The Flume Gorge was originally discovered in 1808 by 93-year-old Aunt Jess Guernsey when she stumbled upon it while fishing.
The park is the only location in the New Hampshire state park system that contains a portion of an interstate highway.
Cannon Mountain is known for having the first passenger aerial tramway in North America, which opened in 1938.
The granite walls of the Flume Gorge are lined with rare plants, including mosses and ferns, that thrive in the cool, moist microclimate.
The 'Old Man of the Mountain' was New Hampshire's state emblem until its collapse, consisting of five granite ledges that formed a side profile of a man's face.
The park's Basin is estimated to have been formed over 25,000 years ago during the melting of the Wisconsin glacier.
Franconia Notch State Park is a mountain pass located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, traversed by the I-93 parkway. The park serves as the gateway to the Flume Gorge, an 800-foot-long natural chasm with granite walls reaching 90 feet high. It is home to Echo Lake, a glacial basin surrounded by the Franconia and Kinsman mountain ranges. Visitors can access the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway, which climbs 2,022 vertical feet to the 4,080-foot summit. The area features the Basin, a deep, bowl-shaped pothole eroded into the bedrock by glacial meltwater. The park's diverse terrain facilitates hiking, cycling on the paved Franconia Notch Recreation Trail, and winter skiing. It sits within the White Mountain National Forest, providing extensive access to the Appalachian Trail. The park preserves the site of the former Old Man of the Mountain geological formation, which collapsed in 2003.
The wooden boardwalk inside the Flume Gorge looking up at the waterfall.
Book your reservations for the Flume Gorge and the Cannon Mountain Tramway online well in advance, as time slots frequently sell out.
Bring layers, as temperatures at the top of Cannon Mountain are often 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than at the base.
Use the paved recreation trail to travel between major landmarks instead of driving your vehicle to save time finding parking.
Attempting to visit without pre-booked tickets for popular attractions, as walk-ups are often turned away during peak season.
The Flume Gorge and Aerial Tramway are typically open from late spring through mid-autumn; winter activities are limited to the Cannon Mountain Ski Area.
Stay on marked trails to protect sensitive alpine vegetation and do not attempt to swim in the Basin due to dangerous currents.
