Franconia Notch State Park

Location: On I-93/Route 3, Franconia Notch Parkway, Lincoln/Franconia

Phone: General Information:603-823-8800
Flume Gorge & Visitor Center :603-745-8391
Lafayette Campground: 603-823-9513
Cannon Mountain, Echo Lake Beach, Cannon RV Park:
603-823-8800

Activities: Camping, swimming, hiking, picnicking, fishing, boating, biking, skiing/snowboarding, cross country skiing, snowmobiling

Amenities: Campground, RV campground, restrooms, cafeterias, gift shops, 8-mile paved recreation path, canoe, paddle boat and bike rentals, boat launch, covered bridges, hiker information center, New England Ski Museum, full service ski area

Fees: Franconia Notch in General: None

The Flume Gorge & Visitor Center: Adult: $10.00 Child (ages 6-12): $7.00 5 & under: Free Group rates are available by contacting Rob Arey, 603/823-7722, ext. 776.

Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway: Adult round-trip ride: $11.00, children ages 6-12 round-trip ride: $ 7.00, children age 5 & under: FREE with an adult, and adult one-way ride: $9.00

Echo Lake Beach Adults: $3 for adults; $1 for children ages 6-11; children ages 5 and under and NH residents age 65 and over are admitted free.

Lafayette Campground Campsite: $24 (no hookups)

Cannon Mountain RV Park:RV site: $34 (water, electric, & sewer hookups)

Operation Schedule: Franconia Notch in General: Year-round

The Flume Gorge & Open daily from May 11 to October 21, 2007, 9am to 5pm, weather permitting. During July and August there are extended hours from 9am to 5:30pm.

Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway: Summer: Cannon is open daily from 9am to 5pm, opening for the season on Friday, May 25 and closing on Sunday, October 21, 2007

Winter (skiing/snowboarding): Late November to Mid-April

Lafayette Campground: Reserved camping with full staffing and facilities will be available starting May 18 and closing October 8, 2007. Reservations for campsites may be made by calling the Reservation Office, Monday through Friday, from January through the end of the season. Self-service/self-pay camping with limited staffing and facilities is available at all other times of the year.

Cannon Mountain RV Park:Year-round

Acreage: 6,692 acres

Waterfront: Pemigewasset River - runs through the park, Echo Lake, Profile Lake, and other brooks

Number of Campsites: Lafayette Campground: provides 97 wooded tent sites2 are for youth group reservations, and 7 are for first-come/first-served campers, Cannon RV Park: 7 sites, with full hookups

Pets: Pets are permitted in the designated dog walks near the Tramway and Flume parking lots only, not in the campground.

More Information: Franconia Notch State Park
Franconia Notch State Park is located in the heart of the popular White Mountain National Forest. A notch is actually a gap in the mountains formed by river and glacial erosive forces. Spectacular scenery and natural geologic formations have evolved as a result of those powerful forces. A walk through the Flume, a mini-canyon 800 feet long, and to the Pool is a memorable trek. A video about Franconia Notch is shown at regular intervals throughout the day at the Flume Visitor Center, and photographs of the elegant hotel era of the notch's past are on display. Just off the highway north of the Flume, is the Basin, a large granite pothole carved by the rushing water of the Pemigewasset River.

No visit to Franconia Notch is complete without a ride to the summit of 4,180-foot Cannon Mountain on the aerial tramway, or a walk along the shore of Profile Lake to view the famous rock profile known as the Old Man of the Mountain. Fishing, swimming, hiking and biking are favorite activities in the park. Visitors enjoy biking along the scenic 9-mile recreational trail that runs the length of the notch, fishing for trout in the sparkling lakes and streams, or hiking on the many miles of trails in the park and in the adjacent White Mountain National Forest. The Appalachian Trail, the 2,000 mile footpath that extends from Maine to Georgia traverses the notch. Informational panels are located at points of interest throughout the park. The New England Ski Museum and the Old Man of the Mountain Museum are both located within the park.

The Flume Gorge & Visitor Center
Discovered in 1808, the Flume is a natural gorge extending 800 feet at the base of Mt. Liberty. The walls of Conway granite rise perpendicularly to a height of 70 to 90 feet and are from 12 to 20 feet apart. Bus service is provided to transport visitors to within 500 yards of the gorge entrance. Marked walking trails with signs explaining natural features lead to other points of interest, including the Pool and Sentinel Pine Bridge.

The contemporary visitor center, framed by a spectacular vista of Mts. Liberty and Flume, houses the Flume ticket office, an information center, cafeteria, gift shop, the state park system's historic Concord Coach, and a small auditorium where notch video programs are shown on a regular basis.

The Basin
The beautiful waterfall at the Basin, has at its base, a granite pothole 20 feet in diameter. It is believed to have been eroded 15,000 years ago while the North American ice sheet was melting. It has been smoothed by small stones and sand whirled around by the Pemigewasset River. Below the Basin is a water-eroded rock formation called the Old Man's foot.

