Silver Cascade tumbles about 540 feet down the southwestern flank of Mount Jackson in Crawford Notch State Park, New Hampshire, in the town of Hart's Location, Carroll County. It can be seen without leaving the roadside on US 302.
The falls
The brook comes down the mountainside in a long chain of plunges and steep cascades before passing under the highway on its way to the Saco River. A USGS lidar survey measured the full drop at about 540 feet — far more than the 200 to 250 feet visible from the road — with the highest tiers only visible from the railroad tracks across the valley. Counted that way, Silver Cascade is taller overall than Arethusa Falls. The brook is called Silver Cascade Brook, runs year-round, and carries about 10 cubic feet per second in the wetter half of the year and about 1 in the drier half.
Getting there
The falls sit right beside US 302, where large pullouts on either side of the bridge give parking. No hike is needed. The roadside view is wheelchair accessible and free.
When to go
May to October is the recommended season, especially during spring runoff and fall foliage. Being roadside, the falls draw heavy visitation.
On site
Bare rock at the foot of the falls invites easy scrambling, but several visitors have died over the years after climbing higher up the cascades; the rock is slippery, so stay at the base. There is no swimming. Leashed dogs are allowed throughout Crawford Notch State Park, and drones may not take off or land in New Hampshire state parks.
Nearby
Flume Cascade is about 0.1 mile away, and Upper Flume Cascade about 0.3 mile. Beecher Cascade on Crawford Brook and Gibbs Falls on Gibbs Brook are each about 1 mile away.
Distances are straight-line.