The scenic Grand Falls is a classic example of a horseshoe or block-style falls. The falls is an imposing 40 feet tall and over 100 feet across. In strong conditions, the entire formation is a sheet of wild whitewater. In drier conditions, sections of the left side of the falls usually remain turbulent, while the right side features gentler horsetails of varying power. An upstream and out-of-sight dam affects the water level at the falls significantly, but there should always be at least some water flowing here. Grand Falls is beautiful year-round, as the sheer size of the river is likely to keep it from completely icing over. It is one of the most powerful and scenic undammed waterfalls in the Northeast. The falls is highly photogenic and should not be missed.

More on Grand Falls can be found on this hiking site. https://newenglandwaterfalls.com/me-grandfalls.html

This is a 4 to 6 hour ride for a family. You will want to bring a snack with you for when you get to the falls. There is no places to stop to eat or fuel up when you leave the forks area.

Parking, there is a public parking lot, on the left, before Northern Outdoors when coming north on 201. If that parking lot is full, there is also parking in the Forks, just across the bridge and turn right. This is referred to as the Ball Fields behind Berry’s Store.

From Northern Outdoors the ride is approximately a 70-mile round trip. Take the Kennebec River Trail up-stream (Northbound) to connect with ITS 86. Heading West on ITS 86 you will cross the Kennebec River before following the Dead River up-stream. At times deviating from the River the trail eventually meanders back towards the Dead where it makes its towering plunge at Grand Falls.

To return to Northern Outdoors, take ITS 86 east and connect back onto the Kennebec River Trail.