Roaring Brook Falls

I went up to scout this one solo before dragging the whole family out, and I'm glad I did. It's the tallest single-drop waterfall in Connecticut, eighty feet in one clean shot, and that part lives up to the hype. Getting to it is a different story than I expected.

GPS drops you right at the end of Roaring Brook Road. Parking is minimal, basically a small lot plus whatever street parking you can grab, but it's free, no fee or sticker, and cell signal is solid at the trailhead. That last part matters more than it should, because the trail markings are almost nonexistent. I actually took a wrong turn once and had to double back. Do yourself a favor and pull up a trail app with the route downloaded before you start.

80 feet of water in one clean drop. You just have to earn the climb, and actually find it.

The first stretch is flat and easy, running right past Lily Pond, and that part you could genuinely do with a stroller. Then it turns. From there it's all dirt and rock, and it climbs, steep enough that I'd call it not for the faint of heart. About a mile and a half round trip. This is the honest part I got wrong before I went: this is not a hike for a three or five year old. I'd wait until the kids are preteen and up before bringing them on the climb.

The falls at the top are worth the work. Standing under eighty feet of water dropping in a single line is exactly the payoff you want. So this one's staying on the family list, just a few years out. When the girls are big enough for the climb, we'll go back and I'll write the real trip with their ratings.