A short while later, you arrive back at the visitor’s center – where you can treat yourself to an ice cream cone.Įven though Flume Gorge is crowded and rather expensive to visit, it’s still very worthwhile. Once you gain the ridge, the path levels off and you get a nice view of Liberty Mountain. From this point, the walk back is steeply uphill for a short while. One of my favorite views along the trail was looking back at the Pool and the Sentinel Covered Bridge from a little spur trail to an overlook. Below: The river under the bridge is very scenic The Pool is a wide, still spot on the river. My favorite view along the trail came at the spot overlooking the Sentinel Bridge. If you’re able, it’s definitely worth following the longer route to see Liberty Gorge Cascade, the Pool, The Sentinel Pine Covered Bridge, the Wolf’s Den and several impressive erratics along the trail. After passing the waterfall, be sure to take a quick peek inside Bear Cave.Īt the top of the Flume, the trail has two options – one returns people to Boulder Cabin and the bus stop, the other follows a trail for a little over a mile back to the main entry. The falls take several directional turns through the Flume – each angle makes it look like a completely different waterfall. Near the top of the Flume, visitors are treated to views of the crashing water of Avalanche Falls. Wooden walkways are attached to the sheer canyon walls and allow people to climb through the gorge using a series of ramps and steps. The Flume is a fascinating geological area – a narrow slot canyon carved out from thousands of years of river flow over the rock. A sign announces the beginning of the Flume. The water in the river passes thinly over a wide, smooth expanse of granite. Below: Table Rock The path through the woods is peaceful and shady Bear Cave is located near the top of the Flume The side view of Avalanche Falls.Īfter passing the cabin, the path follows alongside an area called Table Rock. The first covered bridge in Flume Gorge is brilliant red. The building is full of exhibits – both historical and natural. After a short uphill, both the bus riders and the walkers arrive at the Boulder Cabin. 25 miles, there is a bright, red covered bridge across the water – the bus goes through the bridge, but pedestrians cross a walkway attached to the side of the bridge. The two-mile loop starts off along a shady, wooded path that climbs down to the Pemigawasset River. However, bus riders miss seeing a lot of the other impressive scenery along the loop. This option substantially shortens the distance and climbing necessary to see the gorge. For anyone who doesn’t want to walk the two miles, there is a bus that will take visitors to a drop-off point at the Boulder Cabin. It’s no surprise the area draws such large crowds – it packs an amazing amount of unique scenery into an easy, two-mile loop. There will always be hordes of people, no matter the time of day, week or year you visit. Flume Gorge is an extremely popular area. There were definitely fewer people this time, but that’s not to say we had solitude. It was insanely crowded, unusually hot and glaringly sunny on that visit, so we decided to make a return visit on this trip – hoping that the clouds and cooler weather would keep the crowds at bay. Last year, when we visited New Hampshire for the first time, we went to Flume Gorge with my parents. Below: Avalanche Falls is located inside the Flume Liberty Gorge Cascade is also impressive The trail is lined with large boulders called glacial erratics The Sentinel Pine Covered Bridge is for pedestrians only. The Flume is a beautiful and unique place. But if you don’t mind crowds and want to see some unique scenery, don’t miss a visit to this area. If you crave solitude, this is not the place for you. Located in Franconia Notch State Park, this two-mile path around the Flume Gorge showcases a lot of beautiful scenery on a short and easy walk. Introductory Guide to Visiting the White Mountains
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