Plan Your Visit

You can see the main sights of Franconia Notch in one day: the Flume Gorge in the morning, the Basin and the Old Man of the Mountain site at midday, and Echo Lake Beach or Artists Bluff in the afternoon. The park is on I-93 about 2.5 hours north of Boston. The main paid stops are seasonal (the Flume ran May 8 to October 25, 2026), so summer and early fall are the easiest times to see everything. Reserve Flume tickets ahead, and arrive early on foliage weekends. The Cannon tram is closed while it is replaced.

A One-Day Plan

1. Morning, Exit 34A: the Flume Gorge. Book an early arrival window and allow about 1.5 hours for the 2-mile loop.
2. Late morning: the Basin. Its own pull-off, a 10-minute paved walk. Add Kinsman Falls if you want a short hike.
3. Midday, Exit 34B: the Old Man of the Mountain Profiler Plaza on Profile Lake, and the free New England Ski Museum if it's open.
4. Afternoon, Exit 34C: Artists Bluff (1.5-mile loop) for the view, then a swim or a kayak at Echo Lake Beach.

Driving between stops: the attractions sit along I-93, and some parkway pull-offs only work in one direction. Check parking before you set the route.

If You Have More Time

• Hike to Lonesome Lake from Lafayette Place: 1.5 miles each way, with AMC's hut on the far shore.
• Ride or walk the bike path, about 20 miles round trip from end to end.
• Do the Franconia Ridge Loop: a full, hard day. Read about the 2026 trail change first.
• Camp at Lafayette Place, in the middle of the Notch.

When to Go

• Summer (June to early September): everything seasonal is open, including the staffed beach.
• Fall foliage (late September and October): one of the busiest times of the year. NH State Parks adds staff, traffic control and a one-way pattern on Artists Bluff. Go on a weekday if you can, and arrive early.
• Late spring (May): the Flume opens in early May and the campground in late May. The beach isn't staffed until June.
• Winter: the Flume, beach and campground services close, but the trails, the bike path and Cannon Mountain Ski Area are open.

Seasonal dates for each attraction are on hours and fees. For what the mountain weather does to these plans, see weather.

What to Book Ahead

• Flume Gorge: book a date and arrival hour online. Some hours sell out, and booking ahead is $3 cheaper a ticket.
• Echo Lake Beach: parking is limited on nice weekends; you can reserve up to 30 days ahead.
• Lafayette Place: campsites open for booking 11 months ahead.

What to Bring

• Sturdy shoes with grip, for the wet Flume boardwalk and every trail.
• A layer and a rain jacket. NH State Parks warns that mountain weather changes suddenly.
• A trash bag: the park is carry-in, carry-out.
• Swimsuit and towel for Echo Lake in summer.
• Downloaded maps. The state's PDF maps are on our trail map page.

Visiting With a Dog

Dogs can join you on the hiking trails, such as Artists Bluff, but not in the Flume Gorge, at Echo Lake Beach, in the campground or on the bike path. There are dog walk areas at the Flume and Tramway lots. Plan the day around that: see rules and dogs.

Where to Stay

Inside the park, the options are Lafayette Place Campground, the Cannon RV Park on Echo Lake, and AMC's Lonesome Lake Hut. For inns and motels in the nearby towns, NH State Parks points visitors to the Franconia Notch Chamber of Commerce, (603) 823-5661, and the Lincoln/Woodstock lodging bureau.