Crystal Cascades Falls
Coos County, New Hampshire
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- 69 ft (21 m)
- Location
- Coos County, New Hampshire
- Access status
- National forest trail to an overlook
- The walk
- About 0.4 miles each way
- Ground & access
- Easy to moderate. Wide rocky trail with a short climb and stone steps to the overlook. Stay behind the overlook wall.

Crystal Cascade is a 100-foot waterfall in two drops on the Ellis River, beside the Tuckerman Ravine Trail in Pinkham Notch, White Mountain National Forest. Walk around the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center to the start of the Tuckerman Ravine Trail behind it. In about a quarter mile the trail crosses the Ellis River on a bridge. The trail then climbs, and a stone staircase on the right leads to an overlook facing the falls.
Plan your visit
AMC Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, Tuckerman Ravine Trail to the Crystal Cascade overlook
Trail Finder gives 0.4 miles one way; Waterfall Hero gives 0.6 miles for the out-and-back.
Easy to moderate. Wide rocky trail with a short climb and stone steps to the overlook. Stay behind the overlook wall.
Where to start
AMC Pinkham Notch Visitor Center lot on the west side of NH 16, 10.6 miles south of Gorham. The lot can fill. No parking on NH 16; Waterfall Hero gives overflow parking at Wildcat Mountain Ski Area, 0.8 miles north. Published trailhead coordinates: 44.25717, -71.25288.
Timing & water
No seasonal closure is stated in the sources read. The trail beyond the falls continues to Mount Washington.
Before you go
No fee is listed by Trail Finder. Pinkham Notch is not on the White Mountain National Forest list of fee sites.
Visitor informationMore waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
Glen Ellis FallsNational forest scenic area; short trail with stone steps; parking fee64 ft (19.5 m) · Coos County, NH1.2 miS- Thompson FallsResearched route and starting areaCoos County, NH1.4 miE
- Salmacis FallClub-maintained trail; rough footingCoos County, NH6.0 miN
- Chandler FallPartial guide: trail junctions and distance to the falls are not publishedCoos County, NH6.0 miNW
- Hitchcock FallClub-maintained forest trailCoos County, NH6.8 miN
- Triple FallsShort steep forest trail beside a gorgeCoos County, NH6.8 miN
- Coosauk FallMarked national forest trail with a signed waterfallCoos County, NH7.1 miN
- Tama FallForest trail from a busy trailheadCoos County, NH7.3 miN
- Salroc FallNational forest trail; under a mile from a major trailheadCoos County, NH7.3 miN