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Mt. Lafayette, Mt. Lincoln, Little Haystack Mtn. ![]()
Route Summary This is a loop hike starting and ending at the Lafayette Place parking area. It summits Little Haystack Mountain, Mount Lincoln and Mount Lafayette, all of which rise well over 4,000 feet (over 5,000 for Lincoln and Lafayette) and offer staggering views. The 1.6-mile segment between Little Haystack and Lafayette is atop an open ridge. During the ascent on Falling Waters Trail, there is about a half-mile stretch along Dry Brook where you will be treated to several cascades, including Stairs Falls, Swiftwater Falls (60 feet), and Cloudland Falls (80 feet). A short detour will bring you to Shining Rock which is an immense slab running about 800 feet long and rising for 200 feet.
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Trail Guide On Saturday, October 11 we hiked Franconia Ridge, doing a loop to summit Mounts Lafayette and Lincoln. The hike is 8.8 miles and usually takes 7-1/2 to 8 hours. The foliage, being very close to peak, provided us with a spectacular show! This is a strenuous hike, so please consider your abilities and limitations before deciding to do it; it requires prior conditioning. Also, be sure to pack layers, hats and gloves. At this time of year with our hours of daylight waning, an early start is imperative. Due to extreme conditions that can occur above treeline, weather should cancel any plans you have for this route. If conditions look ominous, you should decide if it is prudent to turn back and forego exposure on the ridge. Seven hikers and two dogs left Lafayette Place parking lot (the trailhead) at 8:00 a.m. We later met up with two more SDHers who had a later start. Thanks to co-leader Diane who led the hike, and all who waited or started down to hook up with me while I chased my dogs. I actually did some extra mileage thanks to my dogs who seem to make friends wherever they go and ended up trailing behind the rest of the group. I thought I would catch up with Faye and Mark, but never did; Faye must be working out! This is one of the most popular hikes in the Whites. The trails were busy. One park ranger I spoke with said they expected 300-400 hikers on the ridge on Saturday. I believe it and think I met most of them! We ascended Falling Waters Trail to Little Haystack Mountain. This trail can be steep in spots and passes by several points of interest. There are a series of waterfalls and a slanting cliff (Shining Rock) to take your mind off your aching knees. Once you are above treeline, it is all worthwhile. This ridge offers wide views of the "Pemi" Wilderness. Foliage was bright, the sky was blue and there was an occasional high cloud. We were treated to the soft "whoosh" of a glider on the ridge. If I hadn't been too tired I would have gotten pictures. Once at the summit of Little Haystack, we followed Franconia Ridge Trail over the summits of Mounts Lincoln (5,089 feet) and Lafayette (5260 feet). The descent started down Greenleaf Trail and we stopped at Greenleaf Hut for a potty break and warm drink. Then we picked up Old Bridle Path which took us right to the parking lot where we began our day. It was a great day in the Whites for me, and I learned how to curse my dogs in French! The rest of the group stopped for Nachos and brew before heading home. From co-leader Diane: As usual Deb did a fantastic job in setting us up for a fabulous hike. She picked the peak foliage weekend of the season (and a clear, dry, sunny day) and got us off to an early start so we could park in the lot and not off-road. |
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Driving Directions
The trailhead for this hike is located on the east side of Franconia Notch and is accessed from the Lafayette Place parking area on I-93 in Franconia Notch State Park. There are parking areas on both sides of the Parkway (I-93) with a foot-travel tunnel running underneath the highway connecting the two points. Traveling northbound on I-93:
Traveling southbound on I-93:
Other Notes Franconia Notch Hiker Shuttle Parking lots can fill up quickly in Franconia Notch State Park, especially on weekends and during foliage season. Parking alongside the road is not allowed. A hiker shuttle (about $5 roundtrip per person) is available to transport folks between the trailheads and a large overflow parking area. Please refer to the New Hampshire State Parks website to see details for the Franconia Notch Hiker Shuttle. More Mt. Lafayette, Mt. Lincoln, Little Haystack Trail Reports
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