Moss Glen Falls

Moss Glen Falls, near the resort town of Stowe, is one of the most beautiful and beloved waterfalls in Vermont — a graceful, multi-tiered cascade that drops about 125 feet through a lush, mossy gorge in the Green Mountains. The falls tumble in several stages over rock ledges into a narrow, fern-draped chasm, a serene and scenic spot reached by a short, easy walk.

Set within the C.C. Putnam State Forest near Stowe, the falls are framed by hemlock and hardwood forest that glows with color in autumn, and the cool, shaded gorge stays lush and green through summer. A short trail leads to viewpoints of the cascade, making it an accessible and rewarding stop. (Vermont has another Moss Glen Falls near Granville; this one is the Stowe falls.) A graceful Green Mountain cascade, Moss Glen Falls is a treasured natural icon of Vermont.

Moss Glen Falls near Stowe is reached by a short, fairly easy trail to viewpoints of the multi-tiered cascade and its mossy gorge, with a steeper path climbing for higher views. It makes a lovely, accessible nature walk, often combined with the many other attractions of nearby Stowe (hiking, biking the rec path, Mount Mansfield, Smugglers’ Notch). Viewing and photographing the graceful falls and the lush gorge is the signature draw. The combination of an easily reached, beautiful waterfall and the scenic Stowe area makes Moss Glen Falls a beloved stop.

Spring brings the fullest, most powerful flow as snowmelt swells the stream, while summer offers a cool, lush, green and shaded retreat, and fall frames the falls in spectacular Vermont foliage. Winter turns the falls into striking ice (the trail can be icy and hazardous). The falls are fullest in spring; the foliage peaks in early October. Spring for the fullest flow and fall for the color are the highlights — come after snowmelt or rain for the most dramatic cascade, or in summer for a cool, green escape, and wear good footwear on the sometimes-muddy trail.

The Green Mountains and the Stowe area are part of the homeland of the Abenaki people. Moss Glen Falls has long been a beloved local scenic spot near the resort town of Stowe, protected within the C.C. Putnam State Forest. The falls and the surrounding forest are part of the rich network of natural attractions that have made Stowe one of Vermont’s premier four-season destinations. Moss Glen Falls preserves this graceful cascade and its mossy gorge, a treasured natural icon of Vermont.

Moss Glen Falls drops about 125 feet in several tiers where a mountain stream descends steeply through the metamorphic bedrock (schist) of the Green Mountains, cutting a narrow, mossy gorge as it tumbles over resistant rock ledges. The Ice Age glaciers and the steep mountain gradient set the stage, and the stream continues to carve the gorge and shape the cascade. The hard bedrock, the steep gradient and the down-cutting stream created this graceful, multi-tiered waterfall and its fern-draped chasm.

The forested gorge around Moss Glen Falls hosts white-tailed deer, and a birdlife of forest songbirds, woodpeckers and the occasional raptor, while the cool, shaded, moist gorge shelters salamanders, mosses and ferns, and the stream holds trout. The hemlock and hardwood forest supports varied wildlife. While visited mainly for the falls, the surrounding Green Mountain forest offers glimpses of Vermont’s wildlife in a cool, lush setting around the cascade.

Moss Glen Falls is set in a cool, moist gorge within hemlock and northern-hardwood forest, where the constant shade and spray nourish lush mosses, ferns and shade-loving plants (giving the falls its name), within the C.C. Putnam State Forest. The gorge microclimate supports rich, green plant communities, and the surrounding forest is spectacular in fall. The mossy gorge and the stream are sensitive to trampling and erosion. Protecting the stream’s water, the gorge and the surrounding forest sustains both the ecology and the lush beauty of Moss Glen Falls.

Moss Glen Falls holds a treasured place among the natural icons of Vermont — one of the state’s most beautiful and beloved waterfalls, a graceful multi-tiered cascade in a lush, mossy gorge near the famous resort town of Stowe. Its serene beauty, accessible setting and brilliant autumn surroundings embody the scenic charm of the Green Mountains. Moss Glen Falls is a cherished natural icon of Vermont.

Moss Glen Falls (the Stowe falls) is near Stowe in north-central Vermont, within the C.C. Putnam State Forest, reached via Randolph Road and Moss Glen Falls Road off Route 100 north of Stowe village, about 40 minutes from Burlington. There is no fee; a small parking area serves the trailhead (it fills on busy days). A short trail leads to the falls, with a steeper option for higher views. There are no services at the falls. (Note: a different Moss Glen Falls is near Granville, Vermont.) Check Vermont Forests, Parks & Recreation and local sources for trail and parking info before visiting.

Vermont Forests, Parks & Recreation protects Moss Glen Falls and its forest. Visitors help by staying on the trail to protect the fragile mossy gorge and prevent erosion (and for safety), not climbing on the slippery falls or eroding the steep banks, protecting the stream and forest, packing out everything, and following all rules. The mossy gorge, the stream and the forest are sensitive to trampling. Protecting the stream, the gorge and the surrounding forest sustains both the ecology and the lush beauty of Moss Glen Falls.

The trail to Moss Glen Falls can be muddy, rooty and slippery, and the steeper paths to higher viewpoints climb near steep, eroding banks and drop-offs — wear good footwear, watch your footing, keep back from the edges and the slippery rocks, and never climb on the falls (people have been injured at Vermont waterfalls). Supervise children near the water and edges. In winter, the trail and falls are icy and hazardous. Respect the slippery trail, the steep banks, the drop-offs and the slippery falls.

There is no fee. Stay on the designated trail; do not climb on the falls or the steep, eroding banks. Park only in the small designated area (do not block roads or driveways). Pets must be leashed/controlled. Drones are restricted. Do not litter; pack out all trash. Swimming/wading near the falls is dangerous and discouraged. Follow Leave No Trace and any posted rules. Check Vermont Forests, Parks & Recreation and local sources for trail, parking and current conditions before visiting.

The resort town of Stowe (with Mount Mansfield, the rec path, shops and dining), Smugglers’ Notch, the Green Mountains and the Long Trail, and the scenic Route 100 corridor lie near the falls. Stowe and the Green Mountains define the region. Moss Glen Falls is a lovely waterfall stop near Stowe, a centerpiece of a Green Mountains visit, easily combined with Stowe, Mount Mansfield, Smugglers’ Notch and the Route 100 scenic drive.

Take the short trail to view the graceful, multi-tiered Moss Glen Falls and its mossy gorge — come in spring (or after rain) for the fullest flow, in summer for a cool green escape, or in fall for spectacular foliage. Wear good footwear for the muddy, sometimes-slippery trail, stay on the path and back from the steep, eroding banks (never climb on the falls), and arrive early for the small parking area on busy days. Combine your visit with Stowe, Mount Mansfield and Smugglers’ Notch nearby.