Texas Falls Recreation Area

Located between Vermont’s Lake Champlain Byway and the Scenic Route 100 Byway, the Texas Falls Recreation Area offers opportunities for viewing cascading falls along scenic gorges, a loop trail for hiking and snowshoeing, a large picnic pavilion, and dispersed recreation, including fishing, along Hancock Branch and Texas Brook.

General Information

From Rochester, travel north on Route 100 to its intersection with Route 125. Travel west on Route 125 for 3.1 miles and turn right onto Forest Road 39.

From Middlebury, travel south on Route 7 to its intersection with Route 125. Travel east on Route 125 for 9.8 miles, and turn left onto Forest Road 39.

Parking is located at the Falls Observation Site at 0.5 miles, at the Picnic Area at 0.7 miles, and at the end of Forest Road 212, beyond the gate on FR 39. The road is plowed in the winter for parking up to the gate. The gate is closed for the winter.

Trail Information

Texas Falls Nature Trail: The trail meanders through the forest along Texas Brook toward the Texas Falls Picnic Area. To loop back to the falls area bear right before crossing the paved road to reach the upper section of the nature trail. The trail loop length is 1.2 miles, with a 70 foot elevation change. Average hike time is 1 hour.

Hancock Trail: The trail follows along the Hancock Branch of the White River, and crosses the river three times on bridges. There are several views of the mountain stream as the trail climbs gradually to its end at 1.3 miles. Max. elevation change is 320 feet. Average hiking time is 1 – 1 ½ hrs. round trip. Please practice Leave No Trace ethics, such as carry out what you carry in.

Additional Resrouces  

Texas Falls Recreation Area Informaiton and Map

The Texas Falls Story

Texas Falls began to form at the close of the ice age some 12,000 years ago when ice melting from the glacier began to cut through the glacial till and bedrock. During the thousands of years that followed, high volumes of water enlarged weak points in the bedrock. These points were further enlarged and smoothed by the swirling of rocks and debris to form the potholes that are now visible at this site. The footbridge crosses what remains of a large glacial pothole. Geologically the area is part of the Green Mountain Anticlinorium, a major structural arch which was formed during the closing of the Iapetus Ocean some 460 million years ago and runs the length of Vermont. Texas Falls is located on the Hancock Brach, which drains east into the White River and eventually into the Connecticut River.