Moxie Falls Trail

Maine’s Tallest Waterfall

Moxie Falls drops 90 feet in a single plunge into a dark slate gorge on Moxie Stream, making it the tallest single-drop waterfall in the state of Maine. The falls are tucked into a rugged gorge in the Kennebec Valley near the tiny hamlet of The Forks, a place better known for whitewater rafting than waterfall hikes. The combination of the easy trail, the dramatic payoff, and the relative lack of crowds makes Moxie Falls one of the best short hikes in Maine.

The trail is just 0.9 miles each way on a well-maintained path through mixed forest. It is suitable for families with children, though the final descent to the viewpoint involves wooden stairs and the gorge rim has no guardrails. This is a hike that delivers an outsized reward for minimal effort.

The falls were formed where Moxie Stream drops off a resistant ledge of slate and metasandstone into a plunge pool roughly 100 feet below. The gorge walls are dark, vertical, and streaked with moisture. In spring, when snowmelt swells the stream, the falls thunder with a force you can feel in your chest.

The Trail

The trailhead is on Lake Moxie Road, about 3 miles from Route 201 in The Forks. A gravel parking area accommodates 15 to 20 vehicles. The trail begins at a kiosk with a basic map and follows a wide, mostly flat path through a mixed forest of birch, maple, spruce, and fir.

The first half-mile is a gentle walk on packed earth with some boardwalk sections over wet areas. The trail is well-blazed and impossible to lose. You will hear Moxie Stream before you see it, the sound of the falls carries through the forest.

At approximately 0.7 miles, the trail descends more steeply through a series of wooden staircases to the gorge rim viewpoint. The stairs can be slippery when wet, and the handrails are basic. At the bottom, a viewing platform provides a direct, unobstructed view of the falls from across the gorge.

The scale of the falls is not fully apparent until you are standing at the overlook. The 90-foot drop sends a column of white water into a mist-shrouded pool, and the dark walls of the gorge amplify the sound. Spray reaches the viewpoint in spring and after heavy rains.

What You’ll See

The falls themselves are the main event, but the gorge adds considerable drama. The walls are composed of tilted slate and metasandstone, dark gray and green, draped with ferns and moss where spray keeps them perpetually wet. Below the falls, the stream continues through a narrow canyon that extends several hundred feet downstream.

The forest along the trail is pleasant second-growth northern hardwood and softwood mix. In fall, the birch and maple turn golden and orange against the dark spruce backdrop. Wildflowers line the trail in spring and early summer, trillium, bunchberry, bluets, and starflower.

Birdlife is typical of the northern Maine forest: hermit thrush, red-eyed vireo, ovenbird, and black-capped chickadee. You may spot a belted kingfisher near the stream or a merlin hunting along the gorge rim.

When to Go

Getting There

From The Forks on Route 201, turn east onto Lake Moxie Road. Follow it for approximately 3 miles to the trailhead parking area on the left. The road is paved for the first mile, then transitions to gravel. Standard vehicles have no trouble.

From Portland, take the Maine Turnpike (I-95) north to Augusta, then Route 201 north through Skowhegan and Bingham to The Forks. Total drive time is about 3 hours. From Bangor, take Route 15 west to Guilford, then Route 6/15 to Route 201. Total drive is about 1 hour 45 minutes.

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