Shelburne Falls is a 15-foot cascade on the LaPlatte River in Shelburne, Vermont, where the river slides over tilted bedrock inside LaPlatte Nature Park, about 145 acres of town-owned open space. An accessible overlook sits a few minutes' walk from Falls Road.
The falls
Lidar data describes a long, gradual sliding cascade over angularly stratified bedrock that ends in a steeper drop, with a total of about 15 feet. Earlier surveys listed 20 feet in two drops. The same 15 feet can also be read as low-angle cascades and slides, with a main drop of about 5 feet that is wider than it is tall, emptying into a shallow pool.
Getting there
From I-89 exit 13, take I-189 west and US-7 south for 4.7 miles to Falls Road, then 0.7 mile to the bridge over the LaPlatte River. The access road on the left just before the bridge is open only to vehicles with a handicap sticker; accessible parking is near the Falls Overlook at the park's south entrance off Falls Road. Other lots serve the park at the community gardens off LaPlatte Circle, at Shelburne Shopping Park and behind Shelburne Supermarket. The walk to the falls is under 0.1 mile and about 30 feet downhill, rated easy.
When to go
May to October is the recommended season. The park's trails are also used for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter.
On site
A short path leads to an accessible observation platform. The rocks below it are slippery. Swimming is rated fair but the water quality is questionable, and whitewater kayakers occasionally run the falls. Dogs are welcome under owner control but must stay out of the community gardens, and motorized vehicles are not allowed in the park.
History and name
Ira Allen built a sawmill and gristmill here around 1786, per the town's park brochure. The 1927 flood destroyed the gristmill, the dams and the bridge, and the present memorial overlook was built in 2012.
Nearby
Old Mill Falls is about 5.9 miles away, Mechanicsville Falls about 6.3 miles, Lewis Creek Falls about 7.7 miles and Allen Brook Cascade about 8 miles.
Distances are straight-line.