Royalston Falls, Massachusetts, United States
4.0 (29 reviews) Spent Ranking #2 in Royalston Waterfalls
Not a walk in the woods.
Follow a descending trail that leads to a deep, ancient gorge carved by prehistoric glacial meltwater to falls that plunge 45 feet into a basin.
Address
Route 32, Royalston, MA 01331
Website
http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/central-ma/royalston-falls.html
Current local date and time now
Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 8:41
User Ratings
4.0 based on (29 reviews)
Excellent
35%
Good
45%
Satisfactory
17%
Poor
0%
Terrible
3%
Reviews
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5Liz 5:00 PM Jul 3, 2020
Not a walk in the woods.
Nice hike, beautiful views but definitely be prepared for rugged terrain that isn't very well maintained, wear appropriate shoes, layered clothing, bring water and bug spray. The deerflies and mosquitoes are fierce. Seems to have gained popularity and at times is fairly crowded. My preference is more isolated hikes but if busy trails don't bother you, this is worth the hike to the falls.
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4Joan H 5:00 PM Oct 8, 2015
Chasing Waterfalls
After reading an article in the Boston Globe this past summer, we decided to take a trip out to Royalston, MA to try to find the 3 waterfalls mentioned in the article. Who knew there are waterfalls in MA? We relied on our GPS along with maps downloaded from the internet. Our first stop was Royalston Falls. This was the most challenging one to find as you have to park on Falls Rd and walk for close to a mile on a really rough, rock filled road, which I think was the most difficult part of the hike, to reach the trailhead. From the trailhead the walk was a bit challenging in parts,but not impossible for even beginner hikers. The falls were very pretty and worth the walk in. Our second stop was Spirit Falls just a little ways up the road. This was an easier walk on a pretty well established trail, but it wasn't as clearly marked and we weren't sure we were on the right trail. Luckily, we met a couple who assured us we were on the right path, and eventually came to the falls. They were kind of unassuming but pretty in their own way. Our 3rd and last stop was at Doane's Falls. This is right off the road over the Royalston/Athol line. There's a sign and a parking area and the falls are a short walk away. We also followed a well marked path that goes along the water and has places to stop so you can see the falls. The trail wasn't too bad. This one was my favorite because it matched my image of what a waterfall should be. It was a good although tiring and sweaty experience. The trails are remote and we only encountered 3 other people the entire time we were out walking/hiking in the woods. It took us about 4 hours to find and walk out to all 3 waterfalls. Overall, chasing waterfalls is not such a bad way to spend a beautiful fall day!
