Big Falls

Troy · Northeast Kingdom

A short NEK gorge trail with big-river energy and real payoff.

Swimming

Wading and swimmi…

Access

Short state-park trail

Parking

Calm

Water

Moderate

Footing

Slick

Light

Bright

Difficulty

Reward

Risk

Open On Map Conditions Nearby

Good fit

Road-trip waterfall stops with almost no hike

People who want a big river gorge in the NEK

Visitors comfortable scouting the lower river conservatively

Skip

The Missisquoi is high, loud, or pushy

You want a tiny brook pool instead of a major river

You are treating the gorge like a jump spot

Before you go

The trail is short, but the river is never a casual assumption.
Use the signed Big Falls State Park parking area.
Scout the lower river from shore before stepping near the water.
The gorge walls and current make this more serious than it first looks.
Cell service is sparse enough that you should not rely on it.

Photos

Nearby Spots

Jay Branch Pools1.3 mi awaySwimming Holes
Jay Branch Pools are a lower-key Northeast Kingdom brook stop built around the clear Jay Branch corridor, with cold running water, rocky shelves, and a much less structured feel than the better-known northern Vermont swim holes. It is best approached as a scout-first local river page: easy to cool off in the right conditions, but too lightly formalized to treat like a managed destination.View Guide
Trout River Falls13 mi awaySwimming Holes
Trout River Falls is a Montgomery swimming hole where two short falls drop into a vivid green pool locals also call Three Holes. The pull-off is tiny and the last approach follows the river itself, so save this one for low water and scout every move before you commit.View Guide
Lowell Falls13 mi awayWaterfalls
Lowell Falls helps extend Northeast Kingdom waterfall coverage with a real named stop that is more about regional depth than blockbuster demand. It belongs in the catalog as a simple, scout-first waterfall page.View Guide
Jay Branch Gorge14 mi awayWaterfalls
Jay Branch Gorge is the more dramatic waterfall-style page in the northern Vermont Jay Branch corridor, with a tighter gorge feel and more visual payoff than the softer brook pages nearby. It is still a scout-first NEK coverage page, but it gives the catalog another real northern gorge stop.View Guide
Jeff Falls14 mi awayWaterfalls
Jeff Falls is another northern Vermont named waterfall page that gives the catalog more coverage in a region already rich with small brook features. It fits best as a modest scenic stop with authority value.View Guide
Kings Hill Brook Falls23 mi awayWaterfalls
Kings Hill Brook Falls is a better-than-average Franklin County waterfall add because it has a distinctive setting below bridges and a pool that keeps it from feeling like throwaway authority content. It is still a lower-demand page, but it rounds out northern Vermont well.View Guide