10 New Hampshire Waterfalls You Can See Without a Long Hike

Since moving here I've learned... You don't have to climb a 4,000-footer to find some of New Hampshire's most beautiful waterfalls.

Other times, you can practically see one from the comfort of your car and not have to expel an energy.

New Hampshire is home to more than 100 waterfalls, and some of the most beautiful are surprisingly easy to reach. We're talking roadside stops, ten-minute walks and short trails that deliver a pretty impressive payoff without turning your afternoon into an expedition.

So, if you love chasing waterfalls but aren't necessarily interested in spending half your day hiking to one, here are 10 New Hampshire waterfalls that are relatively easy to reach.

Credit: Getty Images

Silver Cascade — Crawford Notch
This should probably lead the gallery. Silver Cascade is visible right from Route 302 in Crawford Notch. The state tourism office specifically highlights it as one of New Hampshire's waterfalls you can see from the road.

Credit: Getty Images

Flume Cascade — Crawford Notch
Another Route 302 waterfall that can be viewed from the road. That means you could actually knock out two beautiful waterfalls without really hiking at all.

Credit: Getty Images

Sabbaday Falls — Kancamagus Highway
One of the best effort-to-reward ratios on the list. It's about a 0.7-mile outing with roughly 100 feet of elevation gain, and the short approach leads to a series of cascades and pools.

Credit: Getty Images

Glen Ellis Falls — Pinkham Notch
Only about 0.4 miles, but there's an important caveat: getting to the viewing area involves plenty of stairs. The payoff is a dramatic 64-foot waterfall. So it's short, but I wouldn't call it accessible for everyone.

Credit: Getty Images

Diana's Baths — Bartlett/North Conway
This one gives you something different from a single giant waterfall. It's a series of cascades, pools and rock ledges reached by a relatively easy walk. It's also extremely popular, so I'd mention getting there early during summer weekends.

Credit: Getty Images

Beaver Brook Falls — Colebrook
This could be your hidden-gem entry. It's an approximately 80-foot cascade that's visible from a roadside wayside off Route 145. There's a grassy area and picnic tables between the parking area and waterfall.

READ MORE: 15 Places That Perfectly Capture the Heart of New Hampshire

Crystal Cascade — Pinkham Notch
Another huge reward for relatively little work. The state's summer waterfall guide puts the outing at roughly 0.7 miles with 160 feet of elevation gain and describes it as about a 30-minute round trip.

Lower Falls Recreation Site — Kancamagus Highway
This isn't the towering waterfall experience of Glen Ellis. It's a beautiful series of cascades on the Swift River and requires only a short walk from the parking area. It's also a popular summer recreation stop.

Huntington Cascade — Dixville Notch
Another Great North Woods option that keeps this from becoming entirely a White Mountains article. The lower viewpoint is roughly a five-minute walk, while the upper falls take about 10 minutes.

Avalanche Falls — Flume Gorge
I'd use this as the "you'll have to work a little harder" entry. The waterfall itself is 45 feet tall, but reaching it is part of the Flume Gorge experience, with boardwalks and stairs rather than a traditional mountain hike.

Just remember that "easy to reach" doesn't always mean completely accessible. Some locations include stairs, uneven terrain and slippery rocks, so check current conditions and trail information before heading out.