About this spot
Hector Falls sits in a hemlock ravine in Allegheny National Forest, reached via a roughly 2-mile out-and-back walk from a small pull-off about 3 miles southwest of Ludlow off Route 6. Hector Run drops about 22 feet over a rectangular rock face into a shallow pool ringed by moss-covered boulders, sometimes splitting into two streams after heavy rain. Wading and exploring the pools and boulders below is the main draw, and it draws hundreds of documented visitor trip reports. The trail itself is unofficial and unmaintained beyond the road, with slippery rocks and uneven footing the biggest hazard. The Allegheny National Forest explicitly warns against jumping or diving here, citing shallow water and submerged rocks. Access is free and legal on national forest land, best visited spring through fall.