Distance: 3 Miles
Difficulty: Easy side of moderate due to mud and potential slippery rocks.
Southern New Hampshire does not have a lot of waterfalls, so I love taking the opportunity to explore the ones we do have in our area.
Purgatory Falls is a series of three waterfalls. The Lower falls starts in Milford and then goes up to the Middle Falls and finally the Upper Falls located in Lyndeborough. The trail is about three miles from one end to the other. There is also an option for a side trail to a view point area. There are various parking lots along the trail if you do not want to hike the whole trail. Check out the map for more information.
When I hiked the trail with a friend we parked at the Upper Falls Parking lot on Purgatory Falls Road in Lyndeborough. The small parking lot is on a dirt road, which is not a thru road. From the parking lot we walked down to the Upper Falls and then the Middle Falls. The first part of the hike there is a single plank boardwalk. A few minutes down the trail you come to the first waterfall. Make sure you stop at the top and look across the waterfall to the "devils bean pot."
Since we have not had a lot of rain recently, the falls did not have a lot flow to them, but they were still pretty to look at. The lush greenery was also stunning. The trail is very rocky and some of the rocks are slippery when wet and the trail can be muddy, so make sure you wear appropriate footware.
In between the Upper and the Middle Falls is a smaller cascade that is not named, at least not that I know of.
Shortly after leaving the Middle Falls there is a trail to the left that is marked with orange blazes that has a steady incline up for about a half a mile. You then come to a field and an old road. Look behind you and you have a nice view of North Pack and Pack Monadnock Mountains.
From the view point we looped back around the class VI road to our cars. At this point I have not checked out the Lower Falls, but I am putting it on my list of hikes to check out. I would probably park at the Lower Falls Parking lot past Fitches Corner in Milford.
