Mount Lafayette and The Franconia Ridge Trail | NH Hiking
The Franconia Ridge Trail is a 9.3 mile loop hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It is a beautiful hike that crosses over three summits (Lafayette, Lincoln, and Little Haystack), all 4000 footers.
This hike will quickly climb over the ridge line above Franconia Notch and take you on an amazing journey not to be forgotten. The Franconia Ridge Trail is the trail to take if you are looking for a challenge.
I want to preface this whole tale by saying, I was grossly underprepared for this hike. Unfortunately, I had no idea what I was getting into, and I think that is really important. Before you embark on a 9 mile 3800 ft elevation gain hike, you should at least know what you are in for.
All that being said, this was the most beautiful hike I have ever been on.
What to expect:
As we were hiking up the side of the mountain on the Franconia Ridge Trail there were some look outs that we rested on. The way the sun was hitting the range from above was nothing short of majestic. I was in awe.
As we began to summit the first mountain, Mount Lafayette, the temperature dropped 10 degrees and we had to throw on some extra clothes. It was also very windy up that high!
As I stated early, I had no idea what this hike entailed, and I didn’t know that we were going to summit two other peaks before we were on our way down. Unfortunately, you do go down a little ways before you start to climb again towards Mount Lincoln.
You then repeat that one more time to summit Little Haystack Mountain. The views from all the way up are incredible, you are really on top of the world at 5,000 feet! Once you summit all 3 mountains, you get to head down.
Coming down:
We came down on Falling Waters Trail. It is very cleverly named because there are beautiful waterfalls along the way. This was a much earned treat for our hard work.
If you’re looking for a more challenging day hike with excellent scenery, Franconia Ridge is an ideal choice.
Make sure to wear the right gear, bring plenty of food and water, and don’t forget to pack your camera.
You won’t be sorry if you spend the whole day enjoying this worthy hike.
This whole hike took us 7 hours to complete. Sneakers were totally fine footwear for a dry summer hike.
Final Thoughts
Be sure to check weather conditions before hiking, I have heard of many horror stories from this specific trail.
It can get very dangerous very quickly if the weather is not cooperating.
Sweatshirts were needed on the summits.
If you are wanting all of the views without the intense climb, take the nearby Cannon Mountain Tram! This will give you a view of the 3 summits on the Franconia Ridge Trail and a spectacular view of the Notch!
Happy hiking friends!
More Resources
What to do in Franconia Notch with Kids
