A gorgeous fall on North Branch Creek. It’s a woodland setting 100 steps from a dirt road. Great sense of enclosure with rock as high as 35 feet wraps 120 degrees around the water. There’s a steeply overhanging face on the right as you look upstream. The left side is the head wall containing the lip of the fall. Water has down cut deeply into the rock creating a notch about one yard wide. This is what accounts for the beauty of the fall; the water shoots out in one smooth torrent that plunges into a square-shaped pool with a cobble and sand bottom. Because of all the rock fall it's relatively shallow, not much better than seven feet deep. Birches produce heavy shade in the summer.

The fall faces southeast, directly opposite a sand beach that’s approximately 100 square feet, depending on water level. Water is very dark, but not at all cloudy. It glows olive green with the sun shining straight into it. Although there are a couple of cabins immediately above, all the rest of the watershed is mountain stream. I rate the water quality as excellent.

Given the “No Swimming” throughout the Rutland City Forest it would seem impossible to find a swimming hole along this road. McLaughlin, however, is outside the city forest, so you can peel off those sticky trousers and hop right in. Please note there’s evidence that this is a party spot. Some broken glass at the parking area.

Copyright Running Water Press 2002