Glen Ellis Falls (White Mountain National Forest)

Glen Ellis Falls (White Mountain National Forest)

Hike Type: Out-and-Back

Distance: 0.61 miles

Elevation: 135 feet

Time: 20 minutes
Hiking Challenges: N/A

The Hike 

After a long but lovely visit to the Royces, Basin Pond, and the Old Man of the Valley in Shelburne, we had one last (active) stop at Glen Ellis Falls! The parking area was nice and open and I bravely put my hiking shoes back on (I can NOT be the tourist hiker hiking near a waterfall in flip flops - I just can't!

We followed the sidewalk to the iron ranger and then the gravel path underneath NH-16. I believe this stretch had been recently redone and it was lovely! The path continued as gravel as it joined the Ellis River and turned into a beautifully constructed stone sidewalk. The first bit of falls cascaded into a dreadfully inviting pool, especially after the hike we had, but we both agreed that we're probably not supposed to go swimming here.

A sign read: "THIS IS THE ELLIS RIVER. Its waters begin their downard flow from the eastern slopes of Mount Washington (elevation 6,288 ft). Near Glen, New Hampshire, it joins the Saco River which meanders through Maine to the Atlantic Ocean. 

There was a neat view up to Wildcat, either E peak or just a shoulder of a ridge, as the path approached the main falls.

Another sign read: "GEOLOGY OF GLEN ELLIS FALLS. Thirty thousand years ago the Ice Age greatly changed the appearance of this area. The grinding action of ice steepened the valley walls and carved bowl like cirques into the terrain. This Falls is believed to have been created following a series of avalanches from the overhanging cliffs on the east side of the valley. The Ellis River which had flowed uninterrupted during pre-glacial times was forced by the violence and struggles of the land masses to plunge over the headwall of a glacial cirque.

To get to the bottom of the falls, another super well-constructed path zig-zagged down the hillside with a series of dirt paths, gravel paths, stone steps, log railings, and stone walls. Again, the craftsmanship of this trail was severely impressive!

The falls themselves were really spectacular. The mist at the bottom kept us cool as the wind from the falling water created ripples in the pool the water falls into.

Another sign read: "GLEN ELLIS FALLS. HEIGHT 64 FT. Here the forces of nature provide their own spectacular show. The fall of water attests to the tremendous power of moving water. From the sno-covered or rain-drenched peaks this river is born to feed others. In the few seconds this message has held your interest, a minimum of 600 gallons of water have passed this point. At this rate, the daily needs of a city of 25,000 people could be satisfied. Water: indispensable to the needs of man, is one of the resources of the White Mountain National Forest.

We enjoyed the falls for a bit before hiking back up to the car, which was slow and embarassingly tiring after the past two days! We crossed paths with a bridal party about to take some photos, I hope they came out nicely!

Now our actual final stop for the day... Taco Bell!

Step-by-Step

- From Glen Ellis Falls parking lot, follow trail to bottom of falls and back.

Photo Album