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Marshfield Falls |
Overview: Impressive, easily accessed waterfall. Location: Marshfield Stream : Marshfield Brook Height : 75' overall (estimate) in two sections. Finding : Easy Access : Roadside Swimming: No Basking : Minimal Privacy : None Legal : Surrounded by private property but easily visible from road.
From Marshfield
In the center of Marshfield, turn from Route 2 onto the side road next to the Rainbow Bakery. This is a right turn if you are approaching from the south and a left turn if you are approaching from the north.
The side road soon crosses the Winooski river and in a short distance forks. Either fork will bring you to the falls in just a few feet. The right hand fork crosses Marshfield Brook just below the lower section of the falls. The upper fork crosses the brook just below the upper section of the falls. You should definitely check out both sections.
I recommend parking by the lower crossing and just walking to the upper crossing. There is more parking along the lower road and the distance from there to the upper falls is short.
Marshfield Falls is a long sloping cascade. The lower falls is wider and shorter, resembling in some ways a fan that spreads out over the rocks. The upper falls is longer and narrower. It flows through a steep wall channel with trees growing along and over it. In some respects this is really two separate waterfalls in one.
It's hard to say how large the falls complex really is. When standing on the bridge below the upper falls one can see them stretching back quite some distance. It is easy to imagine that there might be more falls farther upstream.
While the falls themselves are quite interesting and easily visible from the road, there aren't many options for exploring around them. The falls seem to be surrounded by private property and thus access to other sections of them is limited.
My wife and I visited these falls today. There was a considerable amount of water in the stream due, no doubt, to the season. The result was spectacular. It was reasonably warm today but there was a cool wind blowing.
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