetts, at 42.7153, -72.24623.
Is Cascade Falls worth visiting?
Worth a detour — Plungeworthy rates it 6.9/10.
Gear for the trip
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