Screw Auger Falls, Maine: Parking, Swimming and Safety

Screw Auger Falls is a waterfall on the Bear River in Grafton Notch State Park, just off Route 26 near Newry in western Maine. A short, easy walk from the parking lot leads to a granite gorge with a main plunge, cascades, potholes and pools. It is one of the easiest waterfalls in the state to reach, which also makes it busy on summer weekends. This guide covers where it is, parking and the fee, the walk, swimming, and the safety rules that matter here.

Screw Auger Falls at a Glance

• Where: Grafton Notch State Park, on Route 26 in Grafton Township near Newry. It is about a mile north of the park entrance, on the left when driving north.
• Height: the main drop is listed as 23 feet (Maine Trail Finder) or 25 feet (New England Waterfalls). New England Waterfalls adds about 30 more feet of cascades below.
• The walk: short and easy. Maine Trail Finder describes a path of about 0.1 miles with guard rails, and other sources list 0.2 to 0.4 miles out and back.
• Time: plan on 30 minutes to an hour, longer if you picnic or explore.
• Fee: an entrance fee is paid in a self-service box. Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands says cash or check only.
• Season: May 15 to October 15, 9 a.m. to sunset. The park can be used off-season, but facilities are closed.
• Dogs: allowed, per Maine Trail Finder and New England Waterfalls.
• Camping: not allowed. The park is day-use only.

How to Get to Screw Auger Falls

The falls are on Route 26 in Grafton Notch. Maine Trail Finder gives about 9 miles from the intersection of US Route 2 and Route 26 in Newry, and the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands describes the parking lot as about 14 miles north of Bethel. Both describe the same place from different starting points. Park in the lot on the left when driving north and follow the path to the falls.

The lot is large but fills on summer weekends, especially between about 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. If it is full, Maine Trail Finder suggests choosing another trail. Arriving early or on a weekday helps.

Parking, Fee and Facilities

Put the admission fee in the self-service collection box. The sources we checked don’t list the amount, so confirm the current fee with the park, and bring cash or a check. New England Waterfalls lists picnic tables and pit toilets at the site, but the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands notes that facilities are closed in the off-season, so don’t count on restrooms outside the summer season.

For questions, the park’s number is (207) 824-2912 in season, and (207) 624-6080 off-season, according to Maine Trail Finder.

The Walk to the Falls

A short path leads from the parking area to the falls. It has guard rails along the main route, per Maine Trail Finder. Below the main plunge, the river drops through cascades, potholes, shallow pools and grottoes. New England Waterfalls also notes a maintained dirt path with a view of the upper falls, but no accessible view of the main falls.

Signs at the site describe an 1850s sawmill built over the falls that burned in the 1860s, per New England Waterfalls.

Can You Swim at Screw Auger Falls?

People do. The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands says visitors often wade in the shallow pools, and Maine Trail Finder mentions taking a quick dip. New England Waterfalls rates the swimming as good but says the pools inside the gorge are hard to reach, and the area can be crowded on hot July and August weekends.

The same source gives rules we’d follow: never swim in the pools above the waterfall, scout any swimming spot first, and don’t jump from the rocks. The ledges are slippery and the water moves fast after rain, so supervise children closely and skip the water if the river is high.

Safety at Screw Auger Falls

Searches for this waterfall often include the word “death.” In the sources we checked, the incident we found was a fall in August 2025, when a 21-year-old man slipped at the top of the falls and fell more than 20 feet (the Sun Journal and WGME report 20 to 30 feet). Rescuers carried him about 300 feet through the river area to an ambulance, and he was flown to a hospital. The Sun Journal reported that he was recovering. That is one report and not a complete safety record, so we don’t want to understate the risk.

• Stay back from the edge. The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands advises staying away from the lip of the falls.
• Don’t climb on or around the falls. The ledges are steep and wet.
• Watch children closely, especially near the large drop-offs. Maine Trail Finder warns of ledges and drop-offs and urges extra caution in wet weather and with small children.
• Expect limited cell service. In the 2025 rescue, bystanders had to look for cell service to call 911.
• Wear shoes with grip. Wet granite is slippery, and in winter you’ll want traction.

When to Go

The park season runs May 15 to October 15. New England Waterfalls lists May through October as the best time, with spring snowmelt often giving the most water. Summer weekends are the busiest, and fall color adds a second crowd. In winter, the park’s trails are used for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, but facilities are closed, so check conditions with the park first.

Other Stops in Grafton Notch

Screw Auger Falls is the first of several quick stops along Route 26. About 1.1 miles north is Mother Walker Falls, a 0.2-mile round-trip walk to a gorge with a cascade listed at 98 feet, and about 0.8 miles past that is Moose Cave, a 0.4-mile loop with slippery rocks. The park also has access to Old Speck Mountain (4,180 feet) and the Appalachian Trail. See our full Grafton Notch State Park guide.

Not the same falls: there is another Screw Auger Falls on Gulf Hagas Brook, reached on the long Gulf Hagas hike near Brownville. This page is about the Grafton Notch falls beside Route 26. For the other one, see our Gulf Hagas guide.

More waterfalls: best waterfalls in Maine. Nearby town: Bethel, and our Maine hiking guide for longer trails.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the hike to Screw Auger Falls?

It is a short, easy walk. Maine Trail Finder describes the main path as about 0.1 miles, and other sources list 0.2 to 0.4 miles out and back. Plan on 30 minutes to an hour.

Where is Screw Auger Falls?

In Grafton Notch State Park on Route 26 near Newry, about a mile north of the park entrance and roughly 14 miles north of Bethel.

Can you swim at Screw Auger Falls?

Visitors wade and swim in the pools below the falls, but the rocks are slippery and the current can be strong. Never swim above the falls and don’t jump from the ledges.

Is there a fee to visit Screw Auger Falls?

Yes. The park charges an admission fee, paid in a self-service box, cash or check only. We couldn’t confirm the current amount, so check with the park.

Is Screw Auger Falls dangerous?

The path is short and easy, but the ledges, drop-offs and slippery granite are real hazards, and rescuers responded to a serious fall in August 2025. Stay back from the edge and supervise children closely.

Can you take a dog to Screw Auger Falls?

Yes, per Maine Trail Finder and New England Waterfalls. Keep your dog close near the ledges.

Is Screw Auger Falls open in winter?

The park allows off-season use during the same hours, but facilities are closed. Check conditions with the park before going, and bring traction.

Our details come from Maine Trail Finder, the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands and New England Waterfalls, plus news reports for the safety section. The sources differ slightly on the height and distances, so we give the range. Fees and hours change, so confirm them with the park before you go.