Lower Ammonoosuc Falls
Going south on Route 302 just a quarter mile past the Zealand Campground is a large parking lot on the left. From a gate starts the trail to the falls, which is actually the old route 302 before it was located on the other side of the Ammonoosuc River where it is today.
Take a leisurely walk for about a half a mile to the lower falls of the Ammonoosuc River. The gravel trail is as wide as a road and for the most part gentle of slope. Along the way you have excellent views of the river and side paths down to the best fishing holes.
One half mile from the parking lot, the lower falls of the Ammonoosuc River runs down a granite flume into a large deep pool that is excellent for swimming and fishing.
The granite ledge of the Lower Ammonoosuc Falls contains a bathtub like pot hole on the southern side of the river that has refreshed swimmers for generations. The geology of the granite ledge itself is interesting and tends to contain many horizontal cracks. There is evidence of quarrying here and there, with old drill holes and missing sections of rock.
Along the pleasant walk I came upon the tracks of a natural denizen of these forests and mountains, the moose. Moose like to take advantage of man made trails too. These tracks appear to have been made by a very large moose, nearly as long as my size 8 1/4 limmer boots.
If you choose, the trail continues on another three tenths of a mile to the upper parking lot. The full round trip walk is therefore about 1.6 mile.
Old Ammonoosuc Dam
On the southern bank of the river are the remains of what appears to be an old rock dam. The large rectangular blocks on this side of the river are well made and cemented together. From this point, a huge pile of jumbled boulders, many of them with evidence of being cut by man, extends out into the river. This boulder pile tends to snag large trees that come down during times of high wate.
What was the purpose of this dam or bridge from long ago? Was it for logging, when they would build up a good head of water and then release it suddenly to sweep the logs further downstream toward the mills? Or was it actually a bridge.
Some say there was once a sawmill here, and perhaps that is the answer. I would certainly like to know.
About the Ammonoosuc River
The Ammonoosuc River begins on the western slope of Mount Washington in Sargents Purchase, and flows fifty-five miles into the Connecticut River in Woodsville NH.
Major tributaries include The Gale River in Lisbon NH and the Wild Ammonoosuc River in Bath NH. The Amoonoosuc River flows through the towns of Chandler's Purchase, Bean's Grant, and Crawford's Purchase; and the towns of Carroll, Bethlehem, Littleton, Lisbon, Landaff, Bath, Haverhill and Woodsville.
The name Ammonoosuc is an Abnaki native American word which means "little narrow fishing place".
In 1936 the United States Board on Geographic Names chose "Ammonoosuc River" as the name of the river. Alternative names until then had been Amminoo Suck River, Amonoosuck River, Amonsook River, Upper Amonoosuck River, and Wild Amonoosuck River.