The swimming-hole state
When the humid days of July and August roll in, Vermonters don’t head for pools — they head for the rivers, gorges and cascades that thread the Green Mountains. Thousands of years of glacial meltwater carved smooth chutes, deep emerald basins and natural rock slides into the bedrock, and the best of them sit only a short walk from the road.
Most are free, none require a hard hike, and all reward an early start before the parking fills. Here are five to build a summer day around, plus a handful more.
Warren Falls
Along the Mad River just off Route 100 in Warren, Warren Falls is widely called the best natural swimming hole in New England. Glacier-smoothed ledges form a natural water park — deep green pools 8 to 12 feet deep, pre-formed rock jumping platforms and long, slick water slides into clear basins. A flat 0.2-mile path from the highway pull-off leads straight to the river. Arrive before 10am on warm weekends, when the lot fills fast.
Bingham Falls
On Route 108 toward Smugglers' Notch near Stowe, Bingham Falls plunges about 40 feet through a narrow gorge into a wide, cold pool. The 0.6-mile round-trip trail descends through hemlocks, with steep, slippery stone steps on the final approach. The force of the cascade has carved a circular swimming bowl walled by rock — dramatic, and best photographed in morning light. Keep off the wet rim and swim only in the lower pools.
Moss Glen, Texas Falls & more
Stowe’s Moss Glen Falls sends a 125-foot ribbon down a granite face, reached by an easy boardwalk and short climb — one of the tallest and most photogenic falls in the state for minimal effort. Elsewhere, more cascades reward a short walk.
Texas Falls (Hancock) — a roadside gorge and interpretive loop over the Middlebury Gap.
Hamilton Falls (Jamaica) — a 100-foot fall reached from the West River rail trail.
Buttermilk Falls (Ludlow) — shallow, sunny, family-friendly pools minutes from Okemo.
Falls of Lana (Salisbury) — cascades above Lake Dunmore with swimming below.
Beyond the falls: quarries & rivers
Vermont’s swimming isn’t only waterfalls. The Dorset Quarry in Bennington County — the first commercial marble quarry in North America — is now a beloved spring-fed swimming hole with clear, cold water and marble ledges for jumping. Bristol’s Bartlett Falls on the New Haven River is a local favorite with a ledge and a big pool, and countless bends on the White, West and Mad Rivers hide quiet holes known mostly to locals.
Swim safe, tread light
A few rules keep these places safe and open. Never dive or jump without checking depth first — levels change with rainfall, and rocks shift. Waterfall rims and wet ledges are dangerously slick; every year sees serious accidents at Vermont falls, so stay behind barriers and out of the current above a drop. Many swimming holes sit on or beside private land or fill tiny lots — park legally, bring nothing glass, pack out every scrap and keep the noise down. Arrive early, and the reward is a cold, clear Vermont pool nearly to yourself.
Good to know
Where’s the best swimming hole in Vermont?+
Warren Falls on the Mad River is often called the best natural swimming hole in New England — deep pools, rock slides and an easy 0.2-mile walk.
Are the waterfalls easy to reach?+
Yes — Warren, Moss Glen and Texas Falls are short, easy walks; Bingham Falls is a steeper 0.6-mile round-trip into a gorge.
Is it safe to jump in?+
Only where locals do and after checking depth — levels change with rain, rims are slippery, and there are serious accidents every year. Swim in the lower pools, never above a drop.
When should I go?+
Warm July and August days, but arrive before 10am — the small parking areas fill quickly on weekends.
Can I swim in the Dorset Quarry?+
Yes — the historic marble quarry in Dorset is a popular spring-fed swimming hole with clear, cold water.