About Moxie Falls
Moxie Falls was the last waterfall within the New England states that we visited before we crossed over the border into Quebec, Canada during our 2013 trip to the northeast.
It was a very appealing waterfall because it had a force about it that left no doubt about its year-round flow, and its drop was singular and uninterrupted.
In fact, it was said to be one of the tallest of such waterfalls in the state of Maine at 90ft in height.
Add to this satisfying waterfall the Autumn colors in the surrounding foliage (see photo above) and we had ourselves a very pleasing and relaxing visit that the family will remember for quite some time.
We liked this waterfall so much that we included it on our Top 10 Best New England Waterfalls List so I guess you could say that we saved the best for last.
Anyways, while we noticed that Moxie Falls was quite popular, it was surprising considering that it seemed to be in a remote and sparsely developed part of Midwestern Maine.
In other words, it seemed like it was quite out-of-the-way from the rest of civilization.
Nonetheless, I’d imagine it would probably be the main highlight of the Old Canada Road though the road also featured plenty of lakes and vistas as well quite a bit of colonial history.
The Hike to Moxie Falls – Forest and Wildlife
We began the Moxie Falls hike from a well established and signposted parking area (see directions below).
Then, we hiked generally downhill along a pretty wide trail in a quiet forest full of fallen Autumn leaves.
The width of the trail made me wonder if we were hiking on what used to be an unpaved road.
During this stretch of the trail, we got the sense that there was a high potential of wildlife sightings, which hinted to us the fairly wild and undeveloped nature of this remote corner of the United States.
For example, we noticed some kind of ferret or something that we hadn’t seen before climbing up a tree, and we also saw a snake deliberately trying to conceal itself from us.
Although we didn’t see any moose, there were enough signs warning us of their presence.
Maybe the wildlife were allowed to thrive because of how inconvenient a visit here would be if say we weren’t headed across the border to Quebec, Canada on the Old Canada Road.
After all, it might be a bit too out-of-the-way to go for an out-and-back visit without doing any border crossings.
Nevertheless, after passing by a sign saying we were entering the Moxie Falls Scenic Area, the trail eventually narrowed into a boardwalk with steps to continue the elevation loss.
The Hike to Moxie Falls – The Waterfall Itself
Towards the bottom of the steps, we started to hear the rushing waters of the Moxie Stream.
Shortly thereafter, we saw an attractive series of cascades.
As the trail continued its descent further downstream on the boardwalk, we’d eventually make it to the top of Moxie Falls.
The views from up here weren’t that great for the waterfall itself (they rarely are from their top), but we could sense the power of the water.
We also felt the fragility of life as the butterflies in our stomachs kept us on our toes to not get any closer to the dropoffs.
The boardwalk swung around the gorge carved out by the Moxie Stream, and then the trail led us to a pair of wooden viewing decks with a frontal view of the impressive Moxie Falls.
I didn’t bring a tripod to take long exposure photos here, but I was able to use the wooden railings to try to take those satisfying waterfall shots.
That said, the sun was starting to break through the clouds, and since the sun was somewhat against us at the very height of the day, the photographs weren’t as good as when the clouds would conceal the sun.
We weren’t able to find a safe way down to the bottom of the gorge for a more unique perspective of Moxie Falls, but apparently the trail kept going further downstream past the pair of overlooks we noticed.
Had we continued going further downstream, it would lead to some swimming holes another 100ft further downstream.
I would imagine that would be an attractive option to enjoy this place even more though I’m sure caution must be exercised given how easy it could be to get swept away.
In total, we walked roughly 1.2 miles round trip, and it took us around 90 minutes, which was spent leisurely hiking, photographing, and having a quick snack.
The slow pace was also due to me having to carry our daughter in the carrier
That said, the time was passed well as Tahia seemed to enjoy the experience and all the stimuli that must’ve been new to her since California doesn’t typically experience this kind of Nature.
Authorities
Moxie Falls resides near The Forks in Somerset County, Maine. To my knowledge, it is likely administered by the local government of Somerset County. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.
Since we visited Moxie Falls as part of the long drive between Portland, Maine and Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, we’ll describe the most straightforward way to do this.
First, we needed to head north on the I-95 for about 74 miles to the US 201 exit just north of Waterville, Maine.
Heading north on US 201, continue for roughly 63 miles towards the small hamlet called The Forks.
The Forks was roughly 23 miles north of the town of Bingham.
Just before the Kennebec River Bridge, turn right onto the turnoff for Moxie Rd (note that the New England Waterfalls book
Then, follow this road to roughly 2 miles until you see the well-signposted Moxie Falls Scenic Area on the left.
Going in the other direction, the Moxie Falls Rd turnoff would be on the left about 26 miles south of Jackman on the Old Canada Road (US 201).
Finally to give you a sense of context of the distances involved, the drive between Portland, Maine and Quebec City, Quebec, Canada was 275 miles or between 5-6 hours drive with the border crossing.
Find A Place To Stay
Right to left sweep of the top and profile of the falls
Right to left semi-circular sweep of the falls and the area around it
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