Write-up: Deb Roberts and Halsey Bagg
Leader: Deb Roberts
Co-Leader: Halsey Bagg

Twenty-four hikers gathered at the beginning of Tooley Pond Road in Cranberry Lake and caravanned 8.5 miles to the trail leading to the first stop, Copper Rock Falls.  After a short hike through a muddy trail we were rewarded with views of cascading waterfalls over copper-colored rocks.

 The group returned to their cars and continued on Tooley Pond Road to the eleven-mile trailhead for Rainbow Falls. Another short hike led to a small bridge over a relatively small narrow falls. This was as far as Deb and Halsey had proceeded originally when doing their preview of the hike. Don Fellows noticed the trail continued on the other side of this small bridge and fortunately located a beautiful section of the Grasse River, the actual Rainbow Falls.  Many in the group took beautiful pictures as the mist from the roaring falls created a beautiful rainbow.

 Next, 13.8 miles down Tooley Pond Road, the caravan again parked along side of the road at Twin Falls.  Here some of the group crossed a small man-made stream on a makeshift bridge of fallen trees and saplings. This was the site of an Iron Ore Smelting plant. Remains of this could be seen on the site; a cylindrical structure of brick that looked like what once was a furnace or chimney and slag rocks on a beach at the river’s edge below the main falls. One notable picture was taken of Lu inside the old furnace structure where a burst of sun rays magically surrounded her. A minute later the rays were gone.

 Sinclair Falls was the fourth stop on Tooley pond road, 15 miles to the intersection of George Road. After Mark found the designated trailhead by going up George Road a few hundred feet, the group proceeded to the riverbank just below a raging falls. It was noted how the falls became larger and more robust as we travelled from one falls to the next.

 The last Falls seen on this trip along Tooley Pond Road is called Basford Falls, with its trail head 15.5 miles on the left. A half-mile hike led to the river basin that is surrounded by a stand of virgin white pines. One of these large trees is growing up from a rock completely surrounded by the river. 

The caravan continued to the end of Tooley Pond Road (17 miles) and turned right onto route 27.  After four miles we found the trailhead for Lampson Falls, which is a very popular swimming spot demonstrated by the large number of cars parked alongside the road here. Another short hike led to a large basin created by the wide and ragging falls. We saw fishermen, swimmers and tubbers. And, at the lookout on the top of the falls, was a wedding party taking pictures.

 At this point, the planned hike concluded. Some of the group decided to continue on to Harper Falls located a few miles further up route 27.

 More photos may be seen in Gallery – 2019.