My new favorite day hike? (sorry Mount Washington) Franconia Ridge, White Mountains New Hampshire

This was a challenging day! Due to changing spring conditions, I would say that this late April hike was even more difficult than my Mount Washington summit in snow and ice on the first day of April. I absolutely loved it! Walking that ridge was one of the greatest times of my hiking life :) It is the second-highest range of peaks in the White Mountains and follows the Appalachian Trail for the ridge portion of the hike.

After parking in the main lot off of I-93, I went up Falling Waters Trail, over the ridge from Little Haystack Mountain to Mount Lincoln and Mount Lafayette, then down Old Bridle Path from Greenleaf Hut. For me, this was the best route in these conditions. I enjoyed seeings the waterfalls first, getting those water crossings done, and climbing up those rocks vs going down them and seeing the falls on the way down when more tired etc. Old Bridle definitely had some challenging steep rock and ice sections, but it was less snowy overall and better for later in the day.

I started this hike a little after 10:30am (drove over from Maine that morning), and I finished just before 6:00pm. Overall, it took me just under seven and a half hours. That time includes stopping for videos and photos, and a few small breaks. My pace is medium-- not too fast, not too slow. Hope that helps with your planning!


Thank you so much for joining me on another adventure! I appreciate the support and this community so much. See you on the next one!





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