Wyllys Falls

Wyllys Falls

Connecticut Waterfall

acres in Manchester, CT

Parking: Shoulder parking near 569 Spring St. Manchester, CT

Trail Map

Right next door to Case Mountain is the hidden Wyllys Falls.  Also known as Bridal Veil Falls, this waterfall is a secluded gem.  Accessed through the lot directly across from Tam Rd the “trail” starts next to the boulder at the gap in the guard rail.

On my last visit in August 2018 the trail was passable, but very overgrown.  There’s only one direction to head, downhill.  About a 100 feet in I took a hard right turn to get around all the vegetation into more open forest and took a steep slope down to Birch Mountain Brook.

I crossed the brook on a fallen tree and a faint trail led upstream to the falls.  There was odd detritus in the woods like concrete stairs with railing attached and other things that must have washed down in some previous flooding.  The falls were roaring after recent rains and I spent a few minutes exploring their base.

The falls drop at least 40 ft over a steep slope fanning out to create the bridal veil effect.  Even those that see the falls during a drought agree they are worth the effort to see.

(see the move tab or click this link for my exploration of the falls)

History:

Hayden Griswold donated a 1 acre lot in 1985 which not provides access to the falls.  A small plaque is fixed to a stone at the entrance to the property. The falls are named for Ephraim Wyllys who owned the land (which included a copper mine) in the mid 1800s.

Links:

New England Waterfalls – Wyllys Falls (2016)

CTMQ – Wyllys Falls (2016)

Susan Barlow – Wyllys or Bridal Veil Falls (video 2010)

Peter Marteka – A Waterfall That’s Definitely A Natural Wonder (2011)

Peter Marteka – Secluded Waterfall One of State’s Largest (2006)

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Last updated August 14th, 2018