Glen Ellis Falls, Gorham, New Hampshire

Here I am sitting in front of Glen Ellis Falls, one of the many magnificent falls in the area.  This one, unlike other waterfalls, can be easily accessed from the parking lot, which we will talk about later.


Located on the eastern slopes of Mt. Washington, it is believed that the falls was created by a series of avalanches from overhanging cliffs on the east side of the valley thirty thousand years ago.

The falls are 64 feet high and joins with the Saco River near Glen, New Hampshire where Mt. Washington is located, the highest peak in the northeast at 6,288 ft.  The river flows through Maine down to the Atlantic Ocean. 


The trail is well marked and easy to get to as you can see by the photo on the bottom. .



Just walk from the parking lot down the steps and through the tunnel to reach the trail.  Follow the granite steps for which the state is famous for and grip the log handrails to the top of the observation area before descending to the base of the falls for a perfect picture.  It may look deserted from where I am sitting, but be forewarned that it is crowded, even on the weekday morning when we went.

You can feel the power of the falls as you watch from a safe distance, the spray will fog up your camera and get  your glasses wet as well.   The ground vibrates and you feel the thunder of the falls as you stand and watch mesmerized.


Signs explaining the history of the falls are posted on the trail as you walk by, so it is educational as well as beautiful.


I am including one of the signs here:

"Here the forces of nature provide their own spectacular show. The fall of water attests to the tremendous powers of moving water. From the snow-covered or rain-drenched peaks this river is born to feed others.
In the few seconds this message held your interest, a minimum of 600 gallons of water have passed this point. At this rate, the daily needs to a city of 25,000 people would be satisfied.
Water, indispensible to the needs of man, is one of the resources of the White Mountain National Forest."

 Here I am sitting on my own little island walking back from the falls.  We rested here for a bit and admired the beauty of the surrounding area before leaving

As usual I am including more websites where you can get more information about Glen Ellis Falls:
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellis_River_%28New_Hampshire%29

http://www.nhtourguide.com/waterfalls/glen_ellis_falls.htm

The bottom one contains many more pictures including the signs along the trail.  It also contains a video of the falls which will give you some idea of how powerful it is.  Enjoy.