Hiking to Breathtaking Flume Gorge in New Hampshire

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Definitely, hiking to Flume Gorge in the Franconia Notch State Park is one of the must do when visiting New Hampshire for the first time. Whether you come from other states or other countries, you will not be disappointed at all. Flume Gorge hike is not hard, but the walk includes uphill walking and lots of stairs.

My family and I went to New Hampshire for the first time back in June during our road trip from Texas to New England. Our first stop was Vermont, and New Hampshire was the second one. 

While exploring the White Mountains area for two days, we made sure to put the Flume Gorge in our itinerary. I was amazed by its natural beauty, the Flume became one of my favorite destinations during our summer road trip in New England.

What is Flume Gorge?

The Flume is a natural gorge extending 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty in Lincoln, New Hampshire. The walls on both sides of the gorge are Conway granite that rise to a height of 70 to 90 feet and are 12 to 20 feet apart.  

One day in 1808, a 93-year-old “Aunt” Jess Guernsey went fishing and accidentally came upon the gorge. Her family didn’t believe her marvelous discovery, but at the end she persuaded others to come and see for themselves. 

At that time, a huge egg-shaped boulder hung suspended between the walls. The rock was 10 feet (3m) high and 12 feet (3.6m) long. Then a heavy rainstorm in June of 1883 started a landslide that swept the boulder from its place. It has never been found, and the same storm deepened the gorge and formed Avalanche Falls. (an excerpt from New Hampshire State Parks website.)

Flume Gorge Hike: Basic Info You Need to Know

Currently, there’s only one way to get to the Flume. It’s a one-way, 2-mile loop starting at the check-in booths located in front of the Flume Building. The Short Trail/Rim Path where visitors can combine the walk with a shuttle bus ride is closed. It will take you around 1.5 hours to finish the Flume Gorge hike that ends at the Flume Building.

The Flume is open daily from 9am – 5pm and will close on October 24 for the 2021 season. Off season or off hours visitors assume all risk while recreating in State Park lands. If you think about going during these hours, you should possess the necessary knowledge, skill, and equipment to ensure your own safety. At these times, the park is typically not staffed, comfort stations are not available, and gates may be closed. 

Flume Gorge is part of Franconia Notch State Park, and there is a fee to hike to the Flume. For ages 13 and above is $18, ages 6-12 is $16, and ages 5 & under are Free.

You must make an online reservation before arriving at the park. Tickets are limited per hour, per day. There is a $1 non-refundable online transaction fee. You can print the tickets or display them on a mobile device for scanning. Reservations in advance are required especially if you plan a visit on weekends. Or, they will turn you away. Also, it is not refundable. Come prepared for rain or shine. 

When we went there, we didn’t have this information. We got there slightly before 5pm, and they wouldn’t let us in. They told us to come back the next day and buy the ticket online. Fortunately when we went online tickets were available. In fact, plenty of them since schools in New England were still in session.

We reserve the tickets for the 9am entrance to avoid the late morning crowds. As we started the hike, my son and I were the second who entered the trail. Too bad dogs are not allowed, so my husband stayed in the car with our dog Snoopy.

As I mentioned above, your walk on the trail will include uphill walking and lots of stairs. Therefore a good pair of sturdy walking shoes are needed. Unless you are like us who did other hikes during the trip, you can wear your hiking shoes.

Some people said the hike is easy, and some said it is moderate. Personally I would say it is easy to moderate because of the uphill and stairs. While my son and I didn’t use hiking poles, you probably need one. It depends on your physical condition. We saw lots of families with little children walking here. Also, the path is canopied by tall trees. So, it’s really a pleasant walk.

The Flume Gorge Hike

From the entrance booth, my son and I hiked as fast as we could, because we didn’t want to be closer to visitors behind us. The hike was steadily uphill until we saw a huge boulder, where we started going down to the Flume Covered Bridge.

The Flume Covered Bridge was built in 1886 across the Pemigewasset River. It has been restored several times, and is one of the most picturesque in the state.

After the bridge the path to the Flume is going uphill a bit until you arrive at the Boulder Cabin. Here is the place to grab drinks or snacks, if you don’t carry them with you. Or, for a restroom break. This is also a starting point for visitors who ride a shuttle from the Visitor Center. (Shuttle buses were not offered during our visit.) 

Next you will hike uphill again. You will get to Table Rock, a section of Conway granite that is 500 feet (150m) long and 75 feet (20m) wide. The Flume Brook is rushing through it, so please stay on the trail. It is slippery and dangerous.

Then the path is a bit leveled until you reach the boardwalk with many staircases along the Flume Gorge. Caution: the boardwalk is slippery when wet.

When we got to the Flume, there was nobody else there. That’s what I wanted and we could spend more time there. It also meant there were no strangers in my pictures. I have read people saying there were lots of visitors during their time in the Flume. That’s because they visited after 10am. 

Walking in the Flume was like walking in the sci-fi movie. Both walls covered with moss and lichen, and water rushing through rocks like playing the never ending song.

At the top of the gorge is Avalanche Falls. It was formed during the great storm of 1883 that washed away the hanging boulder. Avalanche Falls is 45-foot (13.6m) and creates a roaring sound as the Flume Brook enters the gorge.

