The Falls That Named a Town
Machias takes its name from these falls. The word comes from the Passamaquoddy and is usually translated as “bad little falls,” a warning to anyone bringing a canoe down the Machias River about the rough, ledgy drop in the middle of what is now the village. The river crowds into a narrow rock channel here and tumbles through in a series of chutes and standing waves, loud enough that you hear it before you see it when the water is up.
For most of the town’s history the falls meant power, not danger. By the late 1700s the drop was running sawmills, and at its peak in the late 1800s the village around the falls supported a cluster of lumber and grain mills. The Machias Electric Light Company started generating power here in 1888 and kept at it well into the twentieth century. The old dams have since been removed to let sea-run fish move back up the river, and the falls now run closer to the way the Passamaquoddy first found them.
Viewing
You do not hike to Bad Little Falls. It sits right in downtown Machias, and the best vantage is from Bad Little Falls Park, a small riverside park beside Route 1 where it crosses the river. A footbridge spans the gorge below the main drop and gives you a head-on look down into the churning water. Interpretive signs cover the river’s mill history and the fish runs the dam removals were meant to restore.
This is a five-minute stop, not an outing, but it is one of the most dramatic in-town waterfalls in Maine. Combine it with a walk around Machias or a drive out to the Washington County coast.
The rocks beside the falls are wet, sloped, and slick, and the current below the drop is powerful. Stay behind railings and keep children and dogs close. People have been swept off the ledges at falls like this. View it from the park and the footbridge, not from the edge of the water.
Getting There
Bad Little Falls Park is in the center of Machias on Route 1, right where the highway crosses the Machias River between the upper and lower village. There is a small parking area at the park. If you are coming up the coast on Route 1 you pass within a few hundred feet of it, so it is an easy add-on to any Downeast drive.
Machias is the service town for this corner of the state, so you have gas, food, and a supermarket within walking distance of the falls.
When to Visit
Spring
Snowmelt and spring rain push the Machias River high and the falls are at their loudest and most powerful, usually April into May.
Summer
Lower but still flowing year-round, since this is a large river rather than a small brook. A pleasant warm-weather stop.
Fall
Flow rebounds with autumn rain, and the Blueberry-country foliage around Machias adds color. Quiet after the summer.
Winter
The falls run through the cold months and partly ice over. The park and footbridge can be snowy and slippery.
Because the Machias is a substantial river, Bad Little Falls runs in every season, unlike the brook-fed cascades inland that dry up in summer. Spring runoff is still when it is most impressive.
Packing List
Bad Little Falls Stop
- Camera (the footbridge view is the shot)
- Water bottle
- Bug spray in summer
- Sturdy shoes for the wet park surfaces
- Binoculars if you want to watch for fish or birds on the river
FAQ
Why is it called Bad Little Falls?
The name comes from the Passamaquoddy word that gives Machias its name, generally translated as bad little falls. It was a warning about the rough, ledgy drop in the river.
Do you have to hike to see Bad Little Falls?
No. The falls are in downtown Machias. You view them from Bad Little Falls Park and a footbridge right beside Route 1.
Is there a fee to visit?
No. Bad Little Falls Park is a free town park with a small parking area.
When are the falls most powerful?
During spring snowmelt and runoff, usually April into May, and after heavy rain. The river flows year-round but is highest in spring.
Is it safe to climb on the rocks?
No. The ledges are wet and slick and the current below the falls is strong. Stay behind railings and view from the park and footbridge.
For more in and around Machias, see the town of Machias and the Machias River.
