The Flume Gorge

The Flume Gorge is the signature walk of Franconia Notch State Park: an 800-foot-long natural chasm carved into Conway granite, with sheer walls rising 70 to 90 feet and a width of only twelve to twenty feet at points. A network of wooden boardwalks and stairs takes visitors along the Flume Brook, which tumbles over cascades beneath dripping ferns and moss. The loop in total is about two miles and passes the Wolf Den, Avalanche Falls, Liberty Gorge, Sentinel Pine Bridge and a historic covered bridge before returning to the Flume Visitor Center. The story of the discovery adds to the charm: in 1808, Jess Guernsey, a 93-year-old woman, stumbled upon the gorge while fishing, and her family did not believe her until they saw it themselves. Visitors today find the entry staircases, bridge crossings and viewing platforms comfortable but steep in places, and the gorge section is cool even on hot afternoons. The walk is generally open from spring into fall, with limited winter access.

A good visit starts at the visitor center, which has exhibits, a gift shop, a cafe and the shuttle bus that connects the gorge with the boardwalk. Allow an hour and a half for the loop, longer if you linger for photos or take the extended path past the Ridge Trail and Cascade Brook. Families with small children can do the walk, though strollers do not manage the stairs and boardwalk gradients.

The surrounding scenery is the other reward. The Flume sits beneath the slopes of Mount Liberty and Mount Flume, the first and last of the great Franconia Ridge peaks, and the covered bridge arcs over the brook in a scene New Hampshire has used on countless postcards. In fall the foliage turns the entire notch orange and red, and in early summer the brook runs high with snowmelt, increasing the drama.

Plan the Flume with a morning start, because tour buses and school groups fill the boardwalk by late morning in summer and fall. Reserve entry or check the timed entry rules in busy weeks, wear shoes with grip, and bring a light jacket for the damp gorge. Combine it with the Cannon Mountain tramway and the Basin for a full Franconia Notch day, then stop for lunch in Lincoln or North Woodstock. The Franconia Notch Recreation Path and Lafayette Campground are close by for cyclists and campers.

The Flume rewards visitors who pay attention to the details. Look for the moss-covered walls that catch the light in the narrowest sections, and for the potholes and boulders left by the last glaciation, which hold the story of how this part of the notch took shape. The glacial boulder that perches near the top of the gorge, a giant that tumbled in and lodged between the walls long ago, is a favorite photograph. Listen for the water: after rain, the cascades roar, while in dry late summer they murmur.

The path is well kept but wet, so shoes with grip are a better choice than flip-flops. Take your time at the covered bridge and the viewing platforms, and watch your step on the stairs, which can be slick. On the way back to the visitor center, the cafe and picnic area make a convenient lunch stop before you head to the tramway or the Basin for the afternoon.