On Top of New Hampshire: Mount Lafayette and Mount Lincoln on the Appalachian Trail

Outstanding hike accessing the spectacular White Mountain's Franconia Ridge and beautiful waterfalls.

On Mount Lafayette's granite at 5,249' with Mount Lincoln behind us on Franconia Ridge.

Trip Stats
Location:  Northern New Hampshire - White Mountains - Franconia Range.
Distance/Elevation Gain:  8.9 miles roundtrip/3,800'.  Mount Lafayette = 5,249'.  Mount Lincoln = 5,089'.
Difficulty:  Strenuous Class 1 
Maps and Apps:  All Trails, National Geographic White Mountain National Forest West Map
Date Hiked:  July 3, 2024
Trailhead:  Bridle Path/Falling Waters Trail on the east side of I-93 in Franconia Notch.
Geology:  (igneous intrusive rocks)

• on the slopes:  Kinsman quartz monzonite (contains more calcium than granite does), and Meredith granite of Lake Winnipesaukee. Age 400 million years ago (Ma).
• on the ridge:  Mount Lafayette granite porphyry (a mixture of large and small crystals). Age 195 Ma.  Composition is a mixture of feldspar, quartz, hornblende, biotite (mica) and cream-colored plagioclase.
• glaciers created the u-shaped valleys in the White Mountains.

Indigenous Peoples:  The Abenaki "People of the Dawnland" with its various bands first inhabited New Hampshire 11,000 years ago.  They used land for hunting and fishing, using traps called weirs.  They named natural features, such as Amoskeag Falls, which they called namaskik meaning "at the fish land."
​Useful Links:  Appalachian Mountain Club - Greenleaf Hut     Mountain Weather Forecast

Sandy Peak, Markagunt Plateau

Riding the Arizona Trail

Epic Grand Canyon Rim to Rim

Hike Summary ascending Bridle Path Trail:
0 - 0.2 miles:  parking lot at Franconia Notch to intersection of Old Bridle Path and Falling Water Trails
0.2 - 2.9 miles:  Old Bridle Path Trail to Greenleaf Hut
2.9 - 4.0 miles:  Greenleaf Trail to Mount Lafayette summit
4.0 - 5.7 miles:  Mt. Lafayette to Little Haystack Mountain (Franconia Ridge/Appalachian Trail)
5.7 - 8.9 miles:  Little Haystack to parking lot via Falling Waters Trail

This guy had just climbed over the steep rocks on Falling Waters Trail to the top of Little Haystack Mountain.  The owners assured us he was doing ok!

On Top of New Hampshire Again, After 25 Years
There's lots of reasons why this New Hampshire loop hike rates a 4.9 out of 5 on AllTrails:  beautiful forest, three peaks to summit, a fun ridge (part of the Appalachian Trail) with spectacular views, waterfalls, and just enough challenge.  The trailhead is just off I-93.  The historic Greenleaf Hut at the base of Mount Lafayette allows you to refuel and replenish your water.

We return to our old "stomping grounds" 25 years later - we hiked many summits and trails in the Whites and other ranges back in the late 1990's.  We have great memories of hiking in all New England conditions - gorgeous autumns, buggy summers and icy winters.  We bought our MSR snowshoes there and continued to use them when we moved to Idaho.  Fred proposed to me on Mt. Cardigan, and we were married in Nashua in 1999.  ​

Although we summited Mt. Lafayette then, we hadn't done this loop with Mount Lincoln.  The perfect weather this day belied the severe cold and wind conditions that the White Mountains sustain, and shape the stunted "krummholz" trees on the ridge. ​

Rock on!
Starting up the Old Bridle Path Trail, we were reminded why New Hampshire is nicknamed the "granite state."  You walk over every form of rock:  staircases made out of rocks, boulders, rocks on boulders and even straight up long stretches of bedrock, with a healthy dose of exposed roots.
Two trail crews were digging and placing rocks.
​Wielding a sledge hammer, a trail worker split rocks.
​Most hikers were hiking the loop the opposite way - counterclockwise - so we passed many.  We were happy to see the Greenleaf Hut and take a break from the steep rock ascent of Old Bridle Path.  ​

Krummholz-form trees in the alpine transition zone in the White Mountains.  Looking at Mount Lincoln.

