Hike New England - Fletcher's Cascade via Fletcher's Cascade Trail

Fletcher's Cascade via Fletcher's Cascade Trail

Destination:		Fletcher's Cascade (2200')
Trails:		Drakes Brook Trail, Fletcher's Cascade Trail
Region:		NH - Central East White Mountain National Forest, Waterville Valley
Location:		Waterville Valley, NH
Rating:		Moderate
Features:		Cascades, brook
Distance:		3.2 miles
Elevation Gain:		800 feet (cumulative)
Hiking Time:		Typical: 2:00
Outing Duration:		Typical: 3:00
Season:		Summer
Hike Date:		08/05/2000
Last Updated:		01/20/2008
Weather:		About 65-70 degrees
Author:		Webmaster
Companions:		SDHrs: Marina, Ray W, Karen M, Sandy M, Dennis M, Genie, Elaine, Linda S, Sal S, Dave S, Marj W, Phil B, Pam S, Anne and Tom H, Mary, Linda B, Bob S, Kathy L, +6 others

Route Summary

Start on Drakes Brook Trail and follow that for 0.4 mile.
Upon reaching a fork, bear left to follow Fletcher's Cascade Trail.
After 100 yards, bear right at a fork and take Fletcher's Cascade Trail all the way up to the top of the cascades (1.2 miles on this trail).
Return via the same route.

Place	Split Miles	Total Miles
Drakes Brook Trailhead (1400')	0.0	0.0
Jct. Drakes Brook Trail/Fletcher's Cascade Trail (1540')	0.4	0.4
Fletcher's Cascade (bottom)	1.1	1.5
Fletcher's Cascade (top) (2200')	0.1	1.6
Fletcher's Cascade (bottom)	0.1	1.7
Jct. Drakes Brook Trail/Fletcher's Cascade Trail (1540')	1.1	2.8
Drakes Brook Trailhead (1400')	0.4	3.2

Map of hike route to Fletcher's Cascades (map by Webmaster)

Trail Guide

Cascade (photo by Sal Silvestre)

Twenty-five SDHrs participated in this fairly easy walk up to Fletcher's Cascades. It was a pleasant hike with the babbling Drakes Brook nearby for much of the way. Early on, there was an opening in the woods which afforded a view of nearby Noon Peak. This 2976-foot mountain rises dramatically above the trees, indulging us with an unexpected scenic treat.

Near the start of Fletcher's Cascades Trail, there has been a bunch of cutting done about 20 feet away from the trail along the non-brook side. Higher up on the trail, the huge pine tree that blocked the path last winter is still there, but a narrow trail now skirts around it.

The moist woods furnish an environment for many intriguing plants. Rose twisted stalk was sporting bright red berries, instead of the delicate pink flowers that we saw earlier in the season on Mount Kearsarge. There were several large and tall, red trilliums going to seed. Dewdrops (false violets) were creeping along the trail - these plants have white flowers and heart shaped leaves.

Also of interest was indian pipe which is a waxy, white colored plant terminated by a single nodding flower in the exact same color as its scaly stem. Indian pipes get their nourishment from subterranean fungi. This mutually beneficial mingling of underground fungi and plant roots is called mycorrhizae. The network of fungi that aids many plants, such as lady's slippers and trilliums, is called mycelium and can grow to enormous sizes. It continues to live, even when its above-ground counterparts, mushrooms, get picked or destroyed. One of the largest mycelium organisms found, covers 30 acres in Michigan and originated from a single spore more than a 1,000 years ago.

Noon Peak (photo by Sal Silvestre)

We spotted a neat mushroom that looked like a Tiffany lamp. It had a yellow base with an orange "lamp shade" and scattered about that surface were irregular-shaped yellow patches that seemed like perhaps they were scaling off but gave the illusion of the patchwork stained glass seen in the Tiffany shades. Another toadstool that wore yellow and orange colors had an almost flat, but slightly inverted top. I'm told that this shape allows it to hold rain water.

When the group reached the cascades, their attention turned to eating lunch. We relaxed on dry rocks that the water gracefully skirted around, while continuing its many-stepped fall farther downstream. Despite all the recent rain we've had in our area, the water flow was rather light.

Hemlock and birch stood on the shorelines. After lounging around for a while, part of the group decided to tackle the steep trail that continues up alongside the cascades to find the point where the water begins falling. From this elevated spot, the cascades dropped below us and out in front of us was Flume Peak. Off to the left, we could just barely make out the green swaths of the Waterville Valley ski area on Mount Tecumseh.

Welcome

Welcome hikers, walkers, and snowshoers!

This site is geared towards those that love to be outside. Whether you're looking for outdoor fitness and recreation or wishing to find peace and serenity through nature - we have suggestions for you.

Our free hiking trail guide resource offers everything from short, easy, nature walks to challenging mountain climbs above timberline in the alpine zone. The detailed trail reports with hike descriptions, trail maps, photos, and driving directions serve as a great planning tool. Many of the trail guides are based on hikes in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire.

We offer ideas for all seasons so take those boots or snowshoes out of the closet and go for a hike! Get revitalized and melt away stress; there's always a special peace or joy in being surrounded by nature whether you're all alone on a remote path or on a busy trail exchanging cheerful greetings with like-minded people.

HikeNewEngland.com covers hikes in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

NH - Central East

Driving Directions

From I-93 take the exit for Rt. 49.
Head east on Rt. 49 for approximately 8 miles (a little more I think).
The parking area is on the right, marked by a brown hiker sign by the side of the road (just after crossing Drakes Brook).
Once in the parking lot, there will be signs for Sandwich Mountain Trail, Drakes Brook Trail, and Fletcher's Cascade Trail.

From the parking lot, there are two signs for Drakes Brook Trail. One is a horizontally long sign that is for cross-country skiers; you can ignore this one (I think it hooks back up with the hiking trail after going up the hill and that section is re-routed so skiers won't have to go around the gate). As you pull into the parking lot, Drakes Brook Trail starts in approximately the left-hand lower corner (the north side).

Other Notes

WMNF Recreational Pass

A parking permit is required to park at White Mountain National Forest trailheads and parking areas. You can purchase a WMNF permit from the forest service and other vendors and can also pay-by-the-day using self-service kiosks located in many parking areas.

For more information on parking passes please refer to the White Mountain National Forest website.

Rates:

$5 per day
$30 for a year-long pass
$40 for a year for a household

More Fletcher's Cascade Trail Reports

Fletcher's Cascade via Fletcher's Cascade Trail on 12/25/1999

Website by LeapfrogProgramming.com

© 1998-2024

The information on this site may freely be used for personal purposes but may not be replicated on other websites or publications. If you want to reference some content on this site, please link to us.

Legend
	Difficulty Rating
	Hiking Time Comments
	Hiking Time Calculator
	Actual vs. Typical Hiking Times and Outing Durations
	Distances of Hikes
	Elevation Gain/Loss
	New England States
		Maine Regions
		Vermont Regions
		New Hampshire Regions
		Massachusetts Regions
		Connecticut Regions
		Rhode Island Regions
	Dates Comments
	Map Comments and Legend

Forest Statuses
	Please check the links below to get the latest status, closures, and alerts regarding forest roads, trails, and campgrounds.
		White Mountain National Forest
		WMNF Road Statuses on FB
		Green Mountain National Forest

Jump to Section
			Hike Summary
			Route Summary
			Mileage Splits
			Trail Map
			Trail Guide
			Driving Directions
			Other Notes
			More Fletcher's Cascade Trail Reports