Franconia Ridge

On Friday I did the Franconia Ridge Loop. This, as opposed to the Baldfaces is one of the most
popular hikes in New Hampshire. On my hike, I saw over 100 people. This would be a lot, but I found out that over the previous weekend a ranger had a counter and he had 800 people pass by him by mid-afternoon. The hike goes over both Mt. Lafayette and Mt. Lincoln. Both mountains are over 5000 feet. The hike loop is about eight and a half miles. I got so lucky. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and even at that elevation it was sixty degrees in October.

The loop goes up either the Old Bridal Trail or Falling Waters. Most people go up Falling Waters then walk the ridge and come down Greenleaf and Old Bridal Path.  I do not. I like getting all my climbing done first. Climbing to the summit of Lafayette first gets most of the climbing done at the beginning of the hike. However the pitch up from Greenleaf to the top is a full thousand feet. It is not a cliff, but it a steep set of stairs that just keeps coming at you. From the summit of Lafayette there are some small ups but mostly downs to Little Haystack and the Falling Waters Trail.

From Lafayette to the Falling Waters Trail it is 1.8 miles. The scenery is spectacular. You are on top

Franconai Ridge

of the world with steep drops on both sides. The path on top is a few feet wide so it is plenty safe. The views look down into Franconia Notch on one side. The view on the other side is even better. You look all the way into the Pemigewaset Wilderness. I could see Mt. Washington along with a multitude of other peaks.

As I said, there is no lack of people on this hike. Although I admit, all these people did not in any way take away my enjoyment of this hike. It is absolutely beautiful and there is good reason it is so popular.

One of the falls on the Falling Waters Trail