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Purgatory Falls - Lower Falls
4.5 ★★★★★ 411 Google reviews · Running trail in Lyndeborough, New Hampshire · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Purgatory Falls - Lower Falls' own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
What runners say about Purgatory Falls - Lower Falls
“Aside from this, trails run in all directions, each equally gorgeous & nourished by the spray of the falls and countless offshoot streams & bogs.”
“Road my motorcycle out there for a quiet still day sitting by the peaceful falls by a large boulder in the forest studying my WCC woman's Bible study of 7 feast.”
“Small parking area but a great walk for all ages, there terrain flows nicely with nothing too steep.”
Great trail for a leisurely hike. If you use all trails make sure not to go down somebody's driveway, there's an actual parking lot off the side of a main road. The waterfalls are very pretty.
First time here & I was amazed at what looked like an Oregon rainforest in mid-winter New Hampshire. In the falls vicinity, all was lush & green as summer. Mosses, ferns, rhododendrons thriving in technicolor green.
Small parking area but a great walk for all ages, there terrain flows nicely with nothing too steep. There is a lot of foot traffic and a lot of dog poop along the walking path. Close enough to everything but you wouldn't know it 5 minutes into your walk. A great way to spend a couple of hours.
It's a very small easy hike(5-10 mins) to the first beautiful fall. You can go further. We enjoyed the view of our first stop(waterfall).
Trail conditions & character
“April 2026 Liked it so much we went back the next weekend and it’s a 50 minute drive…get there before 8:30 to get in the parking lot otherwise you are on the road.”
“Aside from this, trails run in all directions, each equally gorgeous & nourished by the spray of the falls and countless offshoot streams & bogs.”
“Tree roots and giant boulders painted neon green by myriad ferns & microflora.”
“Small parking area but a great walk for all ages, there terrain flows nicely with nothing too steep.”
“Road my motorcycle out there for a quiet still day sitting by the peaceful falls by a large boulder in the forest studying my WCC woman's Bible study of 7 feast.”
“The water under the lower fall seemed a bit shallow, but maybe it's always near that level, I'm not familiar with it's routine.”
“Easy as far as a hikes go, follow the yellow markers.”
Plan your run at Purgatory Falls - Lower Falls
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- Websitewoodlandhiker.com
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
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