A 50-foot plunge into a narrow gorge, Pitcher Falls sits about 200 feet from Champney Falls in Carroll County, New Hampshire.
The falls
The falls drop from an unnamed, runoff-fed branch of Champney Brook at an 85-degree pitch over a 20-foot run, with an average high flow of about 1 cubic foot per second, into a flume gorge. A survey conducted in person in October 2023 put the total height at 50 feet in a single drop.
Getting there
The route starts at the Champney Falls Trailhead on New Hampshire Route 112, about ten miles west of Route 16. The loop to the falls begins 1.4 miles in and rejoins the main trail after another 0.3 mile. Reaching the base means leaving the trail, crossing Champney Brook and rock-hopping about 200 feet into the gorge.
When to go
The October 2023 survey visit found the water barely flowing and expected a stronger display during spring snowmelt.
On site
Trees along the trail partly block the view of the falls; seeing them clearly means leaving the trail and entering the sheer-walled gorge below. Fees, permits, swimming rules, dog rules and hazards beyond the rough approach are not documented.
Nearby
Champney Falls is about 0.1 mile away, and Rocky Gorge and Lower Falls of the Swift, both on the Swift River, are about 2.1 and 3.3 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.