Zealand Notch and Zealand Falls via Zealand Trail

This day hike involved going up the Zealand Trail to Zealand Falls at the northern end of Zealand Notch. With a total roundtrip distance of only 6 miles it is really just a "walk in the park".

Parking area, Zealand Road, Zealand Trail - 2,020' Zealand Pond - 2.5 miles - 2,460' Zealand Falls - 3 miles - 2,700' Total distance round-trip - 6 miles Total elevation change - 680' Trail map - 400 x 620 - 138K Trail map - 600 x 930 - 256K

The primary purpose of this hike was to bring my wife and her sister up to the Zealand Notch area to see the pond, the waterfalls and the notch itself. My past two hikes had been in this area and I was eager to share its beauty with someone else.

The weather cooperated fabulously for our Zealand Falls day hike yesterday. We got a very late start, by my standards, and did not even leave the cottage until a little after 8am. We stopped to pick up some food along the way and arrived at the Zealand Trailhead just a little before 9:30.

600 x 399   1024 x 681 Robin and Linda on the Zealand Trail boardwalk 600 x 399   1024 x 681 Beaver pond along the Zealand Trail 600 x 399   1024 x 681 Zealand Pond

We hiked at a very leisurely pace, stopping several places along the way for photo opportunities, and did not arrive at the Upper Zealand Falls, the end point of the hike, until 11:30.

399 x 600   681 x 1024 Lower Zealand Falls 399 x 600   681 x 1024 Middle Zealand Falls 600 x 399   1024 x 681 Upper Zealand Falls

We had lunch next to the falls, lounged about and sunned ourselves on the rocks, visited Zealand Hut, took lots of photos and headed back a little before 1 pm.

600 x 399   1024 x 681 Upper, upper Zealand Falls 600 x 399   1024 x 681 Ferns growing in the rocks

We arrived back at the car around 2:30. We made better time on the way back because he hardly stopped at all. Robin and her sister both did very well and seemed to enjoy the day tremendously.

600 x 399   1024 x 681 Beaver pond along the Zealand Trail 600 x 399   1024 x 681 Beaver pond along the Zealand Trail

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