Mad River Falls

Mad River Falls in South Oxford, Maine, is part of the White Mountain National Forest and overseen by the Forest Service. It's dog-friendly and a challenging trail for hikers.

Waterfall Details

• Type of waterfall: Horsetail and cascades
• Height: 70-foot drop
• Active season: May through October
• Trail difficulty: Moderate
• Trail length: 3.2 miles roundtrip
• Leash rules: Dogs on a leash

Mad River Falls is on the Royce Trail, which will follow and weave across the Cold River until it splits off to the Mad River. The trail itself is wooded and watery, either from the river crossing or the overflow onto the banks. Your feet will get wet, and the water will be cold.

Follow the yellow blazes of the trail. You'll know you're close when a relatively easy hike turns into a more robust uphill jaunt. A sign will point you to the falls on a spur trail.

You can get some views of the falls from above, but there's a pretty gnarly scramble to reach the best view from the base of the falls.

Dogs are welcome in the White Mountain National Forest; however, they must be leashed when in developed recreation areas such as campgrounds, picnic areas, trailhead parking lots, and on developed trails.

Please pick up after your pet as you go. Don't leave pet waste behind.

Waterfall Safety

The best time to visit the waterfall is in the summer when you can enjoy the swimming hole if you're brave enough for the scramble, but it will be a path filled with bugs. Plan for mosquito netting and bug spray for you and your pet.

Check the weather forecast for the previous days and check water levels ahead of time. While most hikes through the river crossings will be ankle to knee-deep, there are times the current could be much stronger and not safe to cross. You don't want to find that out when you've already done the bulk of the hike.

The water is tinged here, likely from tannins in the forest, but it's still not safe to drink the water. That goes for pets too. Carry your own drinking water.

While it sounds obvious to say that wet rocks are slippery, many a hiker has assumed they understand the slippery factor and still end up on their bums. Use trekking poles for water crossings and scrambling. Hiking boots need to have a great grip. The trail is muddy, with roots and rocks scattered throughout.

If the trail becomes too much to handle, backtrack. Don't forge ahead and create double the risks on the return trip. You won't have good mobile phone service here so a compass and paper map are necessary.

It's also important to note that Royce Trail isn't the same thing as East Royce Trail. They do connect, but starting at Brickett Place is the fastest hike compared to starting at Laughing Lion Trail and working your way south.

In addition, don't confuse this Mad River Falls with the one in New York.

Parking at Waterfall

You'll need a recreation pass from the Forest Service to park at Brickett Place off ME 113 near the New Hampshire state line. This road is closed when it's covered in snow, generally from sometime in October through May. The fee is on the honor system, but you can buy an annual pass at any Forest Service office.

From the trailhead to Mad River Falls, you can also access the Bickford Slides, but they are in opposite directions. To find the Mad River Falls trail (Royce Trail), cross the street from Brickett Place and look for the white sign on the trailhead, located on the opposite side of the road.

Waterfall Dog-Friendly Rating: B