A new section of New Hampshire’s popular Falling Waters Trail recently opened to hikers … and not everyone is happy about it.
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.
On our Facebook post about the change, one person commented, “How to take a legendary trail and completely ruin it. They should really rename it because now the name is misleading.” Another commenter used the eloquent simplicity of a thumbs down emoji to express their displeasure with the change.
Over on Instagram, a commenter said, “It definitely takes away from the experience,” while another commenter cleverly used a cat gif to say there’s no falling waters on the trail named “Falling Waters.”
We want to hear what you think.
Has the new change ruined the Falling Waters Trail? And, if so, are inexperienced hikers who are ill-equipped to tackle technical terrain to blame for ruining one of the Northeast’s most iconic trails? Or are the negative reactions overblown?
Use the form below to share your thoughts. We’ll share your responses at a later date.
