Flume Gorge Tickets & Hours

Flume Gorge tickets cost $18 for adults (13 and over) and $16 for children (6 to 12) when you reserve online, or $3 more at the ticket window. Children 5 and under are free, and NH State Parks lists New Hampshire residents 65 and over as free. You book a specific date and a one-hour arrival window. The 2026 season runs May 8 to October 25, 2026.

Flume Gorge Ticket Prices

These are the May to October entry fees NH State Parks published for the 2026 season. The price includes the full self-guided loop walk through the gorge.

• Adults, ages 13 and over: $18 reserved online, $21 at the ticket window.
• Children, ages 6 to 12: $16 reserved online, $19 at the ticket window.
• Children 5 and under: free.
• New Hampshire residents 65 and over: free, according to the state's day-use fees page.

For a family of two adults and two children, booking ahead saves $12 over buying at the window. The two state pages disagree slightly on where the child price stops: the Flume page says ages 6 to 12, the general fees page says 6 to 11. If you have a 12-year-old, check when you book.

How to Reserve

Reservations are made through the state's booking system on ReserveAmerica, linked from the official Flume page. Here is how it works, according to NH State Parks:

• You pick a date and an arrival window, for example 1pm to 2pm. You need to arrive within that hour.
• Specific hours or whole days can sell out, so walk-up tickets are not guaranteed.
• If you miss your arrival window, the state says it cannot guarantee entry. Leave time for traffic on I-93, especially on foliage weekends.
• Reserving online is $3 cheaper per ticket than paying at the window.

Flume Gorge Hours

The 2026 schedule NH State Parks posted:

• Opening day: May 8.
• July 3 to September 7: 9am to 5:30pm (extended summer hours).
• September 8 to October 12: 9am to 5pm.
• October 13 to October 25: Flume trail and visitor center 9am to 4pm.
• Closing day: October 25.

The state did not post separate hours for May 8 to July 2, so call the park office before a spring visit. All dates and times are weather dependent and can change without notice.

When the Flume Is Closed

From late October to early May the gorge is closed to walkers. NH State Parks removes the boardwalks for the winter, and the visitor center is closed. The state also asks visitors to stay off trails on Flume Gorge property during maintenance closures. Season dates for 2027 had not been published when this page was written; the state's park brochure lists the Flume season as May to October.

Groups and School Trips

Youth and school groups must call the park at least two weeks before they arrive. New Hampshire youth organizations may qualify for the state's Bus Pass Program, and groups that don't qualify can get a discounted rate. Details are on the school and youth groups page.

Getting There and Parking

The Flume visitor center is at 852 Daniel Webster Highway, Lincoln, NH 03251, at Exit 34A of I-93. Parking is at the visitor center. See our parking guide for every lot in the Notch, and the Flume Gorge guide for what the walk is like.

Other Fees in Franconia Notch

The Flume is one of the few places in the park that charges. Echo Lake Beach has its own day-use fee (see Echo Lake Beach). The Basin, Boise Rock, Profile Lake and the bike path are free. The Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway is closed while it is replaced (see the tram page). A full list is on hours and fees.

Prices and hours change from year to year. The NH State Parks Flume Gorge page is the source of record, and the park office answers at 603-745-8391.