Cloudland Falls
Worth the drive
Is it plungeworthy?
A fan on Dry Brook.
The details
- Type
- Fan
- Watercourse
- Dry Brook
- Coordinates
- 44.13867, -71.66494
About Cloudland Falls
Cloudland Falls is a 80-foot fan in New Hampshire, on Dry Brook.
It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.
Plungeworthy rates Cloudland Falls 7.5/10 — worth the drive. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
Cloudland Falls is the big one on the Falling Waters Trail — Dry Brook fanning 80 feet over a cliff, the largest of five waterfalls (with 20-foot Stairs Falls and 60-foot Swiftwater Falls below it) packed into the first 1.3 miles of one of Franconia Ridge's two great trails.
Most people meet it mid-climb: the Falling Waters Trail is half of the most popular ridge loop in the White Mountains, so the falls doubles as a rest stop with a view for Lafayette-bound hikers. Visited on its own, it's a legitimate destination hike — three waterfalls in 1.3 miles is the best falls-per-mile ratio in Franconia Notch.
The catch is parking: the trailhead lots serve the entire Franconia Ridge loop and fill by 9am on summer and fall weekends, often earlier.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Falling Waters Trailhead, Franconia Notch Parkway (I-93), about 8 miles north of Lincoln
- Parking
- Falling Waters/Old Bridle Path lot, or the free Lafayette Place Campground lot across the highway (connected by underpass) — all fill by 9am on weekends
- Road
- Franconia Notch Parkway — paved
- Hike
- 2.6 mi round trip (Moderate — rocky, with stream crossings; steepens above Swiftwater Falls)
- Heads up
- The trail continues to Little Haystack and the Franconia Ridge loop; the falls make a natural turnaround for a shorter day.
When to go
Arrive before 8am on any nice weekend, period. Spring gives the fullest fan; the brook-side trail is at its best in early summer and foliage season.
Rules & fees
- Camping
- Lafayette Place Campground across the parkway
- Warnings
- Stream crossings above Swiftwater Falls can be tricky in high water.
Researched from World Waterfall Database — Cloudland Falls · NH Family Hikes — Falling Waters Trail. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Cloudland Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Planning a visit? We want your photo.
Cloudland 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 Cloudland Falls?
Cloudland Falls drops about 80 feet, in New Hampshire.
Where is Cloudland Falls?
Cloudland Falls is a waterfall in New Hampshire, at 44.13867, -71.66494.
Is Cloudland Falls worth visiting?
Worth the drive — Plungeworthy rates it 7.5/10.
Gear for the trip
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