Vermont’s Scenic Route 100 Byway is one of the most beautiful drives in New England, and in spring, the waterfalls are the highlight! Snowmelt surges through the streams, the hills are turning green, and the waterfalls are thundering.
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This road trip strings together eight of Vermont’s most spectacular waterfalls, from Stowe all the way down Route 100 with a few small detours. With a mix of roadside stops and short hikes along the way, this drive is the perfect Vermont weekend adventure! Pack snacks, download your offline maps (service is spotty!), and let’s go!
A Note on Mud Season
One heads-up before you hit the road: spring means mud season in Vermont and many hiking trails are closed. When hikers walk on saturated, waterlogged trails, they cause soil compaction, erosion, and lasting damage to the trail and surrounding vegetation. Higher elevation trails take the longest to dry out, and a trail that looks fine at the trailhead can be a muddy mess further up.
As a general rule, stay below 3,000 feet in April and May, stick to hardwood forests at lower elevations, and if the trail is so muddy you’re tip-toeing onto the vegetation to keep your feet dry, turn around. If you’re not sure, check Trail Finder, a helpful, free, interactive mapping site that keeps track of open vs. closed trails across Vermont and New Hampshire. Typically by Memorial Day Weekend, all trails are ready for hiking.
Thankfully, every waterfall on this list sits at a relatively low elevation, which makes this waterfall road trip a perfect spring adventure even during mud season. Bring microspikes for early spring hikes and pack layers because Vermont weather has a sense of humor (we hiked Lye Brook Falls on a 70-degree March day and it was snowing again the next day).
Stop 1: Stowe
Kick off your road trip in Stowe, where you can knock out two great waterfalls right off the bat.
Moss Glen Falls (Stowe)
Start here. The Moss Glen Falls in Stowe is the tallest waterfall in Vermont and it’s very easy to visit. You’ll reach the falls after walking along a half-mile of mostly-flat trail with a short steep climb at the end to reach the best viewpoint. It’s partially boardwalk, completely free, no reservation needed, and dogs are welcome.
Important: there are TWO Moss Glen Falls in Vermont. This one is in Stowe. You’ll meet the other one later on this road trip. They are not the same. Don’t mix them up.
Bingham Falls
Bingham Falls is arguably the most beautiful waterfall we’ve seen so far in Vermont. It’s like something out of a fairytale. Still in Stowe, about 20 minutes away from Moss Glen Falls, you reach the falls via a short hike from the small parking lot. The 0.5-mile out-and-back, generally flat trail ends at a viewpoint higher up above the falls. If you’re comfortable doing so, you can make the slippery scramble down to the base of the falls for the view below.
Roadside parking fills fast, especially on nice weekends. If you end up going later in May and want to do an overnight, Smuggler’s Notch State Park will be open by then, and has tent sites, lean-tos, and hot showers! We’ve also enjoyed staying at Outbound Stowe in town.
Stop 2: Granville
Head south on Route 100 and keep your eyes open or you might just miss this next one!
Moss Glen Falls (Granville)
Yes, really… another Moss Glen Falls. Not sure who was in charge of naming them. This one sits right along the Route 100 Byway in Granville, VT. There once was a small boardwalk leading from the parking lot to the falls, but this was damaged a few years ago in a flood, and was still closed last we checked. You can still appreciate the falls from the road. Park in the small parking lot and walk south along the right side of the road on the other side of the guardrail for safety. This is a great spot to stretch your legs on the drive south.
Stop 3: Warren
A few miles further south, Warren Falls is one of Vermont’s most popular and lovely swimming holes.
Warren Falls
Just 0.2 miles from the parking lot, Warren Falls are most impressive in spring with high flow. If you’re visiting later in the season and considering swimming, treat this one with serious respect: people have sadly lost their lives here. Do not enter the water if it has rained in the past 24 hours, if the water looks murky. We also advise checking the Moretown monitoring station and avoid entering the water if the USGS flow rate is above 300 cubic feet per second or the gage height is above 4 feet. Enjoy the view, read the conditions, and make smart decisions.
Stop 4: Hancock
Continue south to Hancock, and take a short detour west on Vermont route 125 to where one of the most geologically interesting stops on the whole trip is waiting.
