Lye Brook Falls Trail
Apr 1st, 2008 by hiddenvermont
Location: Manchester, VT
- Length: 4.6 mi. roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 600 ft. [750 ft gain, then decline of 150 ft]
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Average Hike Time: 3-4 hours roundtrip
- Notes: 1) Very busy with families and dogs on weekends. 2) This trail is an entry point into the Lye Brook Wilderness and can also be used for longer hikes to reach Bourn Pond, Stratton Pond, and Branch Pond.
GPS trailhead: N43°09.530 W073°02.446
GPS falls: N43°07.903 W073°02.391
USGS Map: Manchester Quad
Directions:
From Route 7 – Take Exit 4 (Manchester) onto Route 11/30 east/north. Go 1/4 mi., turn right onto East Manchester Rd. Go about 1 mi. and turn left onto Glen Rd., just before an overpass. Glen Rd. quickly forks, take the right fork onto the Lye Brook Access Rd. NOTE: This is a very pothole ridden gravel road, so drive very slowly! Take the access road to its end at the trailhead parking loop.
Description:
Lye Brook Falls is one of the highest waterfalls in Vermont, generally reported at 125 feet. The falls is a series of cascades, and depending on the season will have low to moderate flow. During low flow, the water looks like a lacy veil; during high flow the water plummets vigorously down the series of ledges. Both appearances have their fans.
The easy-to-follow trail is marked with blue blazes. The trail is a mild steady climb, which begins on an old logging railroad bed and travels through a mixed forest of hardwoods and softwoods. There are occasional rocky stretches. The trail crosses a few streams, which depending on the season may or may not have water, but there are established rock courses across them all. At 1.8 mi. there is a well-marked spur trail to the right (look for a Falls sign about 10 feet up a tree), which gradually descends about .5 mi. to the base of the falls. This stretch can often be muddy in 3 or 4 spots.
At the falls, there are a couple of observation locations and some convenient viewpoint rocks make a nice place for a rest break. Although tempting, the rocks at the base of the falls can be very slippery and wading or swimming is very risky.