Trailhead sign at large parking lot in Franconia Notch, just off of I-93.

At the first intersection with Falling Waters Trail and Old Bridle Path - bridge spanning Walker Brook.

Serious trail maintenance!

Forest stairway

Walking up Old Bridle Trail

Old Bridle Path

Greenleaf Hut finally emerged from the forest.  It's full-service season is end of May through mid-October.   You can reserve a bed in the unheated bunkhouse and get a full breakfast and dinner and naturalist programs.  

Another 1.1 mile steep climb brought us to Mount Lafayette's west ridge and the highest elevation for the loop, and also a huge prominence of 3,320 feet.  That rivals the west's mountain prominences!  These Appalachian Mountains look a lot different than the raw and jagged ranges of the west like the Rockies because they are much older, rounded and eroded.

Even though Lafayette is 1,000 feet lower than famous Mt. Washington, New Hampshire's tallest, it still feels like you are on top of the state with spectacular views.  On Lafayette's broad summit, hikers lazed in the sun and great weather.

The hike along Franconia ridge, part of the Appalachian Trail was glorious.  Great to see so much emerald green!  We saw the familiar krummholz trees  - brought us back to memories of hiking these mountains so many years ago.  We had experienced some of the harsh conditions these stunted trees are subjected to on a few hikes - cold winds, snow and ice.  

By the time we reached our third summit of the day, Little Haystack Mountain at 4,760 feet, we were ready to descend via Falling Waters Trail with no idea the beauty we would see in a few miles.

Steep boulders and rocks made the initial straight-down descent slow.  As switchbacks appeared, we came upon the soothing sound of Dry Brook which was anything but dry.  I see why hikers would prefer to ascend via Falling Waters Trail because you cross and walk in this stream for awhile - the rocks were slippery.

Dry Brook descends with a series of beautiful falls.  Stunning Cloudland Falls drops down several rock ledges.  A light yellow dog named "Lemon" (I wish I would have taken his photo!)  needed help from his owner to navigate the slippery rocks.

I wished we could re-hike more New Hampshire peaks.  I'd choose New Hampshire if I had to live on the east coast, but my heart still lies in America's grand, dramatic and often mysterious southwest.

First view of Mount Lafayette (far left) and Mount Lincoln (center) on Franconia Ridge.

Approaching Greenleaf Hut with Mount Lafayette rising above it.  The hike continues on Franconia Ridge to the right to climb Mount Lincoln.
The Greenleaf Hut, built in 1930, is an off-the-grid facility where you can stay in one of the bunkrooms with meals included, is located along the Old Bridle Path.  

Greenleaf Hut marks the end of the Old Bridle Path at the intersection of Greenleaf Trail, then climbs 1,000 feet in 1.1 miles to Mount Lafayette summit (above Fred in the photo).  Greenleaf Trail begins further north off the I-95 adjacent from the New England Ski Museum.

Getting closer to Lafayette's summit:  Cannon Mountain Ski Area in Franconia Notch in the distance.

Getting there!  

Mount Lafayette's summit

On Franconia ridge looking northwest at glacier-carved valleys.

Approaching Mount Lincoln - elevation 5,089 feet.

Appalachian Trail/Franconia Ridge approaching Little Haystack Mountain.  Mount Liberty and Mount Flume further along the ridge to the left.

Cloudland Falls on the Falling Waters Trail

Bunchberry, or Creeping Dogwood

On the upper portion of Falling Waters Trail.

STEEP! Falling Waters Trail and Little Haystack summit.

On the Falling Waters Trail.

Rock Stairway to Heaven

Falling Waters Trail

References
Billings, M.P.  1955.  Geologic Map of New Hampshire.
New Hampshire Folklife