Franconia Falls — Local services in Lincoln

A 3 mile hike from Lincoln Woods trailhead. The trailhead is one of the busiest in the White Mountains and sometimes you may have to park along the Kancamagus Highway, especially on the weekends. I recommend getting here early, like before 7 AM so you can find a parking spot. The trail to Franconia Falls is level and mainly dirt and I ran it with my backpack which had water and some provisions-maybe 15 lbs. It took me 30 mins to get to the falls - that's averaging 10 min mile or 6 MPH and I don't consider myself that great of a runner. If you're in good condition you can easily do it in the lower 20 mins. There is a natural waterslide which is the funnest thing imaginable and you can also jump off the rocks which are about 8-10 above the water. Great place to take kids and I also saw people biking the trail which would make it...

It’s a great trail, and I loved hiking it as a kid! Now that I’m an adult, a couple things that I wish I had known this time:

The hike is 2.8 miles TO the second bridge. From there, it’s .6 miles up a bit of a sharp slope, which is narrower and muddy. But the falls themselves are up there, and various spots to stop and dabble your feet in the water are along the way.

Unless you REALLY want to go off the chute, there’s not a spot to swim at the falls. It’s a pretty intense chute, so be forewarned.

The hike itself is nice and flat and easy for anyone. We passed people who were pushing strollers. And there’s some nice spots to stop and splash your feet...

This is a fantastic hike, and one I would recommend to families and experienced hikers alike. The trail is the falls is very flat and straightforward, with views for the river next to you and also a couple very cool bridges to cross. Once you reach the end of the trail you will reach the Falls, which get more beautiful as you step off the trail and onto the rocks themselves. We were fortunate that when we were there we were able to use the amazingly cool natural waterside that goes into one of numerous water pools along the falls. Definitely a cool place to spend some time, swim, and picnic. Also just fun to climb on the rocks and cross...