The sum of the height of the cascades that adorn Nancy Brook is estimated at 300 feet, making Nancy Cascades undeniably one of the tallest in New England. Nancy Brook is fed by the waters of Nancy Pond. Both the cascades and the pond have been held in high regard for over a century, and rightfully so. A rust colored pool below the 45-foot fanning horsetail marks the lowest segment of the cascades. The waters of Nancy Brook cascade down gray gneiss bedrock before hopping over a ledge, causing the water to plunge the remaining distance into the pool below. By the time you reach the lower falls, at mile 2.4 on the trail, you may be tired of the continuous climbing effort already demanded of you. For that reason, the spectacular lower falls are a rewarding relief. Above the main falls are hundreds of feet of chutes, slides, horsetails and small plunges equally as stunning and charming as the bottom falls. About 0.7 mile above the uppermost falls, Nancy Pond, also accessed by same trail, is a remote, peaceful body of water just southeast of Mt. Nancy. The brook, pond, falls, and a nearby mountain are named after a passionate servant woman, known only as “Nancy”, who entered Crawford Notch during a White Mountain winter, trying to reach the camp where her lost fiancée was. Failing to catch up with her lover, who left Nancy without saying goodbye to go on a trip (why he left is not known), Nancy crossed the Saco River and quickly become exhausted by the chilly waters, and was found dead from hypothermia the next day.

The Nancy Pond Trail starts from the parking area on US 302 and immediately enters into the woods, traveling at first along a yellow-blazed forest road. For the first two-thirds of the trail, the elevation gain is modest. The final third of the trail is markedly steeper. This final section is not as well-marked or easy to follow, so pay attention to the trail. One stretch of the upper section has experienced heavy erosion, and it is difficult to ramble through this area. Once you reach the bottom set of cascades, continue climbing to the left of the falls to view the two additional segments of horsetails and cascades above. Beyond the lower falls, expect a steeper, tough trail. We expect that during the spring months, the trail to the upper falls is extraordinarily slippery and infested with muddy stretches.

Directions for this particular waterfall are not posted online. Please see directions in our published guidebook, New England Waterfalls: A Guide to More Than 400 Cascades And Waterfalls, or you can email us and we will happily provide them to you.

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