ALDER STREAM FALLS
Alder Stream Township, Maine
| RATING: |
4.0 / 5.0 stars (Great) |
(see below for larger image and additional photographs) |
| STATE: |
Maine |
| COUNTY: |
Franklin |
| TOWN: |
Alder Stream Township |
| PARK: |
None |
| PRIVATE PROPERTY: |
Yes (the falls lie on land owned by the Penobscot Indian Nation; the general public appears welcome to visit as of 2017) |
| TYPE: |
Lower falls is horsetails and cascades; upper falls is a plunge and cascades |
| HEIGHT: |
Lower falls is 25 feet; upper falls is 20 feet |
| WATER SOURCE: |
Alder Stream |
| WATERSHED SIZE: |
Medium |
| TRAIL LENGTH: |
Less than 0.1 mile to each of the two falls |
| TRAIL DIFFICULTY: |
Easy side of moderate to initial views of each of the two falls |
| HIKING TIME: |
Negligible |
| ALTITUDE GAIN: |
Negligible |
| WHEN TO VISIT: |
May to October |
| SWIMMING: |
Not Possible and/or Prohibited |
| DELORME ATLAS: |
2015: Page 28, B-5 (the falls are not marked on the ME atlas) |
| HANDICAP ACCESS: |
No |
| DOGS ALLOWED: |
Yes |
| COST TO VISIT: |
Free (as of 2017) |
| LENS TO BRING: |
Wide-angle (14-35mm) and/or standard (35-70mm) |
| ALTERNATE NAMES: |
Toenail Ridge Falls? (this may actually be a different falls though) |
| GPS-TRAILHEAD: |
Lower falls: 45.235833, -70.621500
Upper falls: 45.235333, -70.624167 |
| GPS-WATERFALL: |
Lower falls: 45.236167, -70.621833
Upper falls: 45.235500, -70.624833 |
| COMPASS: |
Lower falls: 10° excluding declination (the falls face southeast)
Upper falls: 145° excluding declination (the falls face north) |
| INCLUDED IN BOOK?: |
No, the falls are not currently included within the guidebook |
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THE FALLS
TRAIL INFORMATION
From the parking pull-off for the lower falls, step 25 feet into the woods, heading north, and you'll obtain a partially-obscured view from the top of a gorge looking down at the falls. A rope was in place as of 2017 to assist people in scrambling down the extremely steep gorge walls. Actually using this rope is not recommended as there is no way to determine how reliable or safe it is.
To reach the upper falls, follow a rough path heading west into the woods for 200 feet and you'll reach the top of the gorge. Views of the upper falls are clear if you scramble around a bit. Watch your footing very closely here as a fall could easily be fatal.
DIRECTIONS
From the junction of ME 16 and ME 27 in the section of Eustis known as Stratton, take ME 27 north for 10.0 miles and turn left onto Alder Stream Rd, which is a well-maintained dirt road that is currently unmarked. This road is 0.25 mile south of where ME 27 crosses a bridge over Alder Stream. Follow Alder Stream Rd west for 4.5 miles (bearing left at 0.3 mile, right at 1.4 mile, and passing through a gate after 1.6 miles to stay on the road) and a pull-off for the lower falls will be on the right. The pull-off has room for 3 or 4 vehicles. Make sure to pull completely off the road so that you don't block any other traffic.
To reach the upper falls, drive 0.1 mile further west along Alder Stream Rd and park off the right side of the road just as the road bends to the left.
To get to Stratton, take the combined highway ME 16 west and ME 27 north from Carrabasset Valley or take ME 16 east from Rangeley.
UPDATES SINCE THE 2ND EDITION
NONE NOTED.
If you know of any updates to this waterfall, or notice any errors either on this website and/or within the New England Waterfalls guidebook, please send me an email at gparsons66@hotmail.com or leave a Facebook comment at the bottom of this page. Updates to all of the waterfalls in the latest edition of the guidebook can always be found here: book updates
OPTIONAL HIKES
the lower falls of Alder Stream Falls, Maine
the upper falls of Alder Stream Falls, Maine
the upper falls of Alder Stream Falls, Maine
INTERESTED IN VISITING MORE WATERFALLS IN NEW ENGLAND?
The 3rd edition of the New England Waterfalls guidebook contains 552-pages of detailed information on hundreds of waterfalls throughout all corners of New England. This 3rd edition has been completely updated and it is the first to be printed in FULL COLOR! Click on the image below to explore some sample pages of the guidebook on Amazon.com.
TIPS FOR VISITING WATERFALLS & SWIMMING HOLES
Here are some tips to help ensure that your trip to New England's waterfalls and swimming holes will be a safe and enjoyable one:
- DON'T FORGET THE ESSENTIALS - When you visit waterfalls, you should consider bringing all of the following: (a) bug spray; (b) food/snacks; (c) water/sports drinks; (d) camera/smart-phone; (e) guidebook/trail map; (f) daypack/backpack; and (g) hiking shoes, hiking boots or watershoes. A full day hiking packing list can be found here.
- CONSIDER BUYING WATER SHOES - You won't see too many people using them, but watershoes are fantastic pieces of equipment that can make your trip to waterfalls and swimming holes safer and more enjoyable. Merrill and Keen make some fantastic watershoes (here are some great ones from Merrill: womens / mens).
