Thoreau Falls
About
Thoreau Falls is a waterfall in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, part of the Pemigewasset Ranger District of White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. The nearest town is Bartlett, about 12 miles away, and the falls sit at roughly 2,300 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical July averages from the nearby Pinkham Notch weather station run around 75°F for highs and 53°F for lows, while winter highs stay below freezing from December through February. The surrounding area offers plenty to pair with a visit. The WM: Zealand Valley climbing area is about a mile away, and Zeacliff Trail and Lend-A-Hand are both within about two miles. Ethan Pond Shelter, about 2.5 miles off, is the closest place to camp.
Waterfall Facts
Elevation
2,302 ft
Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).
Location
Thoreau Falls
New Hampshire
Name and location: U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. View the GNIS record.
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: May–Sep. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 62–75°F and lows of 39–53°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Pinkham Notch, NH weather station, 13 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan26° high6° low
- Feb28° high7° low
- Mar36° high15° low
- Apr49° high27° low
- May62° high39° low
- Jun70° high48° low
- Jul75° high53° low
- Aug74° high52° low
- Sep68° high45° low
- Oct54° high35° low
- Nov42° high24° low
- Dec31° high14° low
Where it is
- Pemigewasset Wilderness · Wilderness
- Pemigewasset Ranger District · Ranger district
- White Mountain National Forest · National forest
- Nearest town
- Bartlett, New Hampshire · 12 mi
Source: Wilderness.net boundaries; USFS EDW boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places
Conditions
Active alerts for Pemigewasset Ranger District as of Oct 9, 2026:
Rattlesnake Fire – Pemigewasset Ranger District
fire-restriction · posted Aug 27, 2026
Source: USFS forest alerts
Nearby
- WM: Zealand ValleyRock climbing1 mi
- Zeacliff TrailHiking1.6 mi
- Lend-A-HandHiking2.1 mi
- Ethan Pond ShelterCamping2.5 mi
- Willey Range TrailHiking2.8 mi
- Guyot ShelterCamping3 mi
- WM: Kancamagus (Central)Rock climbing3.7 mi
- Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton WoodsLake fishing6.4 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
