Pets allowed
Allowed with Restrictions
Guided tours
Yes
Backcountry camping
No
Lodging
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Franconia Notch is a mountain pass nestled in between the Kinsman and Franconia mountain ranges within the White Mountain National Forest. This state park offers gift shops, a campground, an RV park, educational exhibits, several hiking trails, bike paths, and a lake with boat rentals and incredible views. Popular destinations within the park include the Flume Gorge, The Basin, the Old Man of the Mountain Historic Site, Echo Lake Beach, and the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway.

Several hiking trails begin in Franconia Notch State Park including trails to the summits of 4,000-footers Cannon, North and South Kinsman, Lincoln, Lafayette, Flume, and Liberty. Other trails such as the Pemigewasset Trail and the Lonesome Lake Trail are located near The Basin, the Flume Gorge, and near the Lafayette Place Campground. The summit of Mount Pemigewasset is within the park boundary and provides scenic views at only 3.4 miles round trip. The Flume Gorge area is home to the Gilman Visitor Center, which offers a cafeteria, a gift shop, restrooms, and historical displays. The Flume is a natural gorge with waterfalls and a covered bridge.

The Lafayette Place Campground located within the park has 98 sites that are reservable from Memorial Day through Columbus Day weekend and open for walk-ins beginning May 19. Each site has a picnic table, a fire pit, and a car parking space. Flush toilets and coin-operated showers are available, and wood, ice, and other basic provisions are available at the lodge between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. The Cannon Mountain RV Park has seven sites and is located on the north shore of Echo Lake and is open year-round with three-way hookups provided during the regular camping season.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

High

Parking Pass

None

Open Year-round

Yes

Pros

Lots of hiking trails. Breathtaking views.

Cons

Parking areas are often crowded.

Features

ADA accessible
Vault toilet
General store
Historically significant
Waterfalls
Wildlife
Family friendly
Flushing toilets
Geologically significant
Big vistas
Guided tours
Picnic tables
Near lake or river
Wildflowers
Potable water

Location

Nearby Lodging + Camping

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