The Easy 1.6-Mile Roaring Brook Trail Will Lead You Through The New York Mountains
By Raymond Goldfield|Updated on March 27, 2024(Originally published February 09, 2022)
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Raymond Goldfield
Author
Raymond Goldfield is a life-long New Jersey resident and an avid traveler and foodie who can be usually found on the Jersey Shore during the offseason or checking out the latest seasonal flavors at The Bent Spoon in Princeton. He has been working for Only In Your State for since early 2022, where he writes for New Jersey and Iowa and edits the Mid-Atlantic region. He can also be found writing about pop culture for GeekDad. When at home, he enjoys reading comic books and is part of The Rabbitt Stew podcast team. While New Jersey is his home base, he travels regularly and has visited Virginia, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, and Canada as well as all of NJ's border states. Ultimate travel goal? Visit all the best buffets in the United States.
From mountain views to fall foliage and even the occasional waterfall, the hiking trails of upstate New York hold a lot of natural beauty. It’s rare to find them all in one place, but this 1.6-mile trail in Keene packs a surprising number of sights in a small package. At the perfect length for a day trip, this unspoiled trail takes you through a quiet region of the state near the Vermont border. So if you find yourself in the Adirondack Mountains region this is a great addition to add to your list of must-see trails for your trip. Join us for a look at the Roaring Brook Trail…
Roaring Brook Trail in Keene, New York is one of the most perfect places to take in the stunning views of upstate New York.
We found that the section closest to the waterfall was where you found most of the rocks. The rocks were wet and slippery but after we took our time we traversed the area without any problems.
Roaring Brook Falls is one of New York’s hidden gems, a tall waterfall where the cascade runs down a winding and rocky path on its way to the stream below.
When we hiked this trail it was a dark and foggy evening in the fall. The eerie thick fog almost covered the area and we would have never discovered the waterfall. We were planning on spending the rest of the day on a scenic drive through the Adirondack Mountains but the fog covered any view we wished to have. But we happened to see the top of this waterfall from the road and so we were determined to find it.
We found the nearest parking lot which happened to be the Roaring Brook Trailhead. We were not sure where the path was going to take us but unbeknownst to us at the time were were actually hiking the Roaring Brook Trail. Once we came across a couple of hikers we asked them if they knew where the waterfall was and they pointed out that you need to take a right when the trail forks. That helpful piece of advice helped us and soon enough we were at the base of Roaring Brook Falls.
We were glad we didn't take a left on the trail because that continues the Roaring Brook Trail. Not that we didn't want to see the gorgeous views from the top but do you know how long the Roaring Brook Trail is? 6.6 miles with well over 3.000 feet of elevation gain! So we were happy to see the waterfall on this easy spur trail.
The waterfall is very unique as it snakes through a crevice in the mountainside and is a rather impressive height. We climbed around on the rocks and took our pictures before the sun started to set and we would be traveling back in the dark.
If you did however want to continue the trail then you are in for a magnificent treat. No matter the season, Roaring Brook Trail offers some of upstate’s most incredible views. During the spring, it’s a sea of green as far as the eye can see.
Whether you’re an experienced hiker or looking for a laid-back family outing in the great outdoors, Roaring Brook Trail in Keene is an ideal way to explore the beauty of upstate New York.
Have you explored the Roaring Brook Falls Trail in New York before? Let us know what you think in the comments section! If you’re interested in more information about the trail and the surrounding town, visit the town of Keene website for the latest updates. If you are interested in this trail we suggest getting the AllTrails+ app and downloading the trail maps for either the longer Roaring Brook Trail or the Roaring Brook Falls Trail. Learn more about our journey to the falls by watching this Adventuring in the Moment video:
While you are in the area we would also like to recommend a hike on Whiteface Mountain.
