The Best Hikes in Franconia Notch State Park
Franconia Notch State Park is located in the white mountains of New Hampshire. This almost 7,000 acre park is a hiker and out door lovers dream. I think of it as a mini Alaska, due to the constant view of snowy mountains, the small towns, and the lack of cars on the road. Franconia Notch State Park has a vast amount of trails to choose from, 34 to be exact. Ranging from small 2 mile loops, to 16 mile hikes. That being said theres a trail for every skill level. Franconia Notch hikes are very dog friendly as long as you keep them on a leash and clean up after them. Check out our blog on the entire Northeast! All the trails listed below are dog friendly except The Flume Gorge Trail.
(Be sure to click the name of each trail to be directed to AllTrails, where you can see the actual route of the hike and see where exactly its located)
If your like us and live 7 hours away, your best bet is to make this a weekend trip since there is so many hikes to do. We stayed at Stonybrook Motel & Lodge located about 10 minutes or so away from the park. They had free breakfast, an indoor pool, and a lounge that had a pool table and fire place.
Like I said before, there are tons of Franconia Notch Hikes that are dog friendly and also challenging. Here are the best Franconia Notch Hikes and those with the best views.
Artist Bluff Trail
This trail is listed as a 1.4 mile loop, but it feels more like 2 miles. It’s a pretty easy hike with four or five lookouts along the way. The best lookout is towards the end of the hike,It was really foggy and rainy when we went so we couldn’t really see the mountains but you get an awesome view of the lake below. This Franconia Notch hike is also rated as dog friendly.
The Flume Gorge Trail
This trail is listed as a 1.9 mile loop, but feels more like a 3 mile hike. This trail is mainly made up of a boardwalk which makes it an easier hike, but there still is a bunch of steps and uphill walking . The cool thing about the boardwalk is that it allows you to walk right through the gorge. We loved this hiking trail because they have a couple different bridges that you can stand on and look at the ragging water below.
This Franconia Notch Hike cost to get in if you go during their high season.
Adults: $16
Children (6-12): $14
Ages 5 and under: Free
Lonesome Lake Trail
Lonesome Lake Trail is 1 of 34 trails located within the park. It is listed as 3.1 miles there and back, with a small loop around the lake. It takes about two hours to complete this trail at a good pace, and its dog friendly! So feel free to bring your pup along. This trail is mainly used to hike and even snow shoe on (if you go when it’s snowing). This Franconia Notch hiking trail gives you tons of different views, from mountains, to rock formations, and then of course the lake!
Mount Pemigewasset Trail (Indian Head)
Mount Pemigewasset Trail is about a 3.2 mile hike out and back. This hiking trail is usually pretty busy, but it all depends on the time of year you go. The park says the best time to hike this trail is from May until November. Along this trail you will see beautiful wild flowers, small waterfalls, and an amazing view when you get to the top. When you get to the stop there are big rocks you can sit on to take in the views and just relax for a little bit before you head back down the Franconia Notch hike.
If you are looking for more to do while your there besides hiking, There is tons. You can go swimming at Echo Lake, Go bike riding on Recreation Path, Rock climb, camping, and skiing. If you have time head over to Watkins Glen State Park! If you have been to Franconia Notch State Park or planing to go, show us your photos in the comments and let us know what you thought of the park!