Lafayette Campground
The camping and hiking hub of the notch is centrally located in the park at Lafayette Place. Lafayette Campground provides 97 wooded tent sites near the Pemigewasset River in the shadow of the high surrounding mountains. A lodge houses a registration/information desk, showers and a small store that offers firewood, ice and a selection of camping supplies. Reservations for campsites may be made Monday through Friday, January through mid-October, by calling the Reservation Center at 603/271-3628. Many sites are left available for those campers that prefer to camp on a first come - first serve basis. Although there are no hookups, recreational vehicles are welcome in sites where they fit.

Group-Use
Lafayette Campground is a great base for organized youth groups planning to fish and hike in the White Mountains. Trails to the summits of the Franconia and Kinsman mountain ranges leave right from the campground. Reservations for youth group camping are required and may be made Monday through Friday, January through mid-October, by calling the Reservation Center at 603/271-3628.

Old Man of the Mountain
(Great Stone Face, Profile) The Profile is a natural rock formation that was formed by a series of geologic happenings that began an estimated 200 million years ago. Hovering majestically 1,200 feet above Profile Lake, the Old Man is made of 5 separate granite ledges arranged horizontally to form a man's profile. From chin to forehead, the Profile measures about 40 feet and is 25 feet wide. The Old Man of the Mountain Museum is located at the southbound Old Man viewing area.

A short distance to the north (right) of the Profile is a natural rock formation silhouetted against the skyline resembling the barrel of a cannon poking out from the parapet of a fortress. The shape of this rock formation has given Cannon Mountain its name.

Profile Lake
This small, clear body of water is the headwaters of the Pemigewasset River. Directly below the Old Man of the Mountain, it is often called the Old Man's Washbowl. The lake is well-known for its brook trout and is open to fly-fishing only.

Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway
The first passenger aerial tramway in North America began operation on this site in 1938. Almost 7 million passengers were carried to the top by the first tram. Tram II was completed in 1980, and today, you can take a scenic 5-minute ride in one of two enclosed cable cars to the 4,180-foot summit of Cannon Mountain and enjoy panoramic views of the distant valleys and mountains. Each tram car has a capacity of 80 persons and ascends 2,022 feet vertically over a horizontal distance of more than one mile. Walking trails to a summit observation platform leave from the tram station. A gift shop and cafeteria are located in the tram base station. Cannon Mountain Ski Area, a favorite among skiers, has 26 miles of trails and slopes for both the beginner and experienced. Cannon is the home of the New England Ski Museum, which is located near the base of the tramway. It is open daily from 10:00-4:00, and is on the same seasonal schedule as the tramway. For more information on Cannon Mountain Ski Area

Echo Lake Beach & Cannon Mountain RV Park
Beautiful Echo Lake, at an elevation of 1,931 feet, offers swimming, fishing, and small boat access, as well as views of Mt. Lafayette and Cannon Mountain. In a different watershed from Profile Lake, its waters flow westerly toward the Connecticut River.

Hiking
Briefly described below are a few of the more popular family hikes in Franconia Notch State Park. For more specific information, or for descriptions and maps of lengthier hikes into the White Mountain National Forest and on the Appalachian Trail, consult the Appalachian Mountain Club White Mountain Guide. It is important to wear sturdy walking shoes and remember that in the mountains weather changes suddenly and darkness falls quickly. Keep close tabs on children, as unforeseen hazards may exist or develop suddenly on mountain trails.

Bald Mountain and Artists Bluff, reached by a short hike, offer fine views of Cannon Mountain and Franconia Notch. The 1 1/2 mile loop begins in the parking area across Route 18 from Peabody Base Lodge. After 1/4 mile a short, steep path diverges left for 1/10 mile to the open summit of Bald Mountain. The main trail continues on from the junction and bears right, up and across the low ridge. A short, unmarked path diverges left to the open top of Artists Bluff. The main trail continues down to Route 18 near Echo Lake.

Lonesome Lake, nestled in the mountains 1,000 feet above the floor of the notch, is a popular hiking destination. It is reached by a 1 1/2 mile (one way) trail that begins at Lafayette Place, just south of the cabin near the campground. A lakeside trail leads to the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) hut at the far end of the lake and passes by an inactive beaver lodge.

Kinsman Falls, a beautiful, secluded and oft overlooked spot on Cascade Brook can be found by following the Basin-Cascades Trail for 1/2 mile from the Basin. Many potholes and ledges in the brook along the way make for an enjoyable twenty minute (one way) walk. A rough path diverges left off the trail to the cool base of the falls. Follow the main trail a short way to a brook crossing to the left that leads to Rocky Glenn Falls.

The open ledges at the 2,557-foot summit of Mt. Pemigewasset (Indian Head) afford excellent views of Franconia Notch, the Franconia Range and the valley to the south. The 1.4 mile (one way) trail climbs moderately to the summit from the Flume Visitor Center parking area. Return can be made by the same route or via the Indian Head Trail that diverges from the Mt. Pemigewasset Trail just below the summit, and leads one mile to Route 3, one mile south of the Flume Visitor Center.

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