Pikes Falls, Jamaica, Vermont

This past summer, we went on a road trip to visit a bunch of different waterfalls in Vermont.  One of the falls on our list was Pikes Falls, located in Jamaica, Vermont.

Getting there can be tricky.  We literally tried taking Google Maps to get there, which took us to someone’s house and a sign that explained that the location was NOT Pike’s Falls.

We continued further up Pikes Falls Road and started seeing lots of cars parked along the side of the road, at which point we knew we were at the right place.  There is no parking lot, so you will have to park carefully along the side of the road.

After parking, we found a well-traveled path that led us down to the water.  The trail is pretty short and easy to get to the water.  We wore swimsuits and brought towels, goggles, and water shoes.

There is a large, open rocky area where you can see the main part of the falls.  We went at the end of August, so the water was not flowing as much, as water levels had dropped.

The kids waded and swam at first.  The water was nice – clear and refreshing.

To the right hand side (in the picture below) is where people climbed up to the top of the rocks and then would jump down off ledges.  My husband always swims below the falls first to make sure that it is deep enough and that there aren’t debris (like branches), so that we know it is safe to jump into the water there.

 There are spots further down from the main waterfall as well.  We could see where people had made rock formations to create little pools.  While some areas have deeper, faster flowing water, there are places where it is good for younger kids to wade or where you could sit in a tube and just float (not actually tube downstream).

Pikes Falls was a nice place to visit and explore. The kids had a good time jumping from rocks and swimming on a hot day. The water was nice, and also very cold! This isn’t the most spectacular of falls, but quiet and nice for cooling off on a hot day.

I recommend “Waterfalls of New England”, which was a great resource this summer, and helped us on our journey to see lots of waterfalls.

Also be sure to check out our other Vermont destinations and Vermont hikes!

​​​​​​​The Vermont waterfalls/swimming holes we have visited:
Bristol Falls Swimming Hole, Bristol, VT
Bittersweet Falls, Weybridge, VT
Buttermilk Falls, Ludlow, VT
Falls of Lana, Salisbury, VT
The Lareau Park and Swimming Hole, Waitsfield, VTMoss Glen Falls, Granville, VT
Pikes Falls, Jamaica, VT
Thundering Brook Falls, VT
Twenty Foot Hole, Reading, VT
Warren Falls, Warren, VT