Cascade Brook Waterfalls, Franconia Notch – Waterfall enthusiasts will love exploring Cascade Brook in Lincoln, New Hampshire. The Basin-Cascades Trail travels in the area of Cascade Brook. And for the most part, all of the cascades in this blog article are on the side of the trail. But they are not roadside, and one must hike up the Basin-Cascades Trail to reach them.
In the 1870s book, I Go A-fishing by William Cowper Prime, he describes Cascade Brook as being “one of the finest brooks in America for scenery, as well as for small trout.” In 1876, Prime bought Moran Lake and the surrounding land. With his friend, William F. Bridges, they built a private cabin on the lake and renamed it “Lonesome Lake”. They spent time fishing on the brooks in the area. It is worth mentioning that, in the early days, Lonesome Lake was known as Tamarack Pond and Moran Lake.
With all the cascades on this brook, it is not a surprise that most of them have been named over the years. I just recently discovered that the above cascade is the lost Walton's Cascade. An 1800s stereoview photograph published by E. & H. T. Anthony & Company refers to this cascade as Walton's Cascade. To date, I have only seen this stereoview twice, but it is a perfect match to this cascade. That log looked cool in 2007, take a look.
The above image shows the top section of Walton's Cascade. For some reason, some refer to this section as Cascade Brook Falls, but I do not know why. Nevertheless, this is the first cascade you will see when hiking the Basin-Cascades Trail. It is breathtaking during times of high water.
One of the highlights of Cascade Brook is Kinsman Falls (above). Some of the old books from the 1800s refer to this waterfall as Tunnel Falls and Basin Falls. Of the three names, Tunnel Falls seems to be the most fitting name, but for some reason, it did not stick. This is a great waterfall to visit after a rain storm.
In order to visit the next waterfall, you will have to cross Cascade Brook. But be forewarned, there is no bridge at this crossing along the Basin Cascades Trail. And crossing the brook can be an issue during the spring season and times of heavy rain.
The last official waterfall on Cascade Brook is Rocky Glen Falls (above). This waterfall consists of three small picturesque cascades. Unfortunately, all three of them can’t fit into one image, so each one has to be photographed separately. At least one old book about the White Mountains refers to these falls as Island Falls.
The waterfalls in the Franconia Notch area have some interesting history attached to them, and a few of them were known by different names in the 1800s. And to add more confusion some history books list a few of the water features on the wrong brooks. I will end with this small tidbit of information that is mentioned in a history book – In the 1800s Cascade Brook was also referred to as Basin Brook.
To license any of the above images for usage in publications, click on the image. And you can view more images of the waterfalls on Cascade Brook here.
Happy image making..
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Owner of ScenicNH Photography LLC
Erin Paul is a professional photographer, writer, and author who specializes in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the New Hampshire White Mountains. His work is published worldwide, and publication credits include: Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Backpacker Magazine, and The Wilderness Society.
ScenicNH Photography LLC
Specializing in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire, Erin Paul’s photography and writing focuses on the history of the White Mountains, and telling the story of abandoned places and forgotten historical sites.