07/10/2026
Planning to hike in Franconia Notch this weekend? There are a few things you should be aware of:
- The Falling Waters Trail has been improved and re-routed (see the WMNF post below) or visit our website for more details:
https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/find-a-trail
- Trailhead parking lots for the Franconia Ridge Loop were filled BEFORE 6am last weekend!
- The Franconia Notch State Park Shuttle that runs from Exit 34B to handle overflow from those lots, stopped taking hikers between 9am - 10am due to capacity.
- We suggest planning ahead, arriving early or considering one of the many other amazing State Park properties that offer hiking:
https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/types-of-nh-state-parks/parks-with-hiking
TRAIL UPDATE: The Appalachian Mountain Club in partnership with the White Mountain National Forest has opened the newly realigned section of the iconic Falling Waters Trail.
While generations of hikers have loved Falling Waters, parts of the old route have become steep, eroded, and increasingly difficult to navigate safely. This has resulted in numerous search and rescue responses over the years. The new alignment follows a more gradual route through open forest, while a spur trail preserves access to Cloudland Falls.
After two years of work, and thousands of hours, this essential work to ensure the long-term viability of the trail and the greater Franconia Ridge Loop access has resulted in a continuation of reliable access to recreation opportunities.
Hikers should adhere to all trail signage and closures relating to the decommissioned section of the Falling Waters Trail. The old section of trail has been decommissioned and naturalized to allow natural revegetation to occur. The new trail alignment may not be accurate on online mapping platforms and adherence to all signage and trail markings is crucial for hiker safety.
For questions, please contact the Pemigewasset Ranger District at (603) 536-6100 x 0.