Texas Falls
What sets Texas Falls apart is the story carved into the rock itself: the falls and potholes here began forming at the end of the last ice age, roughly 12,000 years ago, sculpted by glacial meltwater over millennia. The footbridge crosses what remains of a massive glacial pothole in the Green Mountain National Forest. The falls are fairly close to the parking lot, but there is a pleasant 1-mile loop you can walk as well. It’s free to visit, dog-friendly, and no reservation is needed.
Stop 5: Killington
Just a short hop off Route 100, this one is worth the minor detour.
Thundering Brook Falls
This 0.5-mile boardwalk trail in the Green Mountain National Forest is the first universally accessible section of the Appalachian Trail in Vermont, making it a waterfall experience that almost anyone can enjoy. The falls rank 6th tallest in the state, it’s free, leashed dogs are welcome, and it doubles as a fantastic birdwatching spot. It’s easy, beautiful, and often overlooked.
Stop 6: Ludlow
Buttermilk Falls
Located in Okemo State Forest just outside Ludlow, Buttermilk Falls is a short walk from the parking area, making it an easy add-on to this Route 100 road trip. The draw to Buttermilk Falls in warmer months is the swimming: both the upper and lower falls have great swimming holes, perfect for a hot summer day. It’s free to visit, dog-friendly, and there is parking available near both the upper and lower falls.
Stop 7: Manchester
Finish the road trip with a detour to the quaint town of Manchester for the most rewarding, and most strenuous waterfall hike on the list.
Lye Brook Falls
Of all the waterfalls on this itinerary, Lye Brook Falls requires the most effort to get to. The trail is 4.5 miles out-and-back with 925 feet of elevation gain, and it leads to gorgeous multi-tiered falls reminiscent of a wedding cake. We hiked to Lye brook on a sunny 70-degree day in late March, but there were still sections of ice and snow on the trail and at the falls so be sure to bring microspikes if you’re hiking in early spring. This one is also free, requires no reservation, and dogs are welcome on leash.
Plan Your Route 100 Waterfall Road Trip
Now that you know what to expect, start planning your Vermont spring waterfall road trip!
Here’s the full north-to-south order (though you certainly could do it the opposite way!):
Stowe (Moss Glen Falls + Bingham Falls) → Granville (Moss Glen Falls) → Warren (Warren Falls) → Hancock (Texas Falls) → Killington (Thundering Brook Falls) → Ludlow (Buttermilk Falls) → Manchester (Lye Brook Falls)
Where to Stay
- Stowe area: Outbound Stowe. Close to downtown Stowe and direct access to the Stowe Recreation Path. Stay in one of their iconic Scandinavian-inspired one bedroom cabins! Or camp at the Smugglers’ Notch State Park featuring 20 tent sites, 14 lean-tos, restrooms with flush toilets, hot/cold running water, and coin-op showers.
- Warren area: The Pitcher Inn, a charming escape full of cozy elegance, warm hospitality, and Vermont character. Your stay includes a full breakfast, featuring freshly made croissants that are legitimately the best we’ve ever had. There’s also an on-site spa. The Pitcher Inn is also a great base for an incredible Scenic Route 100 Waterfall Roadtrip! We can’t recommend this stay more highly!
- Killington area: Après Inn Killington a super cute newly-renovated boutique motel located directly on Killington’s main access road. Choose Killington Grand Hotel for a full-service experience with on-site restaurant, cafe, spa, outdoor heated pool, and easy access to Killington Resort year-round via a pedestrian foot bridge.
- Manchester area: The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa, a charming and historic, dog-friendly resort in the heart of the Green Mountains with on-site spa and restaurants, indoor heated pool, and outdoor hot tub open year-round.
You could realistically hit the roadside stops and shorter trails in a single long day, but if you want to take it all in and not feel rushed, plan for a full weekend. This will allow you to add in some spontaneous stops along Vermont’s Route 100 for a maple creemee or two, which is always a good idea.
If you’re looking for a great GPS-based driving guide for the Vermont Scenic Route 100 Byway, we highly recommend using Guide Along! We have used so many of their tours across the U.S. and we love the local history they provide and the gems they introduce us to!
Vermont is not necessarily known for its waterfalls, but this road trip will have you realizing that the Green Mountain State is full of surprises. With over 100 named falls hidden throughout Vermont, the Scenic Route 100 Byway waterfall trail will give you a whole new appreciation for what’s been roaring through these mountains all along, and just how easy it is to go find them!