- LEAVE NO TRACE - When you visit waterfalls and swimming holes, you'll often see some trash and sometimes you'll even find clothing left behind by others. It's really, really sad, and it irks the heck out of us. Won't you consider carrying out some of trash and clothing left by others when you leave? That would leave the spot more beautiful for the next person. Bring a trash bag and be a hero!
- PRIVATE PROPERTY - Many waterfalls and swimming holes are located on private property and so we are truly fortunate that many landowners allow us to enjoy them. If you want to ensure that they stay open to the public, please do your best to leave no trace. If you see a sign that says 'Private Property', turn around and find another waterfall to visit or a different place to swim.
- BRING A DSLR CAMERA AND TRIPOD WITH YOU - If you want to take high-quality photographs of waterfalls, your smart-phone just won't cut it. Get a DSLR camera, a tripod, and learn to master the art of waterfall photography.
- SCOUT FIRST, SWIM SECOND - Never enter a swimming hole without first scouting it, even if you see somebody else swimming in it. Stop and access the risks based upon the depth of water, the power of the current, evidence of slippery rocks, and other safety factors.
- CLIFF JUMPING - Cliff jumping is dangerous. Like, seriously dangerous. Understand the risks before you partake in this activity. Many have died from doing this in New England. Here is a list of all known deaths at waterfalls and swimming holes in New England.
- PLEASE DON'T BUILD ROCK CAIRNS - Please do not build new rock cairns at waterfalls or swimming holes. Cairns are a strong reminder of human presence, and don't we all want to see waterfalls in their natural state and glory? Photographers get particularly annoyed at seeing cairns, so please resist the urge to build them.
- DON'T RELY ON YOUR GPS TO GET YOU TO THE TRAILHEAD - Waterfalls don't have addresses, so relying on your GPS to get you to a trailhead is great way to get yourself lost. You need a guidebook, a road atlas, and/or a hiking map to visit the vast majority of waterfalls in New England. Also keep in mind that waterfalls are often located in wild areas, where smart-phone map apps and car GPS units may not work at all.
- WATERFALLS IN SPRING - The best time to visit waterfalls is generally in the spring during the annual snowmelt (which is April to June). However, most waterfalls will often look great for several days after a significant rain storm.
- HELP KEEP THE ULTRA-SECRET SWIMMING HOLES A SECRET (FOREVER) - If you find some ultra-secret swimming holes, please do your best to keep them a secret. Do not post their locations online or wildly share directions or photos with others. All of the swimming holes that are included in the guidebook and online through this website are the well-known swimming spots. There are many more holes that are much further off the beaten path, but they deserve a chance to stay wild and pristine.
- DON'T SCRAMBLE UP WATERFALLS - So many people been seriously injured and killed in the waterfalls of New England. Many of these folks got too close to a waterfall and slipped and fell. Don't become a statistic: stay far back from the edge.
- WEAR TRACTION IF YOU VISIT WATERFALLS IN WINTER - Visiting waterfalls in winter can be rewarding, but there is often a higher element of danger. You may need crampons, snowshoes, and/or some other form of traction (like Microspikes) in order to safely hike to waterfalls in winter.
- SUPPORT NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT CONSERVE WATERFALLS & SWIMMING HOLES - There are some organizations in New England that work diligently to conserve and maintain waterfalls and swimming holes. Please consider supporting these organizations, either with their trail maintenance projects or with monetary donations. Here are three excellent organizations engaged in this extremely important mission: the Trustees of Reservations, the Vermont River Conservancy and the Nature Conservancy.
HELPFUL LINKS
Here are some helpful links to help you explore and enjoy more waterfalls and hikes throughout New England:
- Waterfalls of Connecticut = link
- Waterfalls of Maine = link
- Waterfalls of Massachusetts = link
- Waterfalls of New Hampshire = link
- Waterfalls of Rhode Island = link
- Waterfalls of Vermont = link
- Best Waterfalls in New England = link
- Best Swimming Holes in New England = link
- Top 25 Day Hikes in New England = link
- Top 25 Family-Friendly Day Hikes in New England = link
- Waterfalls Near Boston, Massachusetts = link
- Waterfalls Near Lincoln, New Hampshire = link
- Waterfalls Near North Conway, New Hampshire = link
- Waterfalls Near Stowe, Vermont = link
- Waterfall Photography Tips = link
OTHER WATERFALL GUIDEBOOKS
In addition to the New England Waterfalls guidebook, there are several other guidebooks that can help you find waterfalls and swimming holes in this region:
- Connecticut Waterfalls (1st Edition: 2014) = link
- Hiking Waterfalls in New England: A Guide to the Region's Best Waterfall Hikes (2nd Edition: 2022) = link
- Hiking Waterfalls Maine: A Guide to the State's Best Waterfall Hikes (1st Edition: 2020) = link
- Vermont Waterfalls (1st Edition: 2015) = link
- Waterfalls of the White Mountains: 30 Hikes to 100 Waterfalls (3rd Edition: 2019) = link
WATERFALLS ON FACEBOOK
Join the growing communities of waterfall aficionados on Facebook! You can share your photographs, follow the adventures of other waterfall hunters, and find new places to explore:
- Request to join the "New England Waterfalls" community > link
- Request to join the "New Hampshire Waterfalls" community > link
- Request to join the "Northeastern Waterfalls" community > link
- Request to join the "Vermont Waterfalls" community > link
- Request to join the "Waterfalls of the United States" community > link
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And if you'd like to follow the New England Waterfalls page on Facebook, click here.
ASK A QUESTION / LEAVE A COMMENT / PROVIDE AN UPDATE:
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