Note: See the Trail Dashboard at the end that gives detailed information about the Franconia Ridge Loop, including how it scored on four difficulty components.

Nestled in the Northern Appalachian Mountains of New Hampshire are the beautiful and rugged White Mountains, home to the Franconia Notch State Park and our famed Franconia Ridge Loop. This hike takes you from the ample yet often filled trailhead parking, up a strenuous 4mile, 3,500 foot climb, past elegant waterfalls, and eventually to the rugged alpine tundra. Once there, you will encounter upanddown exposed hiking as you traverse the famed knife ridge between three peaks: Little Haystack, Mount Lincoln, and Mount Lafayette. This rite of passage for adventureseekers combines steep, rocky terrain entwined with a cascading brook and breathtaking panoramic views. Once experienced, there will be no question as to why this escapade is listed among National Geographic’s list of the 20 “World’s Best Hikes” as well as a top rated trails in the Eastern U.S. on both HikingProject and AllTrails hiking apps. But on this trek, the rewards are not simply provided; they must be earned. This classic route may take all of your energy but it will give back manyfold in return.

CONTENTS
00:00 Intro Teaser
01:02 Map & Overview
02:32 Start of Hike
03:02 Falling Waters Trail
06:13 Rocky Ascent
08:00 The Alpine Zone
08:30 Little Haystack
10:49 Mount Lincoln
12:45 Mount Lafayette
15:15 Down to the Hut
16:23 Final Descent
17:02 Trail Dashboard
17:32 Back at Trailhead

Trail Dashboard
While the waterfalls and panoramic views of the ridgeline provide a 9 Astonishing for scenery, this comes with a price. The terrain is challenging and rocky. The dropoffs and wicked weather lead to tense anxiety. The 4,000 feet of elevation gain and peak 27% grade is treacherous. And the 9mile distance is quite long. Any way you slice it, the difficulty is a 10 Grueling.