Franconia Notch State Park in New Hampshire

We traveled from Jamaica State Park in Vermont to Franconia Notch State Park in New Hampshire on June 29, 2017. We made a couple of stops and arrived at Lafayette Place Campground as dusk was falling. The day was dreary, chilly and rainy. We checked into the campground and were dismayed to discover that no dogs were allowed. Zoe immediately became she who must not be named and true to her laid back nature she was a quiet rule breaker, staying hidden in the car or tent for most of our stay. The weather, as rainy and chilled as it was, proved an effective cover for our deceit.

We set up camp in a steady light rain fall. We put up Mom’s canopy over a picnic table and Donna fixed a good supper. Tyler had to bunk in with Mom and Donna as we had no tarp for a rain cover on the hammock he usually slept in. Local conditions were not set to improve much over our two night stay and our exploration of this fantastic park were curtailed.

Lafayette Place Campground is a nice wooded campground offering a semblance of privacy in the sites as trees surround each site separating them from one another. The camp store has plenty of supplies and the shower houses and laundry facilities are clean. I crawled into my tent listening to the patter of rain, a most soothing, relaxing sound. The forecast called for heavy rains and possible thunder showers. Over night the steady rains got into tents and soaked sleeping bags. Everyone was damp when we rolled out on June 30. The skies overcast and the threat of rain hanging over our party, we decided to check out Flume Gorge, a popular attraction.

We paid the entrance fee at the Visitor Center and headed in. There was a nice break in the weather allowing us to shed our rain gear for the hike. We crossed the Pemigewasset River on a scenic Covered Bridge. We walked up hill to enter The Flume. The Flume is a natural gorge discovered in 1808 by 93 year old “Aunt” Jess Guernsey, according to the brochure. It is an awe inspiring site. The trail is developed, graded and wide for easy walking. It can be steep in places. The highlight of the hike is the boardwalk through the Flume Gorge. We made our way in the line of tourists towards the top of the gorge. Climbing the steps through the gorge was a real visceral treat. It engaged the entirety of the senses. The sights and sounds surrounding us, the height and depth of the gorge, the water spray off the Falls was chilly and invigorating as were the steps, which were slick with water and demanded one pay attention to one’s progress. We passed Avalanche Falls and climbed to the top of the Falls where the loop continued to Liberty Gorge and the Sentinel Pine Bridge and the Pool. Mom and Donna returned to the Visitor Center, Tyler and I finished the loop.

We checked out Liberty Gorge, then made our way to the Sentinel Pine Bridge. The Sentinel Pine fell in 1938 and forms the base of the covered bridge. The Pool is a 40’ deep pool surrounded by 130’ cliffs. We decided to do the Wolf’s Den, a narrow one way path where one must crawl and shimmy through some tight spaces. I had to lift myself up over a narrow ridge and slither through a cold pool of water to get out of the Den.

We left the Flume and headed to the base of Cannon Mountain to ride the aerial tramway up to the top of Cannon Mountain where we walked the short Kinsmen Ridge Trail, the smell of the Balsam Pines making one think of Christmas Past. It was foggy and chilly. There were breaks in the cloud cover that hinted at the extraordinary views one might be treated to in better conditions.

It was a full day of sightseeing interrupted by a trip into town where we hung out at a laundromat drying our sleeping bags and washing clothes. We ate at a nice little Italian place before calling it a night.

Looking forward to another travel day!