8/10 
Mommy Approved Smiling Faces
1464 US Route 302
Harts Location, NH 03812
https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/crawford-notch-state-park
603-374-2272
The kids and I agree that hiking to Arethusa Falls in Crawford Notch State Park was challenging. But, it was definitely worth it for a chance to lay eyes on and enjoy splashing through the wade pools. Our party of 4 kids and 4 adults of varying ages and hiking skills completed Arethusa Falls via Bemis Brook ( yellow trail ) and Arethusa Falls hiking trails ( blue trail ).
My daughter and her older cousin especially loved finding the less-occupied Bemis Trail falls. These consist of the Coliseum Falls and the Fawn pool. Because we made it to this area when we were separated from our male counterparts, we didn’t stay as long as we would have liked to. However, if that wasn’t the case, we could have stayed there and frolicked in the pools for a long time. The falls are less dramatic and make for somewhat deeper pools of water than found at Arethusa Falls. The kids therefore, enjoy these less populated, smaller falls even more so!
I was so grateful that we hiked up the Arethusa Falls trail and not the Bemis Brook trail ( this happened by pure luck ). That’s because, when we went back toward the Arethusa Falls trailhead, we reached the Bemis Brook trail and decided to take that back instead. It meets up with the Arethusa trail and puts hikers back to the initial trail head so, we figured we would try this “new” way back instead of returning the way we came for different scenery.
Disclaimer about Bemis Brook (yellow trail) :
The Bemis Brook portion is super steep! It has gnarly tree roots and rocks the entire way. I think if we accidentally took this path initially instead of the blue trail, our hiking group would have turned back to the trailhead and never even see the falls 😂! It was intense going down but definitely would be worse climbing up it!
The best part about the short Bemis Brook trail is that at points, it parallels running water and allows access to the aforementioned wadding pools and smaller falls which are worthy of exploring and enjoying with the kids! Everyone will certainly get a great workout with happy intermissions at Arethusa Falls, Colusium Falls and Fawn pools.Some of the adults we mildly sore the next day but, most were without symptoms as were the kids.
If you hike during warm weather, you should take these light weight, packable and amazing cooling towels so everyone stays comfortable and dry. Have you tried these before? They surprisingly work very well and come in two convenient sizes.
How about taking the best, easy-to-clean kids water bottles while hiking? My kids always want to drink from my water bottle out on hikes because I have an insulated cooling technology and their usual drink holders get their drinks warm. Now, they have their very own light-weight, kid-friendly insulated water bottles equipped with a cleaning brush and what’s the best part? They don’t have millions of parts to assemble and disassemble while cleaning! I love that because, now mom has more free time to do other tasks. : )
Who would have ever thought fanny packs would be a thing again? I for one thought they were gone but, here we are! So hiking with kids means they always need something but, carrying all that gear on your back can be harsh. Check out these modern fanny packs for hiking. They are sure to give your back a break and still provide space for the many “kid-needs” while out on the trails.
The Skinny:
- Weather : In the spring and early summer the falls are more abundant and therefore gushing with water. Come prepared for mud if it just rained however.
- Parking and Admissions: Parking was not too hard to find in late summer. There are paved roads leading to 2 dirt lots off route 302. A lower lot and an upper lot (near the North Conway Scenic train tracks and closer to the trail head). There is a $5 fee to pay that is self-serve. About 75 cars or so can fit in these two lots.
- Location : A popular trail in New Hampshire to hike showcasing one of New Hampshire’s tallest waterfalls. The hike is 2.8 miles and normally takes about an hour and 40 minutes to compete.
- Hours : I called the State Park and they said it is open 24/ 7. In winter they plow but there are no services available.
- Duration : We stayed 3 hours or so here but could have easily stayed longer
- Tips and Recommendations : Be prepared for a good workout as this trail goes up! our glutes were certainly working as were our entire legs. To those who wish to see the falls but don’t normally hike, this will be a challenge due to the steep terrain. For young children this also holds true. My kids ages 5 and 7 were fine but they are accustomed to hiking. (That doesn’t mean they didn’t have the usual kid-complaints of “I’m hungry” and “I’m tired” though. ) You can take dogs as long as they are on leashes.
Jewel : 👍🏼
Jamison : 👍🏼
If you enjoy hiking waterfall tails, be sure to see the less known Walter / Newton Natural Area. If you adore waterfalls, you NEED to visit Flume Gorge. For an overlook trail, we enjoyed the short but challenging trail at Echo Lake.
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