Over the ages, the rushing waters of Falls Brook carved a deep gorge in granite, concealed by deep forest. Today, the brook plunges 45 dramatic feet into a dark pool veiled in mist, surrounded by a resurgent landscape that’s slowly erased the clear-cutting that arrived along with the first wave of 17th-century European settlers.

In summer, as you descend the trail into the ravine, the falls appear suddenly from an emerald cloak of dense forest and ferns. In winter, freezing spray creates a fantastic landscape of ice. Upstream, the swirling brook has carved large glacial potholes and a natural bridge in the bedrock.

Participants will meet at church at 10:30 on Saturday morning, July 16, and drive to Athol, arriving about 11:30.  A short walk of 1.2 miles will take us downhill to the falls, where we will pause for lunch.  We will return to church in mid-afternoon.

Participants are asked to bring their lunch, water bottle, and rain gear in case of a shower.

For more information or to join this outing, contact David Miller, 508-853-8964 or sentierdeau at gmail dot com