08/25/2026
Here is another beautiful location we love sending our guests. Our nephews visit every summer and this is also one of their favorite spots to cool off. The water is cold and views are incredible!
In Maine, Step Falls Preserve is one of the most incredible places to spend a day cooling off during the warmer months, with rushing water, smooth rock ledges, and clear pools tucked into the woods near Newry. The 24-acre preserve follows Wight Brook, where the stream spills over broad granite and pegmatite ledges, forming a long chain of cascades, swimming holes, and natural spots for wading and relaxing. A roughly ¾-mile trail follows the brook toward the upper falls, becoming steeper near the top. Along the way, you’ll pass thick woods filled with birch, beech, hemlock, fir, spruce, and even a small grove of red pine. The rock here is especially old, with samples from around Step Falls dated to about 385 million years ago. Mahoosuc Land Trust now cares for the preserve after receiving it from The Nature Conservancy in 2012. Summer is perfect for enjoying the water, while fall covers the surrounding forest in bright color. Parking is limited and can fill quickly on hot summer weekends.
