While a majority of readers say they’re unhappy about recent changes to the Falling Waters Trail, many say they’re okay with the changes if they help ease the burden on search and rescue crews.
Earlier this month, we asked readers if recent changes to New Hampshire’s popular Falling Waters Trail had ruined the trail in the name of safety.
Crews with the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) recently completed a realigned section of the trail known for leading past scenic Cloudland Falls and up to Franconia Ridge.
AMC officials said the change was necessary because the old Falling Waters Trail route had reportedly become steep, eroded, and increasingly difficult to navigate safely. The trail is known among the area’s rescue crews as a place where hikers are frequently injured.
The new roughly 5,000-foot section of trail follows a more gradual route through open forest, while a spur trail preserves access to Cloudland Falls rather than directly pass the falls.
But some hikers have said they’re less than thrilled about the changes.
Of those who responded to our question, 58 percent were critical of the changes. However, 42 percent voiced support for the changes, with most of them saying it would make it safer for search and rescue efforts.
Read some of our reader responses below.
Opposed To The Changes
Yes it totally ruined [it] just like the Ammonusuc Ravine Trail. The trails no longer follow the cascades and lead people to more dangerous areas in the end. The bypass could have been made and the original trail left open. People still use the original Ammo Trail and I bet people will continue to use the old Falling waters trail.
0.00001% of hikers need rescue on this trail. So the solution is to reroute one of the most historic and scenic trails in the White Mountains???
Quite disappointing as the new trail avoids the river and waterfalls, one of the best parts of the loop trail 🤦♂
Yes, but this is part of a trend that has been in progress for many years. I think a better solution would be to rate trails like ski slopes or rock climbing routes. Not everyone should be on every trail. Clear communication about the difficulties may keep unprepared hikers off and reduce rescue calls.
The Falling Waters trail reroute is tragic. The former iconic Falling Waters Trail passed by some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the White Mountains and now all of those waterfalls, with the exception of Cloudland Falls, has been made inaccessible. For many of us, the waterfalls were the destination. If they wanted to upgrade or even reroute the trail that would have been fine if they had kept the reroute closer to the waterfalls or added spur trails to all the waterfalls. I hiked the former Falling Waters Trail frequently, including as recently as this past August, and the former Falling Waters Trail was much safer, more gradual, and had more stable footing than many other trails in the White Mountains including many sections of the Appalachian Trail. I wish they would reconsider and reopen The old Falling Waters Trail with a warning sign encouraging folks to use the new trail and telling folks that if they chose to hike the old Falling Waters Trail they did so at their own risk and if a rescue is needed on the old trail there would automatically would be a massive fine.
Terrible change and huge disappointment. Can’t believe they’ve ruined a beautiful trail due to the stupidity of people. You can just pave a path all the way up if safety is such an issue…
Safeguarding against washouts and erosion is one thing but imo they’re going overboard with full stone staircases and other methods to cater to weekenders and inexperienced hikers. There’s already too many people on these trails. If you’re from NH it should be free / all-access. Out of towners should have to pay and or reserve access.
Yes indeed … this is a slippery slope (pun intended). The trail had become massively more popular, hence orders of magnitude more people – especially since COVID. And many of the hikers are ill prepared. It was a challenging trail and so this combination (tough trail, more people, more inexperience) results in more SAR calls. Providing an alternative trail, and/or re-routing parts of a trail due to erosion are legitimate things to do, but closing a much loved trail because it’s challenging – not OK! Slippery slope: so now that ones closed, what’s next? Where else gets high numbers of SAR callouts? Let’s close that one too, and then then next, and the next….
Supportive Of The Changes
I hiked the ridge last week and kinda liked reroute. Also love the improvements to [Old] Bridle Path. The waterfalls were nice but not the reason I go hiking. I guess they should rename the trail now.
It’s not just about the safety of hikers, but more importantly about the rescuers that have to carry them down. Also casual hikers can now go to Cloudland Falls and not “accidentally “ end up above treeline on Mt. Haystack and get into trouble.
I doubt that whoever is complaining about the new section ever carried someone with a broken leg in a litter down the old section. If you don’t like it, get your steep wild fix elsewhere and donate to SAR crews while you’re at it.
With so many rescues now needed, we must put safety first. I hope the older, dangerous trail has been blocked off.
Avid hiker / trail runner based out of Twin Mountain. I personally respect the decision by those that maintain the trail, and importantly, the consideration that rerouting the trail gives to the volunteer SAR community. Much like the Ammonoosuc Ravine reroute, this will likely have a significant impact on the ability for A) the public to stay safer and avoid a slip / fall injury, thereby reducing need for rescue, and B) for the volunteers to safely and more effectively manage a carryout. There are too many physically and logistically unprepared hikers who are drawn to the ‘honeytrap’ trails, and this decision is a direct and predictable response to that.
A Little Of Both
Can’t count the times I’ve seen “visitors” in sneaks, croc, and flops attempting to navigate this in all weather conditions. They typically came to a hard stop when they reached that section, and got a good schooling on the way back down as to poor choices. Having a “safer” route, to an even more dangerous zone seems to negate the big picture for safety. On the other side, SAR will have an easier time descending with a litter… (those litter/sled tracks are a humbling sight to see on FWT.)
