Campbell Falls

Campbell Falls

Overview: Impressive
Location: New Marlborough, MA
Stream  : Whitney River
Height  : Main falls perhaps 40' (estimate)
Finding : Tricky. Back roads; not well marked.
Access  : Roadside. Does require a short hike with climbing.
Swimming: No
Basking : Not really
Privacy : Medium. Roadside, but on a back road and not well visited.
Legal   : Public land

Directions

These directions are current as of April 1996

The Falls are located in a state forest right on the border between Massachusetts and Connecticut. Locating the falls is a bit tricky. From the center of Southfield, take the Norfolk Road south. Only a few feet before entering Connecticut, there is an old, rusted sign on the right that points down a dirt road called Campbell Falls Road. Follow that road for a short distance until it crosses the Whitney River. There really aren't any signs or parking areas. However there are a couple of wide places in the road where you can turn off.


Description

The Whitney River flows under the road and almost at once over the falls. The state of Massachusetts has put up some fences by the road to discourage foolish people from diving into the falls. However, the fences don't actually go all the way down the ravine. The falls still feel wild.

Campbell Falls actually has two sections; an upper part that is higher and then a lower part. The stream flows through a short, rocky trench between the two falls. The best view is, as is often the case, from below. There is a rough, unmarked trail leaving the road on the left side of the stream that takes you down to the pool at the base of the falls. It's a short walk but a bit of a scramble in places (no problem for an experienced hiker).


Notes

Saturday, April 26, 1997

My friend John and I were in the New Marlborough area doing some genealogical research today. I told him that no visit to New Marlborough would be complete without stopping by Campbell Falls. John readily agreed.

The falls were in good form when we stopped to see them. Everything was more or less exactly like it was last year, except that the weather was sunnier. We only stopped for enough time to climb down to the bottom of the falls and snap a few pictures.

John and I also visited Umpachene Falls in New Marlborough today.

Thursday, April 4, 1996

I visited these falls on my way home from a hikeq to Race Brook Falls . It was getting rainy and dark, but I'm glad I stopped. Campbell Falls was an impressive sight!

I first went down the west side of the stream. I was able to get a very interesting picture of the main falls, but I was not able to climb all the way to the bottom that way. However, by taking the trail on the east side of the stream, just past the fences, I was able to go all the way down to the water's edge just below the falls. From there I could get a nice view of the falls including both the large, impressive upper section and the smaller lower section. By scrambling over some rocks I was able to sit at the mouth of the ravine and watch just the upper falls in their full glory.

Campbell Falls Campbell Falls Campbell Falls

The water level in the river was high and the falls made quite a thunderous roar. I could easily feel the spray wash over me from my vantage point at the mouth of the ravine. Very impressive.

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© Copyright 2004 by Peter C. Chapin.
Last Revised: February 28, 2004