There are a number of books and guidebooks published that focus on just waterfalls. Gregory Plumb has compiled a bibliography of such guidebooks. His list covers waterfalls from all over the United States. If you are looking for on-line references, check out my Other Links page.
The following printed materials might be of interest to any waterfall enthusiast focusing on the New England region (New England, and bordering New York and Quebec).
New England Waterfalls, third edition, by Greg Parsons & Kate B. Watson. The Countryman Press, © 2019. ISBN 978-1-68268-118-3 (On Amazon). This is an excellent book for anyone interested in the waterfalls of New England. It has a scope and style similar to this website although it contains many falls not covered by me here. The book has summary information, descriptions, and directions (including GPS coordinates) for all falls covered as well as many pictures. Highly recommended.
Hiking Waterfalls in New England by Eli Burakian. Falcon Guides, © 2015. ISBN 978-0-7627-8685-5 (On Amazon). Although this book covers many of the same falls as the book above, it emphasizes, as the title suggests, falls that requiring hiking to reach. The book contains maps for each of the falls and information about reaching them that are relevant for hikers.
Vermont Waterfalls by Russell Dunn. The Countryman Press, © 2015. ISBN 978-1-58157-240-7 (On Amazon). This excellent book by fellow waterfall enthusiast Russell Dunn focuses on Vermont. It is organized with a similar style to this website, although it contains interesting historical information about each fall.
Waterfalls of the White Mountains (Second Edition) by Bruce, Doreen, and Daniel Bolnick. Backcountry Publications, © 1999. ISBN 0-88150-464-5. This book is a must on the shelf of any New England region waterfall enthusiast. The authors give detailed descriptions of about 100 waterfalls in the White Mountain area of New Hampshire. Some of the falls described are near roads, but others require considerable hiking to reach. The book contains not only directions and descriptions of the falls, but also includes historical information about many of the falls as well.
Make A Splash by Jason Minor. Master Studios, © (date unknown). ISBN=0-9663556-0-1. This book primarily focuses on swimming holes in Vermont. However, in the process the author talks about many interesting Vermont waterfalls as well.
A Guide to Natural Places in the Berkshire Hills by René Laubach. Berkshire House, © 1992. ISBN 0-936399-25-2. This book describes a number of interesting natural areas in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Several waterfalls are described: Campbell Falls, Bash Bish Falls, Wahconah Falls, and Windsor Jambs. For each area described, the author focuses on the entire ecosystem of that area. For example, he describes the plant and animal communities to be found there. This broad treatment puts a nice perspective on the falls.
AMC White Mountain Guide by the Appalachian Mountain Club; published by the AMC, 29th edition © 2012. This book contains a complete description of the trails in the White Mountain Area. It is probably the most authoritative guide available to the extensive White Mountain trail system. Many waterfalls are mentioned in the trail descriptions. If you plan to hike in the White Mountains, you need this book.
The Adirondack Mountain Club's Guide to Adirondack Trails comes in seven volumes to cover the entire Adirondack region. In addition to being one of the most authoritative sources of information about hiking in the Adirondacks, these guides also describe numerous waterfalls in the area. Don't travel in the Adirondacks without having the proper ADK guide on hand!
Hiking Waterfalls New York by Randi Minetor. Falcon Guides, © 2019. ISBN 978-1-4930-4103-9 (On Amazon). This book is in a similar style to the Falcon Guide mentioned above on New England waterfalls. In fact, there are Falcon Guides for waterfall hikes in many states.
Waterfalls of the Adirondacks and Catskills by Derek Doeffinger and Keith Boas. McBrooks Press, © ISBN 0-935526-62-5. This is picture book that contains many fine photographs of waterfalls in New York. Each photograph is accompanied by a few paragraphs of text describing the falls or commenting on waterfalls in general. Directions to the falls are not generally provided. The introduction contains some overview material on the geology of waterfalls in the Adirondacks and Catskills mountains.
Before venturing out into the country looking for obscure waterfalls, you will want to acquire some good maps. Today it is common for people to use smartphone apps for road and trail navigation. Many such apps are available; I do not attempt to list or review them here (at this time). However, good paper maps are still recommended as backup in cases where phone service is not available, your phone battery discharges, or your phone is damaged or lost.
Standard road maps typically only show the major routes. While useful for getting to an area, they are not usually detailed enough to make the final approach to a waterfall. The best maps to get are from the USGS's topographic series. However, topographic maps are expensive—especially if you want to cover a large area with them.
I have found the DeLorme Maps to be an excellent substitute for USGS topographic maps. DeLorme maps can be purchased for every state. In addition to providing complete coverage of back roads, these maps also provide listings of various natural features, recreation areas, historic sites, and so forth. Some (not all) include information on waterfalls as well. Be aware, however, that in some cases, the markings on the DeLorme maps are off. There are instances where the location marked for a waterfall is significantly far away from the actual location.
Return to the Waterfalls of the New England Region page.