Screw Auger Falls

The smooth, twisting shape of Screw Auger Falls is a record of the last ice age and the millennia since. As the great glaciers retreated, torrents of meltwater and rock scoured the Bear River's channel, and the river has continued the work ever since, grinding the hard granite into a polished, sinuous gorge.

Look closely and you can see potholes drilled into the rock, round basins spun out by stones caught in the current and whirled against the bedrock for ages. The whole formation is a small masterpiece of erosion, which is why geologists and photographers prize it as much as picnicking families do.

Screw Auger Falls lies within Grafton Notch State Park, which protects a rugged mountain pass along Route 26 in the town of Newry. The notch is a corridor of steep forested slopes, cliffs, and streams, and the road through it is a scenic drive in its own right, especially in autumn.

The park is more than this one waterfall. Other cascades such as Mother Walker Falls and the Cataracts lie a short distance up the road, and trailheads climb toward Old Speck and the Mahoosuc Range. The Appalachian Trail passes through the notch, making it a well-known waypoint for long-distance hikers as well as day visitors.

The falls are just a short, mostly level walk from the roadside parking area, which makes them accessible to almost everyone. That ease is part of the appeal, but it also draws crowds on warm weekends, and the setting demands respect.

The polished granite is deceptively slick, the gorge is deep, and the current is strong when the river is high. People have been injured slipping on the wet rock, so the safe way to enjoy Screw Auger is from the dry ledges and overlooks, keeping children within arm's reach and staying out of the gorge itself when the water is running fast.

Spring is the falls at full force, swollen with snowmelt and roaring through the gorge. It is the most powerful and dramatic time to see them, though the rocks are at their most dangerous and the pools too cold and fast for wading.

By high summer the river settles down, the granite warms, and the calmer pools become a favorite spot to cool off on a hot day, always with care. Autumn wraps the notch in color and is one of the loveliest times to visit, while winter turns the gorge to ice and quiet, a stark counterpoint to the summer crowds.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.