Before you get to the falls, there’s a Bear Cave on the right. We didn’t get in since the rocks going into the cave were slippery. Also, we didn’t even know whether visitors were allowed to go in.

From the Avalanche Falls, the path starts to go down. You will see a rain shelter on the right. Stop here in case you need a break.

Continue downhill on the Ridge Path until you see a sign to Liberty Gorge. It’s not as spectacular as the Flume, but Liberty Gorge has its own charm. A beautiful cascade flows through the narrow valley, making you want to stop and enjoy the area.

Not too far from here you will get to The Pool and Sentinel Pine Covered Bridge overlook. About 80 feet below is a deep basin in the Pemigewasset River. It was formed at the end of the Ice Age, 14,000 years ago. The pool is 40 feet (12m) deep and 150 feet (45m) in diameter. And no, you can’t swim there!

From the overlook you will take a stairs that will take you to the bridge. Stop and enjoy the views of Pemigewasset River from the bridge.

Then you will see a Wolf Den on the right after you leave the bridge. We walked there but turned around after I saw a narrow passage ahead. My claustrophobic mind put a stop sign right away. Traveling with claustrophobia is not fun, but I try to overcome it although it didn’t work all the time. 

If you want to explore the den, just remember that it is a narrow, one-way path that involves crawling on your hands and knees and squeezing through rocks. Children will love this though.

On the left you will see a stairs that will take you down to The Pool. You will not go all the way to the bottom, but you will get a view of the Pool with the Sentinel Pine Covered Bridge as a background from below. It’s a beautiful point of view.

As you walk down the Wildwood Path to the Visitor Center, you will see a small overlook on the left. It gives you a view of Mt. Liberty, Mt. Flume, and Mt. Osceola in the distance. There’s a sign saying “Mt. Liberty is said to look like George Washington lying in state”. Take a look and use your imagination. My son and I found it.

Then you will notice many boulders in this area. Some are pretty large, weighing more than 300 tons. They are called glacial erratics. During the glacial period over 25,000 years ago, a great ice sheet more than a mile thick moved over this area, bringing large and small boulders. As the ice sheet retreated, these boulders were left behind.

You will also notice trees growing out of rock. Its roots hold the rock as if they don’t want to let the rock go. It is called lithophytes, plants that grow in or on rocks. 

When you get to the Great Boulder, veer right to the Visitor Center. If you turn left, it will take you back to the Flume Covered Bridge, Boulder Cabin, and eventually, the Flume.

At this point we started seeing lots of people heading to the Flume. It’s already after 10am. 

Arrive at the Visitor Center, use the bathroom and look around the gift shop. They have a good number of souvenirs and even jelly & jam. There’s an exhibition about White Mountains nature and wild animals at the lobby. You can also get some refreshment at the cafeteria. I wanted to get a cold drink but they weren’t open yet.

My son and I did the Flume Gorge hike for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. We did a fast pace hike from the entrance booth to Table Rock, spent a long time on the Flume, and did a leisurely pace from the Avalanche Falls to the Visitor Center.

How the Flume was Formed (from the NH State Parks website)

Nearly 200 million years ago during the Jurassic Period, the Conway granite that forms the walls of the Flume was deeply buried molten rock. As it cooled, the granite was broken by closely spaced vertical fractures which lay nearly parallel in a northeasterly direction. 

Sometime after the fractures were formed, small dikes of basalt were forced up along the fractures. The basalt came from deep within the earth as a fluid material, and because of pressure, was able to force the Conway granite aside. The basalt crystallized quickly against the relatively cold granite. Because of this quick cooling, the basalt is a fine-grained rock. Had this material ever reached the surface, it would have become lava flows.

Erosion gradually lowered the earth’s surface and exposed the dikes. As the overlying rock was worn away, pressure was relieved and horizontal cracks developed, allowing water to get into the rock layers. The basalt dikes eroded faster than the surrounding Conway granite, creating a deepening valley where the gorge is now.

The gorge was covered by glaciers during the Ice Age, but the ice sheet did not greatly change the surface. It partially filled the valley with glacial debris and removed soil and weathered rock from the vicinity. After the Ice Age, Flume Brook began to flow through the valley again.

The highly fractured granite and basalt have been eroded by frost action as well as by the brook’s water. As you walk through the Flume, look at the floor of the Gorge and you may notice remnants of the main basalt dike, and on the walls of the gorge, small trees are growing. Erosion is still occurring.

Nearby Nature Attractions

– The Basin

– Boise Rock

– Profile Lake

– Old Man of the Mountain Historic Site

– Echo Lake (Echo Lake Beach)

– Cannon Mountain

All of these are easily reached from highway I-93.

Looking for hiking essentials?

Here are some of our favorite things for easy hiking that you might want to check or try:

• Since we didn’t hike through bushes or branches like we normally did in Texas, a capri pants was my choice. It’s lightweight, quick dry, and has zipper pockets that big enough for my cell.

• I like my Merrell hiking boots since it’s lightweight and the toe box is wide.

• From my personal experience, socks are very important to keep my toes free from bruises. Smartwool is one of my favorite hiking socks.

• My son likes his Nalgene and it can hold 48-oz of water. Enough for this hike.

• For a hike like this, I like to carry a day pack that can hold my water bottle, snacks, a small towel, and car keys.