Day hikers can ascend three peaks in New Hampshire’s beautiful White Mountains on the Mount Lafayette and Franconia Ridge Trail Loop.
The 8.45-mile loop sports a 3,815 feet in elevation gain. It is located in White Mountain National Forest, where dogs are welcome and may even be off-leash in some areas.
To reach the trailhead, take Interstate 93 north from Ashland, N.H. Just after mile marker 108, exit at the “Trailhead Parking” sign; this takes you to the Falling Waters Bridle Path Trailhead. The exit ramp ends at a parking lot.
Start in Franconia Notch State Park
Our trail leaves from the center of the parking lot’s east side, which is in Franconia Notch State Park. You’re on a stem, which is a segment of the Old Bridle Path. The trail forks at 0.2 miles. Go right-straight/south onto the Falling Waters Trail (Note: Google Maps shows that you first cross a brook, but that is wrong.).
After crossing Walker Brook, the trail briefly parallels it than veers away as ascending. You’ll soon enter White Mountains National Forest.
Once on the other side of Dry Brook, the trail at 0.6 miles parallels the waterway. You’ll soon come to a small waterfall then after crossing the brook be able to see Stair Waterfalls and then 100 feet later Swiftwater Waterfalls.
Stairs Falls features Dry Brook cascading 15 feet down a series of small granite steps into a shallow pool below. In contrast, Swiftwater Falls rises to a height of 60 feet and is characterized by a combination of cascading waters and gentle plunges.
Cloudland Falls
The trail continues alongside the brook, climbing up the side of Little Haystack Mountain. A good place to pause and catch your breath is at Cloudland Falls, the most spectacular of the four you’ll see on this leg of the trail.
Cloudland Falls, standing at 80 feet, is a stunning example of a fan-type horsetail waterfall. Its most striking feature is the fanning shape, with the top measuring two feet in width and expanding to about 25 feet at the base during high water conditions.
The waterfall is fed by Dry Brook, which rushes down a sloped chute formed from polished, fractured granite bedrock. At the upper section, the creek divides around a small island of trees, creating two channels of cascading water. These channels descend for roughly 20 feet before merging as the falls plunges over the cliff, crashing onto a smooth granite slab and flowing into a vibrant emerald green pool below.
Back on the trail, after serpentining up the mountain side, you’ll reach the alpine zone at around 2.5 miles. This is where the trees give way to the mountain’s open, rocky top. There is a spur here that goes to a nice vista and is worth the additional 0.15 miles round trip of hiking.
You’ll reach the summit of Little Haystack Mountain at 3.35 miles. The elevation is 4725 feet above sea level. Looking west, you’ll see Mount Lafayette and Mount Lincoln if you gradually turn toward the right, and Mount Liberty and Mount Flume if you turn to the left.
Franconia Ridge
At the peak, the Falling Waters Trail heads with the Franconia Ridge Trail going north-south. Continue left/northeast onto the Franconia Ridge Trail.
Franconia Ridge is a significant spine of the White Mountains, connecting several of its major peaks. It ranks as the second-highest range in the national park, following the Presidential Range. The ridge features six major summits, with Mount Lafayette standing as the tallest at an elevation of 5249 feet.
The next stop on the range is Mount Lincoln, which summits at 5089 feet. It overlooks the Fraconia Notch, a major pass through the White Mountains.
Continuing north, you’ll reach Mt Lafayette’s summit at 4.85 miles. There are some great views here, and on a clear day, you’ll be able to see Mount Washington and the rest of the Presidential Range.
On the summit’s north side is the junction with the Greenleaf Trail. This descends to Eagle Lake and Greenleaf Hut, which is at 5.85 miles. A small lake – a pond really – it’s only a few feet deep at most, and is eutrophying, that is, filling in.
Old Bridal Path
Near the hut, you’ll junction with the Old Bridal Path, which is the trail you started in back at the parking lot. Take a left/southwest onto the Old Bridal Path.
As the trail descends, you’ll weave back and forth between the state park and the national forest, though the boundary isn’t really marked.
You’ll junction with the Falling Waters Trail at 8.25 miles. Stay on the Old Bridle Path by going right/northwest. This will take you directly back to the parking lot.
Conditions in the White Mountains can change rapidly and become perilous at any time of year, particularly during winter hikes. The forest service strongly advises hikers to be well-prepared, which includes wearing appropriate clothing, wearing sturdy hiking boots, bringing extra layers and trekking poles, and carrying sufficient food and water. Given that fatalities have occurred on this trail, these precautions must be taken seriously.
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