We had 5 days to spend between visiting family in Portland, ME, and Boston, MA. While researching where to go, a family member suggested North Conway and told us we had to visit Diana’s Baths. This was repeated by our host in our motel, so we decided to give it a go. This is why you should visit Diana’s Baths in North Conway, NH.
Location
Located in Bartlett, just a few minutes drive from North Conway Village.
Getting to Diana’s Baths in North Conway, NH.
This annoyed me. Unless you drive, it is going to cost you to get there, and for what is only a short distance away. Even if you do drive, you have to wait to get in as there are limited parking spaces, which means tailbacks. Why they don’t have a shuttle bus running from a parking lot or a playing field downtown is beyond me. Anyway, this is how you get there.
Car:
If you drive Diana’s baths, it’s a short 5-minute drive from the centre of North Conway. You won’t miss the entry; it has a large sign, and there will most likely be a tailback of cars waiting to get in. As I mentioned, parking is limited, and you pay for a parking pass at the bottom of the trail for $5 (July 2024). I am not sure if you have to pay for the pass or if it is just a donation, but it goes to helping with the upkeep of the park.
Walk:
I did look at this option as it isn’t that far away, but the road isn’t paved and looked a bit dangerous. Not only that, lots of it would be in unshaded areas, so you could end up getting toasted in the sun. I’m not saying it is impossible, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The main reason for that is that you would need to be carrying plenty of water for both the walk and the trail! Cycling would probably be a better option than walking; there are bike shops within the town that hire bikes.
Taxi:
With no public transport in North Conway, a taxi is the best option if you don’t drive. However, as they are the only taxi company in town, ‘Fast Taxis’ charge a massive $20 e/w to take you on the no more than 5-minute drive. I felt ill paying that, but the only upside is that they did come back for us as pre-planned. There are other cars driving around with different signs, but they are the same company. Uber does exist, but there are no drivers, so getting one is impossible.
The whole hassle of getting there annoyed me. We spoke to the tourist information, and they more or less said that with no car, you probably wouldn’t want to go there. It was 5 minutes away; why is it so awkward or expensive? Just have a shuttle running!
Toilets/Shop
There is no shop, so make sure you bring enough snacks and fluids for your stay. It isn’t as if you can just nip into town to buy more water, as you will have to deal with the parking issue all over again.
As for the toilets, well, they’re drop toilets, and let’s just say they don’t seem to be cleaned on a regular basis. They smell horrific, and people who use them don’t exactly care from what I saw all over the toilet floor in the first one I entered. If you can hold it in, I would recommend you do. If you need to go, good luck! Close your eyes, hold your breath, and just go quickly.
The toilets actually gave me flashbacks of a time when I had to use toilets in a subway station in NYC, when someone decided to use the floor to go to the toilet for a poo!
What to see and do at Diana’s Baths in North Conway, NH.
Right, I have ranted enough about the transport/amenities; time to tell you about the good stuff.
Entry Cost: FREE for on foot, but $5 charge per car. (July 2024)
Opening Hours: 6 a.m.–1 p.m. However, this depends on season.
The hike
Describing it as a hike didn’t sit well with me. However, that is how everyone else described it. The walk to Diana’s Baths is really easy and accessible for all ages. It is only about 0.6 miles long each way and well-maintained, which makes it the perfect walk for families with young children or those looking for a stroll in the forest. This was confirmed by the amount of families we saw walking each way.
The Falls
It really was a WOW moment seeing the falls that come down over the granite rocks, which create natural pools.
The falls are of differing power, and Megan and I had fun seeing who could stand under the freezing cold water for the longest.
We also had great fun climbing over the rocks and seeing how far up we could get. We just needed to be careful as the drops can be high.
Swim
As I mentioned, the falls create natural pools all the way down the falls, which are great to swim in if you can brave the cold temps., but they are also great to cool your feet down on a warm summer day.
The pools do get a bit busy, but there are loads of wee formations everywhere for you to find your own.
Chill out
I don’t think there’s anything better than relaxing close to nature. Sitting by the falls, listening to the sound of the water while reading a book or just drifting off, is an amazing experience, and I would recommend it to anyone. Just make sure to bring an alarm so that if you do drift off, you wake up before dusk!
Have a picnic
We didn’t bring much with us, just a sandwich and a bottle of water. However, there were plenty of people with their coolers making a day of sitting at the falls on the rocks or on a grass bank, enjoying the sights and sounds of nature all around them.
Just remember to bring your rubbish home with you; don’t be that person!
Would we recommend?
I have ranted about getting there and paying $40 for a no more than 10-minute round trip, but I’m over that now. If you are looking for a half-day trip or just a short stopover, I really would recommend visiting Diana’s Baths in North Conway, NH. The trail to the baths is really easy, and once there, you can have so much fun. We spent 4 hours playing in the freezing cold pools, seeing who could stand under the waterfalls for the longest, and climbing up and over the massive rocks. It really is a beautiful place, and from the row of cars waiting to get in, we aren’t the only ones to think so.
If you have any questions about visiting Diana’s Baths in North Conway, NH, please drop them in the comments below. If you found this blog useful, please feel free to buy us a coffee or share the blog on your social media.
Also, check out our other blog posts on the USA.
Thanks for the support.
The Lewis family.
