Enders Falls is a 121-foot series of six tiered falls on Enders Brook in Enders State Forest, Connecticut, in the town of Granby near the Barkhamsted line. A short trail with stone steps follows the brook past the drops and their plunge pools, and the state charges nothing to park.
The falls
Enders Brook drops in six horsetail steps of roughly 10, 18, 26, 6, 26 and 15 feet, with the upper four grouped closer together than the lower two. Earlier surveys listed 81 feet in five drops, while other descriptions count five falls with drops including a 30-foot horsetail and plunge. Bedrock outcrops across the hilly forest form cascades, low waterfalls and plunge pools along the stream.
Getting there
The trail starts from a large parking lot off Barkhamsted Road. The purple-blazed waterfall trail is an easy loop of about half a mile to three quarters of a mile, with 172 feet of climbing, 173 stone steps, and a short steep spur down to the last falls. There is no parking fee, and the forest gates are open from 8 a.m. to sunset all year under management by DEEP.
When to go
April through November is the recommended season, and spring is a prime time to watch the snowmelt freshet. The trail stays open year-round, but the boardwalks along the brook turn slick when wet or icy.
On site
The falls have a record of injuries and medical emergencies, with multiple serious falls reported. There is no handicap access. Steep slopes, cliffs and wet rocks are extremely slippery, and swimming and wading are discouraged. Stay on the stone-dust trail and view the falls from a safe distance; nearby Stratton Brook State Park in Simsbury offers swimming facilities. Dogs are allowed on a leash.
History and name
The forest carries the name of John Ostrom Enders and Harriet Whitmore Enders. Their children gave 1,500 acres in their memory, and Connecticut accepted it as its 29th state forest on April 2, 1970. Later purchases have brought it to nearly 2,100 acres.
Nearby
Carpenters Falls on Beach Brook is about 1.4 miles away, Northgate Falls about 2.9 miles and Falls Brook Falls about 5.9 miles.
Distances are straight-line.