Franconia Ridge Trail
To Mount Lafayette, Mount Lincoln, Mount Liberty, Mount Flume · New Hampshire
Franconia Ridge Trail is a trail on and around Franconia Ridge, climbing about 2,150 ft from Mount Flume to Mount Lafayette. Part of it is above treeline.
Map length
4.5 mi
Climb from the low end
2,160 ft
Book time up / down (from map miles)
3 h 20 min / 2 h 50 min
High point
5,222 ft
Above treeline
2.2 mi
Steepest ¼ mile
1,566 ft/mi
Stream crossings
0
Low point
3,871 ft
Measured on the map. The AMC guide and Forest Service figures usually run 5 to 15% longer. The mapped trail stops about 0.1 mi and 104 ft short of the summit of Mount Flume; these figures end there. The mapped trail stops just short of the summit of Mount Lafayette; these figures end there.
HikerNerd routes on this trail
- Pemi LoopMount Lafayette, Mount Lincoln, South Twin Mountain, Mount Bond, West Bond, Mount Garfield, Mount Liberty, Mount Flume, Bondcliff, Galehead Mountain
- Lafayette LoopMount Lafayette, Mount Lincoln
- Flume and Liberty LoopMount Flume, Mount Liberty
- Mount Flume via Osseo TrailMount Flume
- Mount Lincoln via Falling WatersMount Lincoln
- Mount Liberty via Liberty SpringMount Liberty
Franconia Ridge Trail Above treeline
Mile by mile (map miles)
From Mount Flume (the lower end) to Mount Lafayette.
- 0.0Mount Flume
- 0.0Leaves the trees: exposed above treeline
- 0.1Mount Flume
- 0.1Back below treeline
- 1.0Leaves the trees: exposed above treeline
- 1.1Mount Liberty
- 1.2Back below treeline
- 1.3Junction with Liberty Spring Trail
- 2.6Leaves the trees: exposed above treeline
- 3.0Junction with Falling Waters Trail
- 3.0Little Haystack Mountain
- 3.6Mount Lincoln
- 4.0North Lincoln
- 4.5Mount Lafayette
- 4.5Junction with Garfield Ridge Trail and Greenleaf Trail
Distances and book times (map miles)
To Mount Liberty
1.09 mi (total 1.09) · ↑613 ↓425 ft · 51 min / 46 min
To Liberty Spring Trail junction
0.23 mi (total 1.32) · ↑1 ↓180 ft · 7 min / 13 min
To Little Haystack Mountain
1.65 mi (total 2.97) · ↑736 ↓245 ft · 1 h 11 min / 57 min
To Mount Lincoln
0.65 mi (total 3.62) · ↑382 ↓61 ft · 31 min / 22 min
To North Lincoln
0.42 mi (total 4.04) · ↑75 ↓162 ft · 15 min / 17 min
To Mount Lafayette
0.46 mi (total 4.50) · ↑344 ↓86 ft · 24 min / 16 min
| From | To | Map miles | Total | Climb ↑ / ↓ | Time ↑ / ↓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Flume | Mount Liberty | 1.09 | 1.09 | 613 / 425 ft | 51 min / 46 min |
| Mount Liberty | Liberty Spring Trail junction | 0.23 | 1.32 | 1 / 180 ft | 7 min / 13 min |
| Liberty Spring Trail junction | Little Haystack Mountain | 1.65 | 2.97 | 736 / 245 ft | 1 h 11 min / 57 min |
| Little Haystack Mountain | Mount Lincoln | 0.65 | 3.62 | 382 / 61 ft | 31 min / 22 min |
| Mount Lincoln | North Lincoln | 0.42 | 4.04 | 75 / 162 ft | 15 min / 17 min |
| North Lincoln | Mount Lafayette | 0.46 | 4.50 | 344 / 86 ft | 24 min / 16 min |
↑ walking from Mount Flume; ↓ the other way. Book time: 2 mph over the map miles plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climbing.
Summit conditions
4 incidents recorded on this trail, 1 fatal: Mount Lincoln safety record
Recent trip reports
5 reports on this trail in the last 30 days: snow or ice in 0, microspikes recommended in 0, mud in 5. From hikers on New England Trail Conditions.
- Thu, Sep 24MudDry
Water crossings: Only one on Falling Waters, no issues
Full report on NETC - Tue, Sep 22MudWetDry
Water crossings: Water flows still remain low, so we had no crossing issues. Waterproof footwear always simplifies this - hunting for dry rocks was a non-issue.
Full report on NETC - Tue, Sep 22MudWetDry
Water crossings: All easy rock hops today.
Full report on NETC - Tue, Sep 15MudWetDry
Water crossings: Easily rock hopped.
Full report on NETC - Sat, Sep 12MudDry
Water crossings: Very low water levels, easy water crossings
Full report on NETC
Connecting trails
What to bring
From the summit forecast, Sat to MonPaid links. Backcountry.com pays me if you buy. Prices are Backcountry's, checked twice a day.
67 mph
Summit gusts
Plan a below-treeline hike
Daytime gusts near 67 mph above treeline. Pick a sheltered route or another day.
28°F
Summit low
Microspikes
Summit lows near 28°F, so expect ice on rock and the upper trail.
11h 13m
Daylight
Headlamp
Sunset around 6:08 PM, so a late start or a slow descent ends in the dark.
The rest of the list: Winter gear guide · How I pick gear
Trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Elevation: USGS 3DEP. Above-treeline areas from canopy height by Meta and WRI (CC BY 4.0). Distances are measured from the map and can differ from signs and guidebooks. Conditions change: check before you go.