Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
Explore the cascading waterfalls and pools of Step Falls Maine to cool off in the summer or catch the vibrant fall colors in the fall. Everyday we spent in Grafton Notch State Park ended with the short hike and a swim at Step Falls. This short hike (just 0.5 miles in each direction) leads to the perfect place to relax, swim, or just soak your feet.
You can find Step Falls near Grafton Notch State Park. The falls themselves are in the Step Falls Preserve and are part of the Mahoosuc Land Trust.
Explore more in the region with the Best Things to do in and near Grafton Notch State Park.
Quick Look at Step Falls
Distance: 1 mile (out and back) Elevation: 225 feet Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Walking Trail
The trail starts at a well marked parking lot. The lot is relatively small and there is no parking on the road, so if the lot is full, you will need to come back later. We visited on two separate days in July midweek, and the parking lot always had a few spots, but I imagine it fills up on the weekend.
From here the Step Falls hike is easy and walks through the woods with just a slight elevation gain until you reach the falls. You can swim at any point along the falls, but you can’t go above the fence at the top of the falls as this is marked as private property. Read more below for a complete description of the hike and falls.
Things to Know about Step Falls, Grafton Notch State Park
Grafton Notch State Park is a lovely state park nestled in the woods and mountains of inland Maine. You can find many waterfalls, lakes, and mountain hikes in Grafton Notch and the area around the park. You can find a whole article of things to do in the area and the best Grafton Notch Hikes and Waterfalls. Step Falls was our favorite place to hang out and swim, but we also loved Screw Auger Falls.
If you are looking for other excellent hikes in the area, check out Table Rock. This is a steep but short hike that takes you to a lookout over the valley and across to Old Speck Mountain.
When is the Best Time of Year to Visit Grafton Notch?
The Grafton Notch area is at its peak during the summer and fall months. Visit Grafton Notch in May-Oct for the best hiking. The spring can be buggy and muddy. Visit during the fall for amazing colors when the leaves turn. This is a popular hiking area so you can expect more crowds during this time of year.
You can also enjoy hiking in the area during the winter months. The hike to the waterfalls in doable and beautiful during the winter months, just be prepared with microspikes and winter hiking gear.
Can you Bring Dogs to Step Falls?
Dogs are permitted at Step Falls but must be kept on a leash.
Is Step Falls good for Kids?
This is an excellent place to explore with kids. With small kids you should take care with some of the steeper rock and slippery sections, but it is easy to find a place to swim and they will enjoy some of the smaller rock slides.
For older kids – this is like a natural waterpark. There are places to swim, lay out in the sun and the highlight was sliding down the natural waterslides into the water. Use some caution as we watched a kid wipe out on the rocks, but with some caution, this is an excellent place for kids.
Where is Step Fall Preserve?
The Preserve is located on the Mahoosuc Land Trust and the area was redone in 2013 with a well marked trail and a parking lot with a port-a-potty. You can find the parking lot right off route 26 on the right side of the road as you are driving north. This is just south of the actual Grafton Notch State Park.
Details of our Visit to Step Falls
We spent two happy afternoons visiting the Step Fall Waterfall. After hiking on the second day the Finley and Freja begged to go back up to the falls to swim and play in the water. The short and easy hike to get there makes it the perfect hike with kids.
Start your hike in the parking lot of the Step Falls Preserve. The parking lot is easy to find right off Route 26. There is very little cell coverage in the area so you will want to download your maps, or rely on paper maps. The parking lot is on the right as you drive north into Grafton Notch State Park. The Step Falls Preserve is overseen by the Mahoosuc Land Trust after the land was transferred from the Nature Conservancy in 2012.
From the parking lot, follow the trail at the end of the lot. The first few minutes are mostly flat and easy as the trail goes through the forest. The trail soon meets up with Wight Brook. Even this lower section below the falls themselves are lovely as the water bounces and flows over rocks.
It’s about 0.5 miles to the bottom of the falls with a gentle elevation gain. Once you get to the falls, the trail ascends more steeply up to the top of the fall. This is marked with a metal fence. This fence should be respected as it marks private property.
The falls themselves are a relatively long series of slides, cascades, and pools created by years of ice and water splitting the granite. There are several large plunge pools, especially lower down.
The trail runs up the right side of the waterfall and is the easiest way to ascend and descend, although many people scramble up and down on the rocks. We started by hiking to the top on our first day and slowly made our way down the rocks to the different slides and pools.
The top section is mostly made up of smaller pools and slides and is not very steep. There are lots of rock slabs that make a great place for a picnic or to lie out. You also have the best view from here down the falls to the valley below.
The middle section of the falls is the steepest with several waterfalls and slides that end in a pool. This section was very popular with kids sliding into the pools. If the areas without much water you could simply splash water and make your own slide.
*note that rocks are tough on bathing suits – bring a pair of shorts you don’t mind getting worn or even torn.
The bottom section of the falls were actually where we spent the most time. There are several medium sized plunge pools and some smaller waterslides. The stream of water passes back and forth across the rocks and the kids loved racing leaves and sticks down the water.
Since parking is limited, there were never too many people at the falls and there was plenty of space to spread out. We were able to find our own area to enjoy each of the days we were there and waiting for one of the pools to clear out before trying the slide.
