Warren Falls is a 20-foot tiered cascade on the Mad River in Washington County, Vermont, a chain of short drops and deep, clear pools in the Green Mountain National Forest just south of Warren. It is a long-standing swimming hole, and on weekends it has been called the busiest place in the national forest.
The falls
Three steps of roughly 7, 10 and 3 feet spread over a 130-foot run of steep cascade, each dropping into a scoured pothole. The last pool is about 20 feet deep. Earlier surveys counted four drops. The river runs between gorge walls here, with the water tinted green in the pools.
Getting there
Parking is off Route 100 south of Warren village; the trailhead is at a dirt pullout on the west side of the road about 0.9 miles south of the Mad River bridge. An easy, gently graded trail of about 0.1 mile leads to an accessible overlook, with other marked paths down to the river. The site was listed as free in 2016.
A 2020 report counted 67 cars parked illegally along the road at once, and a truck hit a family's vehicle while squeezing past them. No-parking signs are posted along the highway; if the lots are full, come back later.
When to go
May through October is the recommended season. The pools are best for swimming at low flow; after heavy rain the river runs high and fast.
On site
Fast currents, deep pools and high cliffs make this a hazardous place to swim. The rock is slippery when wet. Cliff jumping always carries a high degree of risk; scout any pool before going in. People have drowned here. On August 10, 2024, the day after heavy storms, a 35-year-old man slipped into the Mad River while crossing it at the falls; divers recovered his body four days later. Stay out of the water when it is high.
Dogs are allowed. Local reports describe trash, toilet paper and eroded side paths from heavy use; pack out everything and stay on the marked paths.
History and name
In the late 1800s and early 1900s the falls were known as Carleton Falls, a name that fell out of use more than a century ago.
Nearby
Lincoln Brook Falls is about 0.6 miles away, Trout Hollow, also on the Mad River, about 1.2 miles, and The Punch Bowl about 3.9 miles. The town of Lincoln is about 6.6 miles to the west.
Distances are straight-line.