The Cascade in the Middlesex Fells is always dazzling after a fresh snow–and especially after a few weeks of freezing temperatures have turned the waterfall into an ice palace. The 40-foot-tall formation along Shilly Shally Brook in Melrose, Massachusetts, is one of the closest waterfalls to Boston—and an easy 10- to 15-minute walk north from the end of the MBTA’s Orange Line at Oak Grove in Malden. (Directions: How To Get To An Incredible Frozen Waterfall Via The Orange Line.) You can also (carefully) climb to the top of the waterfall via the stone steps on the left side. Follow north along the ridgeline for dramatic views of the Boston skyline.

Greg Cook's sketch of the Cascade waterfall in the Middlesex Fells, Melrose, Jan 20, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo)
Greg Cook’s sketch of the Cascade waterfall in the Middlesex Fells, Melrose, Jan 20, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo)
The Cascade waterfall in the Middlesex Fells, Melrose, Jan 20, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo)
The Cascade waterfall in the Middlesex Fells, Melrose, Jan 20, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo)
The Cascade waterfall in the Middlesex Fells, Melrose, Jan 20, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo)
The Cascade waterfall in the Middlesex Fells, Melrose, Jan 20, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo)
The Cascade waterfall in the Middlesex Fells, Melrose, Jan 20, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo)
The Cascade waterfall in the Middlesex Fells, Melrose, Jan 20, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo)
The Cascade waterfall in the Middlesex Fells, Melrose, Jan 20, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo)
The Cascade waterfall in the Middlesex Fells, Melrose, Jan 20, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo)
Path to the Cascade waterfall in the Middlesex Fells, Melrose, Jan 20, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo)
Path to the Cascade waterfall in the Middlesex Fells, Melrose, Jan 20, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo)
Categories: Nature